Session beers—beers with lower alcohol content—are perfect for day drinking at the beach, a music festival, wherever. Cayla Marvil, cofounder of Lamplighter Brewing Co., a microbrewery and taproom in Cambridge, Massachusetts, gives us the scoop on which ones to sip.
1. Allagash Hoppy Table Beer (4.8% ABV)
What it tastes like: "A mildly hoppy ale with a clean finish."
When you'll drink it: "An out- door dinner party with friends—it's approachable, easy-drinking, and complementary with just about any food."
2. Lost Nation Brewing Gose (4.5% ABV)
What it tastes like: "A traditional German-style sour beer brewed with salt and coriander."
When you'll drink it: "At the beach. The salinity in the beer complements the ocean, and the light body and tartness are refreshing on a hot day."
3. Grimm Present Perfect (4% ABV)
What it tastes like: "A Berliner weisse that's the ideal blend of fruity, oaky, and creamy."
When you'll drink it: "I'd drink this beer anywhere, anytime."
4. Lamplighter Sound & Vision (4.3% ABV)
What it tastes like: "A dry- hopped sour with satsuma citrus juice. It's fruity and tart, but still has a solid malt body."
When you'll drink it: "Best enjoyed while floating in a pool."
5. Fiddlehead Hodad Porter (5.5% ABV)
What it tastes like: "A porter brewed with chocolate, toasted coconut, and vanilla bean."
When you'll drink it: "Great for sipping by a bonfire. Bonus: It pairs perfectly with s'mores."
This article appears in the June issue of Marie Claire, on newsstands now.
