Take The Low End

At no time in the modern history of beer have more sessionable yet flavorful beers been available. This is a great thing. While the first true day of summer, the solstice is a few weeks away, we are definitely beginning to heat up. And if it’s hot outside, and you want to imbibe on some tasty brews, you’ve got to keep the alcohol by volume (ABV) of those beers on the low range.
If one were to Google search for low-alcohol beer, a few items pop up. The Wikipedia page for low-alcohol beer offers such versions as light beer, non-alcoholic beer, small beer, small ale and near-beer. Now small beer and small ale are interesting, and I’ve covered them before. The other options, light beer and non-alcoholic or near beer just are not necessary. What you get with light beer, low alcohol and low taste. What you get with near-beer, supposed low-to-no alcohol and ‘beer’ taste. Both options are a waste of time.
What we want are great tasting beers on the lower-gravity end of the spectrum. It’s quite rare to find beers below 4 percent ABV and once you get into the upper 5 and over 6 percent range, you no longer have a sessionable brew on your hands. So we’re looking for the sweet spot of beers that fall into the 4-5 percent ABV range.
Numerous palatable if not fantastic low gravity beer now exist. Most of these beers are comparable to your average American macro light lager in alcohol content (ex. – Bud Light and Coors Light are both 4.2 percent ABV).
My standard go to is Levitation Ale from Stone Brewing Company. Classified as a red or amber American ale, often called a hoppy red, Levitation is 4.4 percent ABV-Perfect! Checking in at 45 IBU’s (Intl. Bitterness Units), this red ale hits the upper end of the standard American Pale Ale range, the lower end of that expected for a classic American IPA.
Levitation shows Orange-Amber in the glass, and is very hop-oriented in the smell, spicy citrus for the most part. Although a nutty note is present as well, medium to full-bodied, it  offers more hops than nearly any other American amber on the market, especially given the low alcohol. Citrus and orange rind dominates, with a caramel malt backbone holding the bitterness in check. This beer is more hop-flavored and juicy than biting and bitter.
If I’m buying in bulk and need more than a 6-pack, I reach for Terrapin Brewing Company’s Recreation Ale. Straddling the line between American Pale Ale and IPA, this beer leans toward the easy drinking side with a lighter mouthfeel and less flavor than the Stone offering, but 5 varieties of lively, citrus hops keep it interesting, rising above the poundable macro light offerings. At 4.7 percent ABV and 47 IBU’s, this laid-back refreshing can of beer is a perfect choice for just about any summer activity.
New this year, and a happy little summer beer I’ve been enchanted by this spring, Mango Even Keel is a clever little take on Ballast Point’s solid year round pale ale. Not usually one for overly fruity beers, Mango Even Keel is a perfect blend of the stone fruit and the base beer, and it gives a zing to an otherwise workman-like session IPA. The lowest beer of the trio in terms of alcohol (3.8 percent ABV) and bitterness (40 IBUs), nonetheless this ale has proved to be a highly and surprisingly enjoyable summer treat. An added bonus is Even Keel only has 114 calories per 12-ounce can. So if you’re trying to cut back to fit into that old bathing suit this year, that’s just 4 calories more than a Bud Light, but a world of difference in flavor.
Balanced, hoppy, tasty and delicious- this trio of ales are what low gravity American craft beer should be. Few beers are this smooth, clean and yummy. Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.