The Brew Haha: Grab your closest friends and a cold six-pack, session beers are in full swing

Any true Beer Lover knows that you can’t always drop the 12 bucks for a four-pack of Aprihop. There comes a time when you have to just sit down with your best boys, crack a 12, and sesh it out. There are certain beers that fit this situation perfectly, which we at the BrewHaha have evaluated based on the criteria of drinkability, accessibility, and most importantly affordability. 

1. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – As is often the case with perfection, it’s hard to explain what makes Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale so ideal for session purposes. All I can say is that when a young Kieffer, at the age of 14, asked his mom for a sip of her beer and realized this stuff wasn’t so bad, something magical happened. Two years later, when we raided my stoner friend’s dad’s beer fridge and found this beer wall-to-wall, my love was concretized. There’s nothing I’d rather get drunk on. (KEASFK)

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Papa Hester has been stocking the fridge with these golden girls since I crawled out of the womb. Pretty much any “sip” that I borrowed from my family over my time at home has been this beer, and I truly feel blessed for that. I feel like I don’t even need to say it: this beer is straight up-and-down amazing and everyone knows it. (JJH)

This beer has absolutely everything that makes an amazing IPA so amazing, but it just happens to be able to do all of those things without overwhelming the palate and the stomach… and the liver for that matter. The hops bring in rich, full-bodied citrus, floral, and piney flavors while the malts provide a smoother mouthfeel and both contribute to a perfectly refreshing aftertaste. Always has and always will continue to be my number one session beer. (NJH) 

2. Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale – The fact that it comes in a can always helps with sessionablility, but there’s more here that makes it so right and deserving of the number two seat. A strong balance of grapefruit, bitter and floral hop flavors, and a sweet maltiness at the end make this beer a surprisingly complex, yet drinkable brew. It’s also not too heavy considering it weighs in at 6.5% ABV. (NJH)

3. Deschutes’ Mirror Pond Pale Ale – The Northwest does beautiful things with beer and Central Oregon is no exception. It’s as if the best Pale Ale you ever tasted (see Sierra Nevada Pale Ale) went easy on the hops this time and was rather bold about the choice. You don’t need to travel to Bend to indulge in this truly refreshing dip into a crystal-clear summer classic. (JJH)

4. Bristol Red Rocket – This is my go-to guy every time I find myself with my elbows on the bar at Bristol. It’s not necessarily the best amber ale you’re going to find in the cooler, but it finds itself on this list at number five because it is lighter and more refreshing than others while it still maintains a rich, slightly fruity, malty backbone that is complemented by a fair balance of hoppy bitterness that leaves you with a drier, crisper aftertaste. (NJH)

5. Boulder’s Cold Hop Ale – Forget the Germans, I say there aren’t enough British-style ales on this side of the pond. Most go straight for Hazed and Infused when they think Boulder Beer, but this brew offers a completely different variety of hops to provide a much more drinkable and well-rounded offering that doesn’t pound the taste buds nearly as hard. Cheers to the British influence. (JJH)

6. Odell’s Levity Amber Ale – The label depicts a pair of bare legs in rolled-up pants hanging off of a dock in a crisp, Colorado setting: a feeling synonymous with drinking Levity. Loads of malty goodness and girth with a finish as crisp as freezing-cold lake water and a warmth that kicks like a sunny day on the quad interrupted by the last gusts of winter wind. (JJH)

7. Sol – While I am unable to endorse the frat bro beer of choice, Corona, there is an undeniable appeal to a crispy-ass Mexican beer on a hot spring or summer afternoon. Tecate is a little too cheap to warrant an appearance on this list (otherwise all nine entries leading up to Sierra Nevada would be Budweiser) but if you need that refreshing bite, look no further than Cerveza Del Sol. All the delicious lightness and lightening of Corona, but it won’t taste like shit if it warms up two degrees. (KEASFK)

8. Full Sale LTD – I’m loathe to put a seasonal on the top 10 session beers list, but I had a six-pack of this last night and find it an undeniable brew. Absurd drinkability, 6.5% ABV, strong malt notes with just enough hop bite to make it worthwhile, and all for just $7.50. You really can’t do much better than this. (KEASFK)

9. Red Stripe Lager – I’m alone among the BrewHaha crew in my love for lager beers, but I stand by my guns. Honestly, Red Stripe is one of the best examples of the form you can find. While the ad campaign is obnoxious, the sweetness and mouthfeel of this reasonably priced brew is unmatched. (KEASFK)

10. Session – Full Sail – There may be better beers that exist, but not for the price. They trick you a little by making the beers 11 oz each, selling you an 11 pack for $10.99, but that’s still a better deal than most breweries offer. Plus, it would be slightly disingenuous to exclude Session beer from the best session beers list. The key here is drinkability to an almost dangerous degree. You can knock back all 12 of these in a scant hour. (KEASFK)