"Table" Beer

Doesn't get more literal then this. Very nice crisp light beer with agreeable flavors.

Stillwater - Beer Table table beer

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22150/80325/

 

In the agricultural economy where even taxes were paid in natura, i.e with agricultural products rather than money, it was also common to use food and drink as payment for work. A farmer who can afford to hire several farmhands probably has a sizable landholding, which also in and of itself necessitates outside help in order to maximize productivity. Water is free (and despite beliefs to the contrary, by many historical accounts not only drinkable out in the countryside, but also the staple beverage there), whereas beer takes resources and time to produce (malting the grain primarily), which makes it a desirable good.

Across several European cultures beer has been brewed at different "strenghts" (with strenght being primarily decided by the ratio of malt to finished beer since there was no knowledge or means of measuring the alcohol of the beer), weaker beers were made for work, whereas stronger beer was made for celebrations (or when work was finished). Working 10-12 hour days out in the field harvesting grain by scythe and hand, whilst drinking several liters of the stronger beer, even with food inbetween wouldn't be very efficient. If the abv is more like 2-3% then it becomes alot more manageable and suitable for work whilst still acting as a form of payment.

 

Belgian Table Beer is actually a thing, but curiously I don't see it broken out as a separate style on BA.

 

Grisette is a style of Belgian/French table beer that I have been loving lately. A local brewery makes a great one. It's like a low abv Saison. I believe farmers used to drink it in France after long days in the field.

 

Please consider having 3 or 4 beers as "Table" beers as beer is not like wine where different grapes can absorb different flavors beer cannot as well.

4 basic beers to keep on hand
1. Heavy/dark- this is your stout, porter, nutty beers, etc
2. APA/IPA/DIPA- obviously your pale ales (heavy hop beers)
3. Saisons- your yeasty, sour beers
4. Light- Typical light colored, light flavored beers- Bud, Busch, Miller- Not "Light" beer but light flavored beer as compared to the above to match the majority of the dishes so it is your "Go To" beer.

Please don't bash the "Light" selections as they are just examples, there are 100+ more in this category, even a lot of wheat beers can fit here. Guess it can be a fifth category to keep on hand but I tend to keep in in the "Light" category.

Thx for reading

 

La Fin Du Monde is well balanced enough to work with a lot of foods and its ABV is closer to a table wine, if that's your bag.

 

Mystic Table Beer.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24803/94594/

 

Wholeheartedly agree on brown ales, mild, and saison. Additionally a variety of German styles tend to be food friendly such as Vienna lager (BBQ) and Dunkel, Marzen, and other medium colored lagers.

 

I have seen a bottle labeled "table beer," but i did catch who made it. I will look next time I go to my local store

 

I like Boulevard's Tank 7. It's easy to get and a lot of places around here have it on tap. Nice saison carbonation to help scrub your tongue with rich foods and a hop bite. Goes well with cheeses, Mexican food, veggies, Indian food, greasy burgers/fries, microwave burritos, and all other kinds of stuff.

Edit: Higher ABV than what you're looking for, but the extra bump will make you more hungry.