I'd like to point out two "subjective qualities" that make up the defining characteristics of a session beer according to The Session Beer Project. Obviously these are not technical definitions and they're not set in stone but when I read them I realized I wasn't alone on a particular way of thinking about session beers:
2. Flavor in balance. A session beer can't be insanely hopped,
syrupy with residual sugar, or funkier than hell. The whole idea of a
session beer is that you can drink them smoothly glass after glass
without anything cramping your palate. Plenty of flavor is fine, but nothing overpowering.
3. The beer doesn't overpower the conversation. Session beers shouldn't make you interrupt the conversation and start geeking
about how marvelous the beer is. Session beer is more about backup than
topic, it's something you drink while you're talking, not something to
talk about. Er...this blog is an obvious exception.
The reason these stood out to me was because over the past year or so I've wondered whether or not people consider very sour beers, that also have very low ABVs, to be session beers. For the sake of argument, let's take The Session Beer Project's guideline that a session beer must be below 4.5%. Calling it an "American Session" beer is the way this traditionally high ABV of 4.5% is currently justified as a session beer. Now let's look at a sub-4.5% locally made sour beer.
If I am drinking a delicious beer and I think it's balanced with drinkability, complexity, and subtlety and then I read that the beer is 9% I get a bit nervous. We talk about that beer as having a deceptive quality, "it will sneak up on you." I'm impressed by beers like that, but I also am less likely to order another because I'll be done drinking all-too-quickly, I'll get tired, I'll need to go home soon. However, let's say that instead of finding out the beer is 9% I find out that the beer is 4%, I'm going to be even more impressed and I'm going to drink at least another pint, perhaps a couple more.
Sunday is Session Beer Day and we encourage you all to go out to the pub, or pick up a six pack with some friends and have a few beers and some meaningful conversation. Notch Brewing, a session brewery in MA, released a manifesto for Session Beer Day stating "Speak of politics, religion, sport, art, love & friendship. Don't bore comrades [with] beer talk!" The point being a session beer inspires friendly conversation by loosening barriers, but the beer should not overpower the conversation and conviviality. The beers were not meant for sipping but for quaffing, and so your familiarity with the beer allows you to move past the beer itself.
A Session Beer as defined by the Brewer's Association in the United States is a beer that is 5.1% or less. Many beer geeks aren't sure how that number was picked, as historically a Session Beer is 4% or less. The creator of The Session Beer Project, and the person who started Session Beer Day advocates for a nice middle point at 4.5% or less.
Here's a list of a couple good tasting session beers you'll find in Colorado Springs:
