Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

About This Book

SECTION I WHAT IS A SESSION BEER?

Chapter 1 – A Short History of Session Beers

The Original Session Beers of the British Isles

Ales of England

My Goodness, My Guinness

Ales of Ireland

Ales of Scotland

A Little Country Called Belgium

What's in a Name?

Per Diem

Saison, a Beer for All Seasons

White Beers of Belgium

The Session Beers of Germany and Central Europe

Where Is My Berliner Weisse?

Wheat Beers of Bavaria

The Birth of Lager Beer

Ales of Germany

New World, New Beer

Chapter 2 – Brewing Session Beer: Nothing to Hide Behind

Yin and Yang: Balance Is Key

From Grain to Glass

Grain Selection

Milling

Water Preparation

Mashing

Boiling and Hop Bitterness

Yeast and Fermentation

Maturation

Clarification and Stability

Balance and Specialty Ingredients

Sensory Evaluation

Safety and Sanitation

Safety First

Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness (No Rest for the Weary)

The Intangibles

Chapter 3 – Modern Interpretations

Modern American Lager

High-Gravity Brewing

Adolphus Busch

The Quality of Adjuncts

Oldest Brewery in America

The Impact of the Brewers Association

Birth of the Craft Session Category

Session-Style Pale Ales and IPAs

Development of Quality Hop Character

Other Session Offerings

Gose Rising

Cream Ales

What Once Was Old Is Now New Again

Chapter 4 – Drinking Session Beers

Defining Drinkability

A Session Society

Creating a Culture of Responsible Drinking

Food with Drinking Sessions

Session Beers for Every Season

Education Is Key

Chapter 5 – The Cost of Doing Business

Fiscal and Community Responsibility

Cost of Ingredients

Calculation Explanations

Pricing Explanations

Brewpub Numbers

Microbrewery Numbers

Brewhouse Efficiency and Small-Scale Systems

Final Financial Contemplations

Section II Session Beer Recipes

Recipe Specifications and Assumptions

The Recipes

Specifications and Units

Hops and Bitterness Units

Yeast

Brewing Notes

Chapter 6 – North American Session Beer Recipes

Sun King Brewing Company

Sun King Sunlight Cream Ale (Commercial)

Sun King Sunlight Cream Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Auburn Alehouse

Auburn Alehouse Gold Country Pilsner (Commercial)

Auburn Alehouse Gold Country Pilsner (Five-Gallon Batch)

New Glarus Brewing Company

New Glarus Totally Naked Lager (Commercial)

New Glarus Totally Naked Lager (Five-Gallon Batch)

Russian River Brewing Company

Russian River Aud Blonde (Commercial)

Russian River Aud Blonde (Five-Gallon Batch)

Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Firestone Walker Extra Pale Ale (Commercial)

Firestone Walker Extra Pale Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Firestone Walker Easy Jack IPA (Commercial)

Firestone Walker Easy Jack IPA (Five-Gallon Batch)

Stone Brewing Company

Stone Go To IPA (Commercial)

Stone Go To IPA (Five-Gallon Batch)

Stone Levitation Ale (Commercial)

Stone Levitation Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Squatters Craft Beers

Squatters Full Suspension Pale Ale (Commercial)

Squatters Full Suspension Pale Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Wasatch Brewing Company

Wasatch Premium Ale (Commercial)

Wasatch Premium Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Bell's Brewery, Inc.

Bell's Oarsman Ale (Commercial

Bell's Oarsman Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Chapter 7 – German-Inspired Session Recipes

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company

Urban Chestnut Zwickel (Commercial)

Urban Chestnut Zwickel (Five-Gallon Batch)

5 Rabbit Cervecería

5 Rabbit La Bici (Commercial)

5 Rabbit La Bici (Five-Gallon Batch)

Red Rock Brewing Company

Red Rock Black Bier (Commercial)

Red Rock Black Bier (Five-Gallon Batch)

Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Beer (Commercial)

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Beer (Five-Gallon Batch)

Hollister Brewing Company

Hollister Tiny Bubbles (Commercial)

Hollister Tiny Bubbles (Five-Gallon Batch)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Commercial)

Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Five-Gallon Batch)

Chapter 8 – Other International Session Beer

Allagash Brewing Company

Allagash White (Commercial)

Allagash White (Five-Gallon Batch)

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biére (Commercial)

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biére (Five-Gallon Batch)

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn ½ Ale (Commercial) 207

Brooklyn ½ Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Yards Brewing Company

Yards Brawler (Commercial)

Yards Brawler (Five-Gallon Batch)

Stone Brewing Company

Stone Lee's Mild Ale (Commercial)

Stone Lee's Mild Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Carl Heron

Carl Heron's English Amber Ale (Commercial)

Carl Heron's English Amber Ale (Five-Gallon Batch)

Drop-In Brewing Company

Drop-In Tisbury Local (Commercial)

Drop-In Tisbury Local (Five-Gallon Batch)

Jennifer Talley

Jennifer Talley's Dry Irish Stout (Commercial)

Jennifer Talley's Dry Irish Stout (Five-Gallon Batch)

Afterword

Evacuation

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Jennifer Talley's brewing career began in the state of Utah as brewmaster at Squatters Pub Brewery in Salt Lake City. She honed her skills through a variety of positions at Salt Lake Brewing Company, Redhook Brewery, Russian River Brewing Company, and Auburn Alehouse in Auburn, California. With more than 20 awards from the Great American Beer Festival(R) and World Beer CupSM, Talley is also a Cicerone Examiner, craft beer industry speaker, technical committee member for the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, and a national and international beer judge. Talley was awarded the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing in 2011. Jennifer resides with her children in Grass Valley, California.

Reviews

For me, the great collection of beer recipes in the second half, generously peppered with the personal stories of the brewers who make them, stands as the shining heart of this book. The raw brewing talent that is represented in this compendium is stunning and a testament to Jen's ability to connect with other brewers.
*John Mallett, Director of Operation, Bell's Brewery, Inc. and author of Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse*

A veteran of low-ABV ‘session' brewing, Jen Talley brings an enormous amount of practical and technical information to this subject. It's obvious her time at Squatters Pub Brewery in Utah fostered respect for the art and soul of brewing beers under 4.0% ABV. As someone who has been at this business of brewing for over 20 years, I can honestly say this book provided some keen insights into the thought processes and execution behind these fickle beer styles. I for one cannot wait to share this information with my brewers.
*Tomme Arthur, Co-Founder & Director of Brewery Operations, The Lost Abbey & Port Brewing Company*

I was so thrilled to hear Jen Talley was writing this book. Jen always struck me as someone who could create anything despite whatever barriers were in her way. Way back in the early days of craft brewing, instead of seeing brewing in a low-alcohol state as a constraint, Jen found creativity and flavor. This book contains an immense breadth of knowledge, history, and brewing recipes. It is clear from this lovingly crafted book that every brewer should embrace the art of brewing session beers, if not for the challenge, then for the reward of being able to drink more than one and still enjoy oneself. Thanks Jen—I will have another!
*Mary Pellettieri, Co-Founder and President, La Pavia Beverages, Inc. and author of Quality Management: Essential Planning For Breweries*

After growing ever bolder with high-alcohol beers in the US, session beers have brought back beers for us to drink and enjoy. Session Beers looks back to those authentic and exciting lower-alcohol beers that were there before the term ‘session beer' existed.
*Peter Bouckaert, Founder and Brewmaster, Purpose Brewing and Cellars, and co-author of Wood and Beer: A Brewer’s Guide*