Lower-alcohol IPAs are growing in popularity, reports USA Today. This has lead to major craft brewers offering session Indian Pale Ales filled with that much craved hop aroma and flavor.
The definition of a session beer, according to Lew Bryson—the author behind The Session Beer Project—is that the beer must have a “4.5 percent ABV or less, be flavorful and interesting enough to have more than one pint and be reasonably priced.”
USA Today recommends four session IPAs (two new, two established) for those that don’t want the heaviness of the stronger IPAs out there: 21st Amendment Brewery’s Down to Earth Session IPA (4.4 percent ABV), an amber ale perfect for those looking for a fruity aroma, with even a hint of banana; Oskar Blues’ Pinner Throwback IPA (4.9 percent ABV), a sweet yet bitter beer with hints of citrus that makes an excellent choice for outdoor events because of how it tastes straight out of the can; Stone Go To IPA (4.5 percent ABV), an incredibly hoppy beer with a grassy aroma and a bitter bite finish; and Firestone Walker Easy Jack (4.5 percent ABV), a melony, malty IPA containing two new German hops—Mandarina Bavaria and Hull Melon. Head over for the full rundown. [USA Today] [Photo: Flickr.com/bittermelon]