Making smaller beers....what's the point?

[petep1980]

I just brewed up my LHBS "Boston Lager Clone". It's really a bitter kit which is hopped like an Oktoberfest. Whatever.

Anyways, it's OG is 1.040. Since it's extract I can pretty much guarantee it'll have an FG of 1.016. With the small boost from the priming sugar it'll really be about a 3.6% abv beer.

I know it'll taste good, but I feel like what's the point?

I may even lager it, but with basic lagering guidelines this won't really lager any longer than most my ales condition anyways.

 

[IrregularPulse]

A lot of people make session beers (ow alcohol) because we drink for the taste, not to get smashed.

 

[flyangler18]

A well-crafted session beer can be immensely satisfying and flavorful.

Of all the beers in my repetoire of recipes, I brew my Mild again and again.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Nothing wrong with a well made session beer.

 

[Edcculus]

I prefer session beers so I can drink a few (or more than a few) and not be drunk.

 

[petep1980]

When do you guys drink these? By the time it'll be on tap, I'll be in the Buffalo Dead of Winter.

I made this exact kit before I know what specific gravity was, and it was a big hit.

Actually you guys have good points. I am usually pretty buzzed from (2) pints of my usual stuff.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I don't think season dictates session vs big beers. Not for me anyway. You can make sessions appropriate for any season.

 

[flyangler18]

When do you guys drink these?

I almost always have either a Mild, 70/-, or Bitter on tap (3.0 - 3.5%), so damn near all year long.

 

[Jaysus]

Session beers are a blast!

more info (and some good readin') here: http://sessionbeerproject.blogspot.com/

 

[justflow1983]

I'm not a lightweight in terms of holding my booze when I'm drinking, but I get killer hangovers. I sometimes brew lower alcohol beers so I can enjoy a few when I'm home and still go to work clearheaded in the morning.

 

[The Pol]

I always have session beers on tap... face it, many gusts like session beers. Also, there are plenty of times that I want a beer with lunch or something and I want something good, but low ABV. Most of my beers are 1.050 or less. I have some seasonals that go up to 1.072, but that is about it.

 

[shortyjacobs]

I like lower ABV brews because:

I can drink em without getting trashed

More importantly, they need less time to age

 

[Edcculus]

When do you guys drink these? By the time it'll be on tap, I'll be in the Buffalo Dead of Winter.

I made this exact kit before I know what specific gravity was, and it was a big hit.

Actually you guys have good points. I am usually pretty buzzed from (2) pints of my usual stuff.

Session beers don't have to be light lager types. Anything that low in alcohol and drinkable in quantity can be a session beer. Scottish ales, browns and lower alcohol porters are perfect for fall/winter. Milds are also nice all year round.

 

[humann_brewing]

I like to have a variety on hand and that would include session beers. I just made a beer that should end up over 12% ABV yesterday, I also have a 4% beer on tap, that is my range.

 

[Yooper]

I screwed up with my planning, and right now I have an oatmeal stout (4.3%) a hopped up "big" American amber (6.5%) and an IIPA (8%). All really good beers- but the oatmeal stout is the lowest ABV and I'd really like to have a 3.5%- 4% ABV beer on tap. Sometimes, after hockey practice, I can down a couple of beers pretty quickly. I don't want to do that with an 8% ABV beer! I love beer! I love the smell, the taste, the flavor, the mouthfeel- all of it.

I'm fairly small, so I really can't handle more than 5-6 beers at a time very well. If the beers are lower ABV, I can have a few and not pay for it the next day.

 

[petep1980]

Of course you guys have opened my eyes to a newer kind of beer, and I am looking forward to tapping this.

 

[ImperialLover]

I understand the idea of session beers. but I have to say that I want to get good and buzzed when I drink home brew. I don't wanna take up my fermenters with "small" beers. but I understand a 1.055 session beer. fast brewing/aging so you can always have good beer on tap.

 

[ImperialLover]

sorry for the double post... I don't brew anything 1.049 or lower. I don't put it down for the taste at all, but enjoy the buzz of higher alcohol beers and my gut can't take a 6er of small beers too often.

 

[flyangler18]

Of course you guys have opened my eyes to a newer kind of beer, and I am looking forward to tapping this.

I think it is just a matter of time before craft breweries in the US achieve a level of maturity in their craft to really start producing world-class session beers; the unfortunate reality is that extreme brewing is part of what differentiates American craft breweries from the mega-giants of mass production.

I love the reactions of guests who've sampled my Mild when I tell them it's only 3%. Trust me, you'll never miss it.

This is not to say, however, that I don't enjoy a 6-7% ABV IPA or 10% Belgian Golden Strong or even 12% Barleywine - but none of those are the kind of beverage of which I'll regularly have more than one glass.

 

[petep1980]

I did make a lager around 6% abv and I thought it was definately too much. I'm pretty buzzed up on 2 after mowing the lawn, and who needs that?

 

[FxdGrMind]

Just brewing a 7.5abv Belgian, hopeing it's not "TOO" potent. I'm a tea toteler, so my current on tap offerings 4% to 5% put me out after 3-4 and that's not much fun when you have guests over and you are passed out on the couch....

Maybe I'll use it on the ladies.... he he he he =) well they might not like the flavors of the Belgian. The low abv Alt goes over very well though.

However I'm still looking for the mouth feel that I like from a Mac&Jack. I'll just call it "Research", and leave it at that.

But all beers have their place, a thirst quenching lite home brew is great for summer, and a robust heavy is nice on a cold winters night with a fire in the wood stove and snow outside.

Just say'n, to each their own.

Enjoy your HB!
Cheers

 

[buzzkill]

I go big..and I do the low ABV beers. they all have a place in my ice box. The only thing I hate about the lower graivty beers is that I still bottle and it sux if a few friends come over and you kill 8 to 12 breers. then I got to go clean them and put them on the rack. once I get the last few parts to keg this wont matter. unless they show up and use all my co2 pulling pints. :rockin:

 

[IrregularPulse]

I want to get good and buzzed when I drink home brew.

I don't put it down for the taste at all, but enjoy the buzz of higher alcohol beers

Why don't you save yourself a lot of time and money and go pick up some King Cobras then?? I don't understand the point of brewing if this is the mentality. Not saying there's anything wrong with your outlook on beer and it's purpose, just doesn't make sense to brew if you just want to be drunk and don't care about taste.

 

[shortyjacobs]

Why don't you save yourself a lot of time and money and go pick up some King Cobras then?? I don't understand the point of brewing if this is the mentality. Not saying there's anything wrong with your outlook on beer and it's purpose, just doesn't make sense to brew if you just want to be drunk and don't care about taste.

While I understand where you're coming from, I love how every time someone brings up, "I like to drink beer to get drunk", people take this stance.

I know it gets in the way of our "higher sensibilities" as homebrewers, but a lot of people, myself included, like the buzzed feeling as well...there's nothing dirty about drinking to get buzzed, or downright drunk. And if I'm gonna drink to get drunk, I'd damn well prefer to drink my tasty tasty beer instead of BMC swill. Getting drunk and loving the taste of what you're drinking to GET drunk are not mutually exclusive ideas.

Often, I drink beer because I love the taste, the smell, the mouthfeel, hell, the bubbles of beer. (note that MOST of my beer is under 1.050, I think I've only made two batches above 1.055, out of 13 or 14 batches total...)

Sometimes though, I drink to get drunk.

 

[johntangus]

I know it gets in the way of our "higher sensibilities" as homebrewers, but a lot of people, myself included, like the buzzed feeling as well...there's nothing dirty about drinking to get buzzed, or downright drunk. And if I'm gonna drink to get drunk, I'd damn well prefer to drink my tasty tasty beer instead of BMC swill. Getting drunk and loving the taste of what you're drinking to GET drunk are not mutually exclusive ideas.

Well said. I personally would rather have 1 or 2 double IPAs or RISs and call it a night. I'm just too fat and old to drink 6 of anything other than water. I also brew mostly higher gravity brews. They last a super long time and since i bottle, it works out quite well. :fro:

 

[permo]

I had a bit of an epiphany this weekend while I was homebrewing. I brewed up an oatmeal stout, OG - 1.061 and an Apricot Wheat IPA OG -1.064, both pretty big brews.

I homebrew so that I can brew good beer that is expensive to purchase or otherwise unavailable, and also because I enjoy it and because I can arguably make a better/fresher product.

So, back to my epiphany, I am going to brew big, hoppy, dark, exotic delicious beers because lighter beers that are massed produced are very inexpensive..I can buy those. Brew the good stuff and buy the cheap stuff.

 

[flyangler18]

So, back to my epiphany, I am going to brew big, hoppy, dark, exotic delicious beers because lighter beers that are massed produced are very inexpensive..I can buy those. Brew the good stuff and buy the cheap stuff.

Find me a world-class Dark Mild or Belgian Tafelbier widely available commercially. I dare you.

Simply because a beer is at a sessionable ABV does not de facto make it inexpensive.

 

[Edcculus]

So, back to my epiphany, I am going to brew big, hoppy, dark, exotic delicious beers because lighter beers that are massed produced are very inexpensive..I can buy those. Brew the good stuff and buy the cheap stuff.

I dont see where you are going. Don't bother brewing lower alcohol beers, or don't bother brewing Light American Lagers. As a lot of people have said above, a lot of low alcohol beers are "the good stuff". Even lighter styles like hefeweizen, kolsch, milds, blondes, American wheat are full of flavor. Even Guinness, a dark robust beer weighs in at a mere 4.2%.

 

[justflow1983]

Or even a really good Hefeweizen...

I like to brew beers that taste good, both light ones and strong ones. Good beers that have complex flavours are expensive no matter what the ABV, so if a less booze is your thing its not a waste of time.

Our session beer here is Smithwicks... 3% abv is the perfect amount when you probably shouldn't be having that last pint of the night, it can be the difference between having an easy or an incoherent time getting home Nothing wrong with having something similar at home for when you get home drunk and just want another beer to drink but know more booze is a bad idea.

 

[permo]

I dont see where you are going. Don't bother brewing lower alcohol beers, or don't bother brewing Light American Lagers. As a lot of people have said above, a lot of low alcohol beers are "the good stuff". Even lighter styles like hefeweizen, kolsch, milds, blondes, American wheat are full of flavor. Even Guinness, a dark robust beer weighs in at a mere 4.2%.

I am saying I don't and won't brew "american light lager" clones to please my friends. That is crap i will buy and keep some around for them until they convert. I fully condone the brewing of high quality low gravity beers. I tend to brew on the higher side of the OG scale for some reason, but last week I brewed up an American Amber at 1.040 OG....not a heavy beer by any means.

 

[brewt00l]

Find me a world-class Dark Mild or Belgian Tafelbier widely available commercially. I dare you.

Simply because a beer is at a sessionable ABV does not de facto make it inexpensive.

perhaps not widely distributed but a commercial example produced by a serious craft brewer in the Mid-Atlantic...and pretty damn tasty:

http://www.yardsbrewing.com/ales_brawler.asp

 

[flyangler18]

perhaps not widely distributed but a commercial example produced by a serious craft brewer in the Mid-Atlantic...and pretty damn tasty:

http://www.yardsbrewing.com/ales_brawler.asp

Aye - and one that I know quite well.

I was challenging permo's statement that 'lighter beers' are all mass-produced and very inexpensive.

 

[brewt00l]

oh, and if anyone is interested in more on the session styles, there is an interesting blog project devoted to the lower abv end of the spectrum:

http://sessionbeerproject.blogspot.com/

 

[Bobby_M]

The whole premise of the original post is strange in a group of beer enthusiast, nevermind homebrewers. It's about trying to appreciate the whole gamut of styles out there. If low alcohol beers are pointless, why beer at all? Why not everclear? It's also like asking why anyone would brew something other than an IPA? Different tastes.

I like to have a beer or two with dinner and if they were all Russian Imperials or Barleywines, I'd be an alcoholic by now.

 

[brewt00l]

I was challenging perdo's statement that 'lighter beers' are all mass-produced and very inexpensive.

yes, to put it bluntly I think we're talking apples to oranges with those cheap light examples.

 

[shortyjacobs]

The whole premise of the original post is strange in a group of beer enthusiast, nevermind homebrewers. It's about trying to appreciate the whole gamut of styles out there. If low alcohol beers are pointless, why beer at all? Why not everclear? It's also like asking why anyone would brew something other than an IPA? Different tastes.

I like to have a beer or two with dinner and if they were all Russian Imperials or Barleywines, I'd be an alcoholic by now.

In all honesty though, after tasting several GOOD examples, why WOULD anyone brew anything other than an IPA?? (he says, sipping alternately from the "sessionable stout" and "Cream of 9 Limes" beers in his two hands....just tapped both kegs!)

 

[Edcculus]

I am saying I don't and won't brew "american light lager" clones to please my friends. That is crap i will buy and keep some around for them until they convert. I fully condone the brewing of high quality low gravity beers. I tend to brew on the higher side of the OG scale for some reason, but last week I brewed up an American Amber at 1.040 OG....not a heavy beer by any means.

Ok, yea that makes sense. I don't brew light lagers for my friends either.

 

[Ketchepillar]

oh, and if anyone is interested in more on the session styles, there is an interesting blog project devoted to the lower abv end of the spectrum:

http://sessionbeerproject.blogspot.com/

Mmmmm that picture of 5 milds is mighty appetizing. Somebody point me to an AG Dark Mild recipe that will look like that and be super tasty por favor.

 

[HalfPint]

Yeah, I have a brown ale that I brew all the time. It's about 3.6%. It's nice to be able to have a sixer on a Saturday night with no remorse.

 

[Dougan]

I like to brew for family events. My family's pretty open-minded regarding beer, but they still are used to miller lite type beers, and I find that the lighter beers are much better approved. I find brews made for a special event to be some of the most redeeming brews as everybody loves the guy who brings the beer.

That said, most of the beers I make for myself are bigger. But that's because I enjoy having a glass of beer that I can take the time to enjoy.