Session Beer is a broad category that favors softness and has a lower alcohol content.
Craft beers are gaining more and more space in the market and one category that is gaining importance is that of Session Beers.
Brazil is the third largest beer consumer in the world, accounting for approximately 7.8% of the global beer market. But despite this being a national preference, there is also an increase in the population seeking lighter, lower-alcohol labels, largely due to a public seeking to make healthier, fitter choices.
What is Session Beer?
Session Beer was imported from the United States and is a category that includes labels softened by the brewer to increase their drinkabilitythat is, to make the drink easier to drink.
“They’re lighter, easier to drink, under 5% alcohol, and still have the flavor and aroma of the classic styles. In general, they’re smoother than the classic styles,” he explains. Fabio Bacarin, CEO and founder of Cerveja Seven Days, a brand specializing in Session Beer.
There is a tendency to associate the label “Session Beer” with light-colored beer styles such as pilsners, lagers, and pale ales. However, dark beers such as dry porters or stouts can also be low-alcohol session beers.
Types of session beer
A Session Beer refers primarily to the alcohol content, so they cover a variety of beer. Increasingly, labels are experimenting with making Session versions of beer styles that are normally heavier and more alcoholic. The most popular Session beers include:
IPA Session: Perhaps the most well-known session beer, Session IPAs are lighter, lower-alcohol versions of their IPA (India Pale Ale) counterparts. Session IPAs retain the citrus, hops, and aromatic complexity, but aren’t as heavy or high in alcohol.
Craft light beer: Brewers can produce lower-alcohol versions of beers, like lagers and pilsners, without sacrificing interesting flavor in the microbrewery movement.
Belgian sessions: While most Belgian varieties tend to be on the heavier side, there are a few types, such as witbier, that qualify as session beers, offering beer with a low alcohol content and lots of complex flavors.
Stout and Porter: These beers can pack a good amount of flavor into a surprisingly light beer. Contrary to popular belief, some popular stouts have relatively low alcohol content.
German sessions: Older styles like kolsch and gose, while not typically advertised as session beers, in some cases have low enough alcohol content to meet the requirements, combining great flavor with easy drinkability.
We tried: Session Beer Seven Days
With slimmer packaging and lighter graphics, Seven Days Session Summer looks and feels like what you might expect from its contents: a much lighter beer that doesn’t “weigh down” on the body.
And this is due not only to its low alcohol content but also to other nutritional characteristics: “Our Summer has only 2.1% alcohol, 63 kcal and 4.9 g of carbohydrates, 2.3 times less calories and alcohol than traditional beers. For comparison, the other beers awarded in the Session Beer category of the CBC 2024 have an alcohol content above 4%”, explains CEO Fábio.
For those looking for a refreshing option that won’t impact their diet too much, Session options should definitely be on their radar!
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
