CAP a Summer Session
So, it’s been a while since my last post. It seems the burgeoning spring…or wait is it summer already…in Minnesota has me distracted: motorcycles to ride and, in particular, a deck that’s quickly (or not so quickly) becoming a patio.
Despite all that, I’ve got a couple ideas percolating.
One revolves around Full Sail’s very enjoyable Session Lager. My uncle had one saved for me - hidden in the back of his fridge last week when I was over. He was pretty excited about it. It turns out, so was I.
He presented it from the fridge in its short, stubby little bottle. It’s a lot like a cute, brown 11 oz. version of the famous Mickey’s grenade, sans bee.
The beer poured thin and yellow/gold a lot like other American lagers (Bud, Miller, etc.). The aroma of sweet grain hinted at an all malt beer – as opposed to the typical US lager, which is heavily augmented with corn syrup as a fermentable.
The flavor also re-enforced the maltiness and relative complexity of the beer. Session has a slightly fuller body than US lagers. It also had a nice assertive hop bitterness and clean lager finish.
Session is in the Classic American Pilsner style, supposedly what our German forbearers brewed before prohibition. I’ve got a homebrewed example of my own on tap. Between the summer-like weather and these two beers, I’ve decided Classic American Pilsner is a great style for the summer, highly quaffable but with substantial flavor. I encourage you to brew your own CAP, or if you’re not set up for that, pick up Full Sail’s Session Lager and step back in time to enjoy!
May 15, 2007 at 7:32 am
Don’t you mean: “Quaffable, but uh… far from transcendent.” - Milesfrom “Sideways”
May 23, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Howdy, I read about Session Lager on the web recently and I want to try it! I’ve called a few liquor stores with no luck. Do you know where I can pick some up? Thanks!
May 31, 2007 at 4:06 pm
So any tips on where a fella can find Session?
June 26, 2007 at 10:16 am
Okay, I picked up some Session yesterday at Surdyks in Minneapolis. I had called ahead to confirm they had it, but when I arrived it wasn’t out on the shelves with the other Full Sail brews. I asked a clerk about Session and he had to go in back (way back, judging by the time it took him) to fetch it for me. Cost: $10.99 per 12. I drank one last night and found it very refreshing on a steamy summer night.
June 26, 2007 at 11:28 am
It seems like maybe the Northfield Municipal Liquor store (where my uncle purchased it) was on the vanguard with the Session lager. In addition to Surdyks, I’ve heard rumors of its appearance on the east side of St. Paul. Perhaps, it’s getting out more broadly? I myself haven’t seen it around…
June 26, 2007 at 11:55 am
They had it at Big Top (Snelling & 94 in St. Paul) when I was there two weekends ago.