Session Beers Gain Ground in the Craft Beer Market

The term "session beer" is becoming more ubiquitous all the time in the craft brewing community. Beers of sessionable strength, about 4 to 5 percent ABV, are nothing new though. Styles like hefeweizens, pilsners, pale ales, brown ales, and many more have typically been brewed to this more moderate strength. So why is there so much focus now on session beers? A lot of it has to do with the rise in popularity of bigger, stronger, and seemingly more complex beers coming from American craft breweries. This trend is true with the very popular India Pale Ale style, as evidenced by the number of double (imperial) IPAs, or even triple IPAs available in the beer market.

Stronger beers, however, aren't always the best choice for every occasion. Sometimes drinkers want to be able to enjoy more than a couple at a time without feeling the effects that come with strong beers. Breweries have picked up on this sentiment, and have deliberately put more emphasis on brewing beers that are big on flavor and complexity but lower in alcohol content. Session IPAs have emerged as a popular style, likely due to the popularity of their stronger siblings. A couple of breweries known for pushing the envelope in boldness, Great Divide and Stone, have each had a session IPA hit shelves this year. One that's been around for a few years is All Day IPA from Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I've known of this beer for some time, but finally gave it a try on a recent trip to visit my family in the Midwest. All Day IPA, at 4.7 percent ABV, pours a translucent golden color with a thin head of foam. The aroma and flavors measure up to those of regular strength IPAs. The hops flavors are all over the map, from citrusy to floral, to earthy and grassy. The malt presence gives it a slight sweetness, and the mildly bitter finish lingers for a few seconds. It's a complex yet approachable and refreshing take on an IPA. While I typically gravitate toward bigger, aggressive IPAs, this one doesn't disappoint. All Day IPA is available in bottles or cans, so it's convenient to bring this great session ale wherever your adventures take you.

Regardless of what you may think of the session beer concept or lingo, one thing is certain - a diverse array of high quality products is great for the craft beer consumer.