Session Beer?

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:25 pm

They haven't sold out (as of 3pm). They had about five cases left at that time (I checked but DIDN'T buy).

jmcnally · Post by **jmcnally** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:34 pm

I'm on my way. I'll try to post a stock report when I get home, about 7:00.

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:39 pm

Beer Geek wrote:Jon, where did your original picture go??? that was some funny shit.....a little disturbing but funny!!!

Here's the link to the original pic I posted.
http://www.fugly.com/pictures/11076/Gender_Bender.html

I think it's self evident why I changed it (although it is funnier).

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:11 pm

Jon Walker wrote:They had about five cases left at that time (I checked but DIDN'T buy).

That's right. The first step is admitting you have a case-buying problem!

(Sorry, couldn't resist.

)

PRMason · Post by **PRMason** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:22 pm

I produce two "session beers", one aptly named Session Ale (Dry Hop Border Bitter on cask) and Dogsbody. Both are under 4% abv but still manage to maintain a great deal of flavour.
Session Ale is back in production, now using Marris Otter malt as a base and Challenger hops for bittering. I think its yummy.
If alcoholic strength is the criterion, then Black Irish Plain Porter, at 4.5% would also qualify. It is a much fuller beer due to the copious amount of roasted malts used, so it isn't as easy to quaff bv the gallon-for some:)

inertiaboy · Post by **inertiaboy** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:50 pm

PRMason wrote:Session Ale is back in production, now using Marris Otter malt as a base and Challenger hops for bittering. I think its yummy.

Had a couple of pints of this with the jerk chicken at Cottage and a Kitchen in Ottawa last Friday and can attest to its yumminess

Hamilton Brian · Post by **Hamilton Brian** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:25 pm

I thought milds were the preferred session ale...low alcohol, malty. Of course that's what I got from the history of the style.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 6:20 am

PRMason wrote:I produce two "session beers", one aptly named Session Ale (Dry Hop Border Bitter on cask) and Dogsbody. Both are under 4% abv but still manage to maintain a great deal of flavour.
Session Ale is back in production, now using Marris Otter malt as a base and Challenger hops for bittering. I think its yummy.
If alcoholic strength is the criterion, then Black Irish Plain Porter, at 4.5% would also qualify. It is a much fuller beer due to the copious amount of roasted malts used, so it isn't as easy to quaff bv the gallon-for some:)

Perry, will the session ale be making it's way to downtown Toronto soon? We need more brewers to be 'brave' and make a tasty beer at 4%. It's not that difficult!! Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Dogsbody again this year.

Al of Kingston · Post by **Al of Kingston** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 7:06 am

When I was a homebrewer (a lapsed virtue during these days without enough space) I made a sub-3.2% ordinary bitter with a massive amount of late Goldings and it was fantastic. I had a session of a party and drained the 5 gallon keg without anyone going over the top, all enjoying the chewy hops. My only wish - in addition to a commercial example - would be that such a beer would be sold reflecting the reduced costs of ingredients, storage time and (perhaps) taxation, say at 80-75% of the costs of a 4.5% and 65-50% of a 6.5% brew.

jmcnally · Post by **jmcnally** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:44 am

Grabbed 12 bottles at Summerhill last night of the Dogfish Head 60 Minute. There were 18 bottles left at that time.

And by the way, the Dogfish Head web site actually refers to the 60 Minute as a "session beer", in fact calling it "THE session beer for beer geeks like us":

http://www.dogfish.com/brewings/Year_Ro ... /index.htm

JWalter · Post by **JWalter** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:00 am

Agreed.

Filson got this one wrong, Session Ale definitely is something that you can drink in a Session, meaning I think at least 3 or 4... I wouldn't always expect it to be under 4%, personally I just want something that is flavorful, but not over the top, like a Fuller's London Pride, or certainly the Hockley Dark, or even something like Cameron's Auburn, or Niagara Falls Gritstone, Durham's Signature Ale... Something like that...

I certainly wouldn't consider the 60 minute IPA (or any real IPA) a session ale... (Although it's certainly closer to a session ale than the 90 minute!) Last summer when my friends and I went down to Chicago, we tried to do a session on double IPA's (Three Floyd's, etc) and by about 10:00pm we couldn't feel our tongues anymore...

Just checked and wikipedia doesn't even have an article for "Session Ale", but they do for Session Lager! woot! That's a crying shame...

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:09 am

Man, we're sticklers for specific words/styles on here aren't we (can't hide our inner geeks!) I think what Filson, and Dogfish Head, are getting at, is that this is not a gigantic hop and alcohol monster you need to share. This is a beer to be enjoyed at a session; that is, you can enjoy a few. Sure 6% is more that 4%, but I tend to agree. If anything, it is an American interpretation of the word (especially in terms of the big American beers).

Session ales as discussed in this thread by Perry and other knowledgeable members are obviously their own distinct style (a delicate style I love when fresh) and I don't think Filson or Dogfish Head would disagree with that. But I agree with these two when they describe this as a session ale, because that is exactly the word I used to describe it to my friends this past weekend when I down 3 or 4 working around the house.

I think we can all agree it is a fantastic beer that is very easy to drink. That's all we're getting at here.

PRMason · Post by **PRMason** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:02 pm

Al the beerblogger wrote: My only wish - in addition to a commercial example - would be that such a beer would be sold reflecting the reduced costs of ingredients, storage time and (perhaps) taxation, say at 80-75% of the costs of a 4.5% and 65-50% of a 6.5% brew.

Ingredients make up only a very small amount of the cost of a beer. In my case, Session and Dogsbody use a more expensive base malt-Marris Otter- which is roughly twice the cost of regular 2 row pale malt. Yes, I do use less, but the ingredients cost roughly the same. Storage time is almost the same, as ales are ready when fermentation has ceased. With the exception of an impy stout or barley wine, ales require no real aging. Taxes, packaging and transportation make up a much larger chunk of the picture, at least in Canada.
Unless a beer is less than 2.5% alcohol, all taxes remain the same as a beer that is 6.5%.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:42 pm

Perry:

I'm a big fan of session ales and would go a long way for a nice fresh pint of Dogsbody, which was lovely and reminded me of Donnington BBA. I hope this and Session Ale re-appear in Toronto soon. Personally, I haven't had a Dogsbody since the lost lamented Blue Meaney shut down.