Topic Archives: Session Beers

Posted in Creature Comforts, Seasonal Return

Creature Comforts Table Beer returns ahead of Thanksgiving

Creature Comforts Table Beer

Creature Comforts Table Beer, formerly known as Epicurious, returns this month.

This release started with chefs, not brewers back in 2016. The Creature Comforts team sat down with Ryan Smith of Atlanta’s Staplehouse and Peter Dale, Executive Chef and Owner of Athens’ The National with the goal of creating a beer to pair with a wide variety of food.

Table Beer, a foodie’s beer, doesn’t fit any style guidelines according to the brewery. The beer is described as “earthy, floral, and soft citrus hop character that is balanced by complex yeast flavors and subtle bitterness on the finish.”

Rather than looking at industry trends for what to brew next, we brewed a beer that best complements drinking with food and friends.

The label artwork for this culinary-inspired can is thanks to the talent of Athens local Bryn Rouse, whose illustrations can be found on her Instagram feed.

Creature Comforts Table Beer returns in 12-ounce cans across the brewery’s entire footprint starting November 13th. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this beer benefits The Giving Kitchen.

Style: Belgian-Style Session Beer
Hops: Sterling, Saphir, Lemondrop. Dry Hop: Cascade and Comet.
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Limited.

Debut: October 2016
Latest Return: November 2021

4.2% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal

Posted in Creature Comforts, New Releases

Creature Comforts releases hazy session IPA, Mind Matter

Creature Comforts Mind Matter

Creature Comforts Mind Matter, a hazy session India pale ale debuts today. 

The beer is just 4.7% alcohol by volume, hopped with Strata, Azalea, and Idaho 7. According to Creature Comforts, the term “mind matter” is a term used by taproom staff member and label designer Gunnar Tarsa (@theboywhoseesyellow) as a to describe how he “conjures dreams and ideas into our world through the art of drawing.”

This mix of hops gives the beer tropical, citrus, and berry notes.

Creature Comforts Mind Matter is available in 16-ounce cans at the brewery in Athens, Georgia starting September 3rd. 

Style: Session IPA 
Hops: Strata, Azacca, Idaho 7

Availability: 16oz Cans
Debut: 9/3/21

4.7% ABV

Posted in Bell's Brewing, Headlines, New Releases

Bell’s Light Hearted Ale is a huge success for the “light” IPA category

Bell's Light Hearted Ale Cans

Bell’s Brewery’s Two Hearted Ale is known epically as one of the best (if not the best) India pale ale in America. Double Two Hearted Ale, which is is basically Two Hearted turned into the hoppy Incredible Hulk, was bottled last year and brewery fans couldn’t’ get enough. Then it was revealed that the “Hearted Ale” series had a lesser-known, lovable lighter side – Light Hearted Ale.

The 110 calorie, 8.7 carb, 3.7% alcohol by volume “light” ale has been a Bell’s General Store exclusive release, showing up on social media as early as last summer.

Gearing up for a wide-scale release, Bell’s has overhauled Light Hearted’s artwork. This lighter approach to one of America’s most popular India pale ales utilizes two hops – Centennial and Galaxy.

A light IPA Success

As 2020 gets underway, this beer joins the ranks of a growing segment of lighter, lower calorie, lower alcohol by volume creations by craft brewers. The category is growing every month, but much like any India pale ale, the light IPAs are not created equal. Without naming names, some of the releases are either too thin, low flavor, or even worse – tastes like hoppy water. You might be saving the calories but you’ve also thrown flavor out the window. Bell’s solved the calorie over flavor equation, and they did it beautifully.

Light Hearted Ale is born of the same creative expertise that pushed Two Hearted Ale to elite status in American brewing. Centennial and Galaxy hops walk hand in hand through each sip, bolstered by an actual malt backbone (a term brewers hate) that his been missing in a string lactose and adjunct heavy IPAs hitting shelves coast to coast. Those looking to make a more health-conscious beer choice, look no further.

Bell’s Light Hearted Ale will be available year-round in 12-ounce cans and draft starting in late-January

Style: IPA (Session Beer)
Hops: Centennial, Galaxy
Availability: Early 2020

3.7% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal

Posted in Monday Night Brewing, Coming Soon

Monday Night Lay Low, a low-calorie IPA releases soon

Monday Night Lay Low IPA

There are a handful of lower alcohol by volume, lower-calorie beers in the craft brewing segment. Some of the most notable recent releases include One-y IPA by Oskar Blues, Slightly Mighty by Dogfish Head, and Swipe Light by Southern Tier. Soon,  Monday Night Lay Low IPA is joining the category soon.

Early details are pretty simple. Lay Low is an India pale ale that is 3.2% alcohol by volume, instead of 3.5% as previously reported and just 95 calories. Starting in 2020, the brewery has ceased using 6-pack rings and has shifted to the box format.

Monday Night Lay Low IPA is slated for 12-ounce cans and draft starting January 24th.

Style: IPA (Session Beer)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. GA, TN, AL.
Debut: 1/24/20

3.2% ABV

Image: Monday Night Brewing

Posted in Three Taverns Brewery, Seasonal Return

Three Taverns 3 Day IPA returns again ahead of local art festival

Three Taverns 3 Day IPA

Three Taverns 3 Day IPA is back in cans once again, ahead of the local Decatur Arts Festival.

This hoppy release is THE official beer Decatur Arts Festival. This session India pale ale was a huge hit in the taproom when first released on draft in 2016.

This year’s release dry-hopped, and features Amarillo, Lemondrop, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops.

…is a 4.6% session IPA that is hazy in appearance and extremely crushable.

Three Taverns 3 Day IPA is available at the taproom again starting in mid-may in 12-ounce cans, and draft.

Style: IPA
Hops: Amarillo, Mosaic, Lemondrop, El Dorado
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: 5/23/17
Latest Return: Mid-May 2019

4.5% ABV

Three Taverns 3 Day IPA Purcell

PIC: Beer Street Journal

Posted in Wild Heaven Craft Beers, New Releases

Wild Heaven releases Watermelon Emergency Drinking Beer cans

Wild Heaven Watermelon Emergency Drinking Beer

Last summer, Avondale, Georgia based Wild Heaven debuted a “summery” edition of their wildly popular Emergency Drinking Beer. The brewery juiced thousands of pounds of fresh watermelons and infused the juice with their pilsner inspired beer. The result is summer in a 12-ounce can.

Despite the success of Watermelon EDB on draft last summer, Wild Heaven took a year review quality control and packaging best practices ahead of canning this fruit beer – a first for the brewery.

Wild Heaven Watermelon EDB has officially made it’s can debut for this first time in time for the official start of summer. Available in 12-ounce cans and draft as hot weather seasonal.

Style: Fruit Beer (w/ Sea Salt. Lemongrass. Watermelon Juice.)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Summer Seasonal.
Debut (Cans): Early June 2018

4% ABV

Lead Image: Eric Johnson, Brewery co-founder

Wild-Heaven-Watermelon-EDB-prototype

Watermelon EDB prototype, summer 2017. Image: Beer Street Journal

Posted in The Unknown Brewing Co., Don't Miss This

Big on aromatics. Unknown Brewing Scratch n Sniff, a session IPA

Unknown Brewing Scratch n Sniff can

Unknown Brewing Scratch n Sniff hits shelves just as spring begins.

Subtitled “Aromatic IPA,” the beer’s name is truly fitting. Unknown uses a technique called “hop bursting,” where a massive (read: unreasonable) amount of hops are added at the end of the beer’s boil and whirlpool stages. The result is a beer that is low on bitterness and big on hop aromas. The Unknown Brewing team uses a seven hop blend, bringing a real burst of flavor to the table.

The hop bursting technique is really evident in Scratch n Sniff. There is so much hop aroma in a 4.8% session IPA. It’s hopped like an imperial IPA, but won’t put you under the table nearly as fast.

This aromatic IPA is made with 7 hop additions. All those hops are thrown in at special timed editions to create flavor, a nose full of goodness, and light bitterness.

Unknown Brewing Scratch n Sniff is available in 12 ounce cans and draft as a spring seasonal.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Can, Draft. Seasonal release.
Latest Return: March, 2017

4.7% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal