Afternoon Beer Break: Small Beer
A lower ABV for easy sippin'
Welcome back to one of the rather fun side diversions that we’ve got here on WWR - the Afternoon Beer Break. When we have these (be they on beer or some other adult beverage), they’ll pop in on a Friday afternoon, when it’s time to start thinking about putting the work week in the rearview mirror. Today, we’re hands- (and tastebuds-) on with a newcomer on the scene, Small Beer.
What’s a small beer?
Sure, it could be one of those high-ABV barleypops you get at the bar that comes in a tiny glass. Or, it could be something that comes in a smaller can, say, like 8 oz. But that’s not what this is all about. No, Small Beer is going back in history a bit. When you read about medieval laborers drinking beer throughout the day, this is the type of beer it was. Perhaps not a lager, exactly, but something that is a much lower ABV, usually in the 0.5% - 2.5% range. Why? Well, the process of making the beer rendered something that was safe to drink - not always something that could be said about “fresh” water.
Why would you want a Small Beer today?
That’s a great - and valid - question. Especially since there are so many non-alcoholic options out there, as well as a number of brands that seem to be in an ABV arms race with each other. For the latter, well, a 2.5% ABV lager is a great way to have a beer or two without worrying that it’ll have you asleep in the recliner before dinner.
For the former, it really comes down to a matter of taste. No judgment here if you are truly looking to get alcohol out of your life (for whatever reason) and you’ve found an N/A option that you like. For me, the ones I’ve tasted, there’s just something off about the flavor profile. It can have weird after tastes, or an almost flat mouthfeel to it. Whatever the reason, they’ve just not hit right for me. So, with a smaller ABV, we can still get good flavor, without it knocking you on your backside.
Pouring out the Small Beer
Ok, that’s enough preamble. Let’s talk about how a Small Beer actually stacks up. When we’re testing out a beer, we’ve got four main things that we’re considering. Here are those points, along with my notes:
Nose: thin and bready; slightly floral
Color: pale yellow
Taste: slightly bitter lager; not a strong aftertaste
Mouth feel: smooth; pleasant amount of carbonation
How do you summarize this? This has that classic lager profile, the sort of beer you want to grab from the fridge after doing yard work on a hot summer day. If you try holding this up against whatever your favorite, multi-layered high ABV beer is, sure, you’re not going to be happy. But if you go into this realizing that you are getting a crisp, refreshing lager? You’ll be happy, and we were happy to have this one crossing our taste buds.
Wrapping things up
If you’re looking to try out some Small Beer yourself, this where things can get a little tricky. It can be ordered online for delivery, but only in CA ($19.99 for a 12-pack). For in-store purchasing you’ll need to find yourself in Colorado or Texas. There’s also a ton of merch that leans into the humor that the brand seems to be building around their approach to beer. Check it all out, and maybe drop them a note for where you hope distribution hits next, over at drinksmallbeer.com
