Front Street Brewery

What’s my favorite beer?  I’m often asked that question by customers and I can honestly say in my 5 years of brewing I have never had a solid answer.  Sometimes it’s a nicely made German beer……..sometimes my Scottish Ale………sometimes a refreshingly dry Belgian beer.  You see what’s my favorite beer is a very loaded question.  There are many things that go in to what my favorite beer is at that particular moment.  What’s the weather like?  Am I inside or outside? Are the Phillies or Eagles playing?  What music am I listening to?  What book am I reading?  All of these questions go in to what my favorite beer is.  My favorite beer changes daily.   I can give you a  list of a few beers that I’ll go back to on a regular basis.  The beers I make………Scottish, IPA, Pilsner, Kolsch and the American Amber when we have a batch pouring.  Beer I buy……..Sierra Nevada(beer geeks may give me crap about it, but it’s a wonderful, consistent beer), Ayinger………actually anything Ayinger makes will likely end up in my fridge.  Ommegang Hennepin and Victory Lager.  Last but not least since I’m a PA native my parents are always willing to bring me some Yuengling Lord Chesterfield(in cans) and Straub whenever they make the trip down.  Two nice session beers that make me miss cold, gray PA. 

For a brewer I know my list may seem a bit bland to craft beer fans.  I know, I know………where’s the big bad Double IPA’s,  Quads, Barleywine’s and other  extreme beers?  I’m not knocking these beers at all.  They’re great in their own sense, but I enjoy more than one pint of beer from time to time.  These big monsters can sometimes cut your intelligent conversation with the person sitting next to you shorter than you want it to be.   I’ll enjoy an extreme beer now and again and I have definitely tasted some great extreme beers.  Pliny the Elder comes to mind, but extreme beers is not where my passion lies.  I truly enjoy a nice clean, well made beer.  A Session beer comes to mind.

Session Beer???  In a craft beer world that is heavily dominated by “extreme beers”, there is another movement taking place.  The session beer movement.  A session beer, in brief, is a beer that typically under 4.5% ABV, flavorful enough to be interesting, balanced, conducive to conversation and reasonably priced.  My session beer description comes from my friend Lew Bryson and his session beer project blog.  Lew is a pretty well known beer writer from PA.  Although I have never met Lew in person, I consider him a friend based on the fact that he answers emails promptly and enjoys a good session beer.  One day I’m sure we’ll cross paths and have a few pints together. 

Why do I love session beers?  For starters they’re hard to make.  It’s all about balance.  Making a beer that is 3.8% ABV with a nice body, mouthfeel and balance is a tough thing to accomplish in a small brewery.  It’s fairly well known that I tend to look at beer differently than most.  I look at it from the technical side of things.  I don’t care what’s on the label, who made it etc etc.  If I enjoy it then I will most certainly care who made it, but I’m going off on a bit of a tangent…………I digress.  Session beers are also a joy to drink.  Having 5 flavorful beers that are 3% ABV doesn’t ruin your night or next morning.  Nothing is nicer than sitting outside on a nice warm evening drinking a few session beers and having great conversation with friends.  Isn’t that what makes life wonderful?  Friends, a good beer and good conversation?  I know plenty of people who will agree with me.  Some may not, but they’re not much fun to have a beer with and maybe that’s why we never call you. 

 All this talk about session beers has me inspired.  Don’t be surprised if you don’t see a few session beers show up on tap within the next few months.  Maybe a nice 4%  Organic Hefeweizen???  Sounds perfect for summer time.  What do you think?  Cheers.

                Kevin