Meet Nate Kruback. And, you can. He is the new beer buyer at “Marty’s” in Newton, Ma. Stop in and ask for him by name. Nate knows his stuff and exudes a passion for his work that is fresh, unique and rare. I learn from this guy as his knowledge runs deep. He has turned me on to some truly wonderful brews and knowing him drives my passion for the subject into high gear. Nate has offered to do some writings for the site and I am pleased to have his words included here. If in the Boston area, and in search of some really cool, well thought out selections give a visit to Nate, and the awesome beer department that he has, and continues to develop. Let’s go with some words on Session beers.
Thank You Nate!
The New Session Beer
I love “big beers”. High alcohol, extreme flavor, sometimes overwhelming beers are too delicious and interesting to ignore. But I seem to be forgetting my college day drinking habits; the session.
With most my favorite beers breaching the double digit mark in alcohol by volume, it’s easy to fall asleep after two or three. Have I lost touch with the easy drinking, and quite often cheaper beers deemed sessionable? This is possible. The ever increasing alcohol content, malt bill, hop list, and flavor profile of “extreme” beers are changing many of our drinking habits.
But wait, what is a session beer? An older beeradvocate.com article I recently read states, “A British expat and buddy of ours in California once suggested that a ‘session’ referred to one of the two allowable drinking periods in England that were imposed on shell production workers during World War I. Typically the licensed sessions were 11am-3pm and 7pm-11pm, and apparently continued up until the Liquor Licensing Act 1988 was introduced. Workers would find a beer that they could adequately quaff within these restrictive 4-hour ‘sessions’ that were laid down by the government without getting legless and return to work or not get arrested for being drunk and disorderly.”
I have found many of my favorite new beers, from the US and abroad, are under 5% alcohol. Upon trying some of these delicate gems, I almost felt I was betraying my big boozey brethren. ‘Taras Boulba’, a French Farmhouse style beer, from Brasserie De La Senne offers all the sweet maltiness, bitter hops, and chalky yeast character it’s stronger counterparts do. A prime domestic example, also offers a new style (at least for me).
The ‘Dark Farmhouse’ styled Bam Noire from Jolly Pumpkin Brewery in Dexter, Michigan is also under 5%, and offers big, original flavor. The grainy, horse-blanket-esque flavors of a Saison are all there, with a twinge of bitter black and chocolate malt in the finish. Sure, at $10 a 750ml bottle they may not be cheap, but at least we’ll be able to annunciate our words after 8 or more.
Go out and find these beers, these masterfully crafted gentle beers. To create a fermented beverage of such high character and balance as Taras Boulba or Bam Noire without 5%abv is truly a feat, and something to be celebrated, and celebrated with.
Cheers,
Nate Kruback
