Session beer

Hi,

I have made Mild’s and Kölsch’s which I think both makes good low ABV beers.

Any other recommendations for a low ABV beer? I want to make something new but I can not think of anything.

Any ideas or recipes welcome.

Do you have a specific ABV threshold that allows you to consider it “low abv beer”?

Ordinary bitters are regularly under 4%. Also, BJCP guidelines say Light Am. Lager can go as low as 2.8%. Blonde ale also has a range of 3.8%-5.5%. Dry stout can be as low as 4%.

If you threshold of “low” is different than that, Founders’ All Day IPA is 4.7%, so really anything can be done.

It really all depends what you like. Kolsch and mild are both styles that are malt-forward. If you want to stay on the malt kick, try a blonde or a bitter. If you want to head hoppier, do a session-strength APA. Conversely, if you want to go dark, try out a dry stout or even a N. German Alt (can go as low as 4%). Brewing Classic Styles is a great place for tried and true recipes, or go with a kit from our host.

In the cooler months of the year, I like a california common, brewed to about 5% abv as my session beer. I base mine off Jamil’s recipe from BCS, which is basically:

-80% 2-row
10% munich
10% vienna (can omit and up the 2-row)
2 ounces of PALE chocolate malt

(I feel like I’m forgetting a grain)

mash @ 150

1oz NB @ 60
.5oz NB @ 20
.5 oz NB @ flameout

SF Lager yeast fermented @ 60 (need a big pitch of yeast) – note: i’ve also had success using german lager yeasts for this, such as WY2206.

I also will be trying a lower-ABV cream ale, with higher doses of Saaz hops, something like

85-90% quality 2-row
10-15% flaked maize

mash @ 152

1oz saaz @ 60
.5 oz saaz @ 15
.5 oz saaz @ 10
1oz saaz @ flameout

US-05 or I might try WY 2206 (bav lager) so I can grow up a pitch for a classic am pils.

Thanks,

I’m looking for something in the range 3.5-4%.

I have a some saaz and US05, so maybe I go for a cream ale. What does flaked maize do? I do not know if I can get it here, or can I just go for some Kellogg’s Corn Flakes?

One thing the other poster didn’t mention were Scottish Ales. A Scottish 80 for example is one of my favorites. If your buying extract kits I’d get the Innkeeper from our host here on this forum. It’s really a great bitter.

[quote=“FredrikHagman”]Thanks,

I have a some saaz and US05, so maybe I go for a cream ale. What does flaked maize do? I do not know if I can get it here, or can I just go for some Kellogg’s Corn Flakes?[/quote]

I think corn flakes might be a bit too processed to get any fermentable sugars out of them, but I could be wrong. Google that up, I’m sure someone on some forum has tried it (or at least asked people smarter than me if its possible).

If you can’t get flaked maize, you can use grits, or even corn meal (though I’ve never tried either of these). If you use grits you have to do a cereal mash to cook them (again, google it…its not hard and actually kind of fun) though and also use 6-row barley as it has more diastatic (converting) power…the corn has no enzymes like barley, so it needs a little ‘leg up’ to convert its long-chain sugars to fermentable sugars, or suitable yeast food. I’m not sure about whether a cereal mash is required for corn meal.

Corn helps add a lighter body and a clean, well-fermented character in the finished beer. There is a bit of upfront sweetness, and IMHO, it gives the beer a crisp dry finish. It was traditionally used in many of the early (and current) American styles, like Lite American Lager (Bud Lite uses corn, Miller Lite uses rice), Standard American Lager (Bud, PBR, High Life), Premium American Lager (MGD, Michelob), Cream Ale (Genny, Spotted Cow) and Classic American Pils (not really many comm’l examples).

It is a ‘must’ in these styles IMHO.

Kelsey’s San Diego Session Ale is what I’d do…

Patersbier, it’s fantastic!

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/pate ... t-kit.html

And the best part is this beer is a perfect stepping stone for a Belgian Tripel.
Brew the Patersbier, then use the yeast cake to ferment the Tripel. Of course the Tripel won’t be a low ABV beer, but who cares :wink:

[quote=“dobe12”]Patersbier, it’s fantastic!

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/pate ... t-kit.html

[/quote]

Is this basically a belgian blonde? sounds really good, may have to try this one.

I was also going to recommend a Scottish ale. I’ve made it part of my regular line-up every fall, typically going with a 70.

Not sure about how much sugar you can get out of corn flakes, but I bet you could get a ton out of frosted flakes. :mrgreen:

[quote=“rebuiltcellars”]I was also going to recommend a Scottish ale. I’ve made it part of my regular line-up every fall, typically going with a 70.

Not sure about how much sugar you can get out of corn flakes, but I bet you could get a ton out of frosted flakes. :mrgreen: [/quote]

My brew club had a cereal beer competition last year. Had about 7 teams of 3-4 guys each. Had to use at least 2lbs of cereal in the recipe. My group did a Munich Dunkel with Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Some of the finished beers turned out pretty well. There were 1 or 2 that did not.

[quote=“Pietro”][quote=“dobe12”]Patersbier, it’s fantastic!

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/pate ... t-kit.html

[/quote]

Is this basically a belgian blonde? sounds really good, may have to try this one.[/quote]

It’s along the same line as a Belgian Blonde, but less malty. I do mine as a SMASH. Pils malt, a noble hop, and wyeast 3787. Simple as hell, but delicious! The yeast adds almost all of the flavor and character.

I brewed a very light Czech pils a few months ago. Got the recipe from the forum here. I think is was posted this past spring. Anyway, even with an OG of 1.038, it’s awesome. A surprising amount of flavor for such a light lager.

One of my brewing resolutions for 2013 is perfecting the flavorful, but lower alcohol homebrew. I like the taste of beer much more than the alcohol content. I think this lager is a good start.

see this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sSKHzmhrzY

and this

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=111018

Drew makes one point in here about how his ‘starter’ beers for his behemoth 10% abv beasts were always his best.

I am with you amigo.

A dry stout can be under 4%.

Not that I’m a slave to BJCP, but http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style13.php#1a

I’d recommend Deuchars IPA. It’s a low alcohol traditional-style British IPA that’s hoppy and flavorful but 4% ABV.

I did the Patersbier, but replaced wyeast #3787 Trapist High Gravity with wyeast #1581 Belgian Stout. Now, I do not know what Patersbier should taste like, but what I got is something I would classify as a Saison. A session Saison maybe as it only got 4% ABV. I fermented at about 72F. It was the second time I used the yeast, first time it was for a stout, but I think it seems much more suitable for a saison then for a stout. Did wyeast get the name wrong? :slight_smile:

So replacing #3787 with #1581 turned out great. Thanks for all suggestions.

A big +1 on Patersbier. And give Denny’s Waldo Lake Amber a shot.

Of all the beer I’ve brewed, I’ve enjoyed the session beers the most. Scottish ales are great. I haven’t brewed the Innkeeper yet, but it’s on my short list.

Hard cider is a winner in the fall/winter. Dry stout is fantastic.