Session Beers Are Perfect for All-Day Drinking

For many beer lovers, "light beer" often means lousy beer. Most microbrews tip the ABV scales at well over 6%. These are not light beers. They are full-flavored, robust, and often bitter. Enter session beers.

Session beers are generally defined by how long you can drink them without falling down drunk. Or under 5% alcohol. They are perfect for summertime, when you want a couple of beers after working in the yard, or for beer breaks halfway through a bike ride. You can't do that with a 7% IPA. You want something crisp, light, and refreshing. You want a session beer.

Northwest breweries have been quietly releasing session beers to their lineups for some time, and this month, many of these beers will be showcased at Session Fest. Session Fest is being held at the Naked City Taphouse from now until July 24. The event, co-sponsored by the NW Beer Guide, features 25 different ales, lagers, and ciders under 5% alcohol.

Session Fest is a free event, and open during Naked City's normal business hours. Below is a list of beers available during the festival, though the list is subject to change and availability. Many of these beers won't last, so get over to Naked City and get drinking.

Session Beers at 5.00% Alcohol by Volume

Cascade Summer Gose German-style Gose
Chuckanut German-style Alt Bier
Roslyn Brookside German-style Lager
Big Al Summer Lager German-style Helles
Hale's German-style Kolsch
Dogfish Head Namaste Belgian-style Wit
Anacortes American-style Pale Ale
Sound Dunkelweizen

Session Beers between 4.50% and 4.99% ABV

Wingman American-style Pale Ale
Anacortes Helles Festival-style Lager
Firestone Walker Pale 31 American-style Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Bavarian-style Hefeweizen
Silver City Gee Whiz Black Koslch-style Ale
Slip Point Chito American-style Cream Ale
Fremont Wandering Wheat American-style Wheat Ale

Session Beers between 4.00% and 4.49% ABV

Stone Levitation Ale
Boulevard ZON Belgian-style Wit
Widmer Brothers Citra Blonde American-style Blonde Ale
Fremont Universale American-style Pale Ale

Session Beers between 2.00% and 3.99% ABV

Foggy Noggin Bit O Beaver English-style Bitter Ale
Elysian Slight Return
Silver City Baby Fat 60 Schilling Scottish-style Ale

Session Ciders between 4.00% and 5.00% ABV
Ace Pear
Spire Dark N Dry
Fox Barrel Blackberry Pear CIder

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