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Wednesday, February 7, 2007

SBP: Action Steps, Courtesy of Stan

Stan Hieronymus, who's been commenting on this page from day one (thanks to a little back and forth we've been on about session vs. extreme beers for months now), left this comment about how do we get brewers interested in making session beers.

As consumers, we can order the beers. Talk nice about them at the bar. Urge our friends to drink them. Leave a nice tip. Compliment the brewers. Suggest you'd like to see more beers like that. Ask how they are made (attention homebrewers: DON'T tell the professional brewer how to lower the gravity and make a better beer). Find out how the brewer might get more flavor even while tossing in less grain.


As reporters, we must write more about these beers. Back in 2000 you waxed delightfully romantic on Pa. beers (when I didn't even ask for session choices): http://www.realbeer.com/edu/abm/tastings/20000710-pa.php

I also think we need to write about more than the beer itself. Discuss the craft of brewing, and brewing low alcohol beers. Talk about how well they work with food (the buzz topic of the 21st century anyway). Mention the great conversations they allow us. Lionize pub/session culture.



Yes. Work to be done, so let's get at it. I'll try to sell some session beer pieces, you guys get to work asking for more session beers. And let's all try to get across the idea of what a session beer is. Remember: session beers mean more time drinking beer, more beer to drink, and more fun beer-driven conversation.
It's all good.

3 comments:

Travis Miller said...

Hey Lew. I'm really enjoying the SBP and the issues you bring up.

I worked in a small brewey in Indiana for nearly a year that made nothing but a really great session beer, it was in a can at that. Almost every point your making about the best parts of session beers were precisely what we were selling.

I am working with someone to put together a brew pub in my current home in VT. Three of the four beers that we want to make as year around choices will be session beers. They all have at least three hop varieties and at least 10 percent of the grist will be specialty malt with the exception of our Kolsch.

I think there are a lot of very good session beers out there. They are primarily what I drink. Contrary to what many beer enthusiasts I've talked to believe, they are the beers that pay the rent every month too.

Lew Bryson said...

Thanks, Travis. Good to hear from someone who's been there, brewed that.

Loren said...

I was talking with Scott @ Capt. Lawrence yesterday about your blog and he's actually intro'ing a new draft beer for the summer/fall that will sell at golf courses, etc.. His Liquid Gold was his previous warm weather winner but even he said "it's too big to just DRINK..." so look for a Kolsch (fingers crossed), I suggested Crystal Colsch with 100% Crystal hops but...,or a hoppy American Wheat, ala Oberon or Hop Sun. BTW...you need to get your butt back there Lew. He's got a ton of new goodies. Not sessionable...but...:BOING: all the way.

Cheers!