Session Beers: Brewing for Flavor and Balance

by Jennifer Talley

While the term “session beer” as a style description has only been around since the 1980s, many classic beer styles, like Pilsner, Kölsch, cream ale, and English mild and bitter, to name a few, have been a crucial part of “session” culture for beer drinkers for centuries. In more recent years, many craft brewers in America have begun producing additional low-alcohol drinks, providing sessionable examples of customarily strong beers. Nowadays, the craft beer market has many notable examples of “session IPAs” and moderate-strength pale ales and stouts, and even rare styles like Gose are now part of mainstream craft offerings. These cover a wide range in terms of malt balance and hoppiness, and their moderate strength requires high brewing standards to achieve balance and drinkability. In Session Brewing for Flavor and Balance, author Jennifer Talley takes an overview of the history behind some of the world's greatest session beers, past and present. Talley weaves societal, political, and brewing trends into her narrative, and stresses the importance of beer in society as well as offering guidance on how brewers can encourage responsible drinking in their patrons. She addresses brewing processes and ingredients to help brewers master recipe development when crafting high-quality but easy-drinking beers. The final section contains 25 recipes curated by the author. These recipes are for popular craft session beers taken straight from the mouths of some of the best brewmasters in America, complete with a brief history of the breweries and brewers involved. Open up this book and disover why beer drinkers say “I'll have another” to session beers, and be inspired to brew some of your own.

Genres: Beer, Brewing, Nonfiction

249 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2017

Reviews

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I need to say that I read this book on my kindle and that the .mobi file was so badly edited that it became a negative factor in my appreciation. Basic stuff like sub-title being put in evidence (underling, bigger letters, different script, etc.) were not always use. The bottom note appear most of the time in the middle of the page randomly, and other stuff like that.

For the content of the book. It has strong and solid information about beers, from historical perspective, to how to brew, it has a lot. The problem was with the organization, the author just go from here, to there, came back here and then fall back into history to explain how she brews and back again. It just shoot in every direction and lack a proper structure that would have made it easier and way better to read. Anyway the contents is good and if you don't mind going around searching a bit to find your way, the information make it worth it, but the edition should have work a bit harder on this one!

[Sandra Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that will serve a wide audience. It’s so well written as to be understood both by someone with years of brewing under the sleeve or someone who’s just starting to brew. The book goes trough history of session beers, explores some technical details and goes trough tips and tricks to create a great beer. Makes a stop to understand how and why we drink beer and how that can change. And finally ends up exploring the recipes for replicating brews you’ve probably tried and love. All of the book is built over a wealth of knowledge from reputable authors, papers and hands on experience.

[Jeremy Eberle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the memorable passages:

When I think of session beer I think of a best friend. A best friend is one you can rely on to be there for you in any given situation. No matter what is happening in your life, you can count on a best friend; they are the very definition of dependable. Consistently, you return to a best friend and are greeted by comfort and security. However, beyond dependability, comfort, and safety, what draws you to a best friend is the history you share with them. History is not created overnight and carries a weight incomparable to new relationships, which can often be fleeting. History cannot be replaced and must be built over a lifetime. Quality session beer is like that best friend, dependable, consistent, and comforting, time and time again.

When talking about balance, I find the following description helpful:
In Western society, Yin-Yang is often referred to as “Yin and Yang” and brings to mind simple contrasts such as dark and light, male and female, logic and emotion. But Yin-Yang is much more than mere opposites. Rather, it represents the idea that the interaction of contradictory forces not only creates harmony, but also makes for a greater, more complete “whole”.

[Dan Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book that I picked up at the right time. Years ago, when I started homebrewing, I wanted the boldest, biggest beers I could devise. Richness and flavor were king, and copping a buzz was a happy byproduct. Now that I'm in my mid-sixties, I'm able to enjoy a subtler beer, and I found myself astounded in London by the wonderful ales that delivered flavor and comfort with alcohol levels in the 3s and 4s. I want to do that. I want to shed a few pounds and still enjoy a flavorful beer. Any knucklehead can make a tasty imperial stout, and I love those, too, but it takes real talent to make me love a mild. This book encourages me to try it myself.

[Hershel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful overview of the concept and techniques for brewing session beers. Why? Because of history, taste, mood, culture, etc. you don’t always need a beer that will knock you out in one go. The author gives considerations for historical styles, ingredients, how to balance, kettle sours and other techniques needed for smaller, flavorful beers. The 2nd half of the book gives recipes for homebrewers to try to make at home from commercial breweries. Great book for small beers.

[Mark Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Useless book for the home brewer as there are few recipes and most aren't even what I would call session beers (sorry.... 5% ABV is not a session beer).

Also it is very US focused and has very little coverage of UK styles.

I'm selling my copy on.

[Greg Pietsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book! Easy to read and lots of interesting information. Has given me lots of brewing inspiration!

[Gus Grosch · Rating 3 out of 5]

While talking about session beers, really a discussion of brewing history, running a brewery and need for lower alcohol beers in the line up.

[Lana Svitankova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Непоганий варіант, але тлумачення райнхайтсгебота зіпсувало все враження

[Jm Rollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skip the content, which reads a lot like a High School term paper and references all the same Brewer's Publications books you've likely already read, and go to the recipes.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will be of most interest to brewers looking for very specific information about brewing session beers, which have a more modest alcohol level that allows for multiple drinks at a sitting. For the recreational drinker looking for a book to help guide them on their visits to local breweries, however, Session Beers (Brewer Publications, digital galley) may be a little overwhelming.

The first half of the book, by Jennifer Talley, is an overview of the concept of session beers and the many types available. The second part is dedicated to recipes for specific session beers. Unfortunately even the first part of the book gets too tied up with the process of brewing to be of much interest to recreational drinkers. But if your a serious brewer looking for guidance, this might be the book for you.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good book on session beer and brewing session beers. About half of it is dedicated to recipes, all of which include both commercial and homebrew-sized versions.

Put on pause as haven't touched in months, 30 December 2020.
Restarted 11 January 2021; read sporadically but finished 25 December 2021

[The Reading Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an interesting book with an interesting approach to beer brewing.
I would love to make a session beer out of a Duvel :-D

[Sammm]

A digitized ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

#SessionBeers #NetGalley #Beer #Summer #Summer 2018

This is an encyclopedic book about the beer including facts about the most famous international brands, types of beer and history of beer making. The book is well documented and contains the references.