Helipad. Marzipan. Antipasti. All words. All containing the letters IPA. But what do we really know about the humble India Pale Ale? Well, sit back and drink in this Informative Piece of Analysis about IPAs.
So, ‘what on earth is a session IPA?’ you yell, waking the passenger next to you and disturbing the rest of the quiet carriage. Well, session IPAs sit right slap bang in the middle of IPAs and pale ales as a less bitter beer with a lower alcohol content. Take our very own Neck Oil beer, which is a light and zingy session IPA and the perfect balance of hops and upbeat tropical flavours.
Shameless self-promotion aside, why not wow the rest of the Quiet Carriage by reading out some of the following incredible IPA facts….
Session IPA Characteristics
How can you tell if you're drinking a session IPA? Well, it’ll almost always be served in a glass. It'll be not too bitter, not too hoppy and not too malty. Basically, they strike the perfect balance of light and flavourful. Want an ultra-refreshing thirst quencher on a sunny day? Session IPA is your answer.
Session IPA vs. an IPA?
Session IPA and IPAs are pretty similar. But there are two key differences that set them apart. Basically IPAs are pretty heavy on the hops [unlike session IPAs] and they have a more punchy flavour.
Don't know what an IPA beer is? Don't worry; just read our 'what is IPA beer' blog. Oops, there we go again with the self-promo.
Ultimately there are two key differences that set them apart:
alcohol content
Session IPAs have a lower alcohol content than IPAs. Usually, IPAs have an alcohol percentage ranging from 6-8%, but session IPAs have a lower level of around 3-5%. This means that session IPAs are perfect for when you want to take it slow [responsibly] and enjoy a few beers [responsibly] with your [responsible] mates.
brewing method
Due to their different alcohol contents, how IPAs are brewed vs how Session IPAS is also different. Even though they taste somewhat similar. With fewer hops, the clever and unnervingly good-looking people* brewing the session IPAs have to use more malts to add depth and complexity without making it too overpowering. It's a fine line, but luckily, these charismatic and eligible experts know exactly what they're doing.
*For full disclosure, this section of the blog was written by brewers.
What is a super session IPA?
You've heard of IPAs. You've heard of session IPAs. Now get ready for…super session IPAs! It just never ends. Super session IPAs have even fewer hops which mean, you guessed, a lower alcohol content. Our Satellite super session beer has an ABV of just 2.8%. These beers usually have a fruiter flavour too. Think all the tropical, citrusy goodness.
Beavertown Session IPAs
Well, since you asked, we’d like to direct your attention back to our Neck Oil session IPA beer. It's famous both on our planet, and also on other, less successful versions of the Earth, like Earth v. 5948b where gravity doesn’t exist and every day’s a Wednesday. People just can't get enough of its light and zesty flavour. Stressful work day? Neck Oil. Hosting a BBQ? Case of Neck Oil. Just floated off into the infinite void of space? Neck Oil! There's never a bad time to enjoy our favourite session IPA (responsibly, of course).
Go on, try our Neck Oil beer, and if you really like it, you can even pair it with some of our super cool clothing.
