The Session ended over a year ago, but these are unusual times, and Alistair Reece over at Fuggled proposed a special quarantine edition for old times’ sake:
Yes you read that right, for a limited time only (quite possibly just this once, or maybe a few times depending on response) The Session is making a comeback.
…in these unprecedented times, what has become your new drinking normal? Are you drinking more? Less? Have you raided the cellar regularly? Is there a particular brewery whose beer is keeping you company while you are confined to barracks? Has there been a beer revelation in these times?
Basically, tell us where you are at.
So, where am I at? Well, since mid-March I’ve been working from home, as the company transitioned to remote work relatively seamlessly. Of course there’s the running joke/temptation to be able to day drink when you’re in your home office, but really, I haven’t. Moreover, my beer consumption hasn’t gone up much if at all. Since beginning of the year, I’ve been trying to focus on healthier eating and drinking, meaning moderation, and I’ve made an effort to carry that into quarantine fully aware of the temptations of being stuck at home.
Not to say I’m not drinking and thinking about beer. Homebrew is a focus; being able to brew and provide my own beer is deeply satisfying to the “pandemic self-sufficiency desire” I think many of us are feeling. (Just look at the surge in interest in making sourdough starters over the past month.)
Before the stay-at-home order came down, I’d stocked up a bit on beer making supplies (also because The Brew Shop was closing). Our homebrew club’s normally-scheduled quarterly competition was for BJCP 2015 style category 11, British Bitter, so I picked up 10 pounds of Maris Otter malt for that. And I also stocked up on 10 pounds of two-row malt, a bunch of hops and dried yeast. (The club comp was rescheduled.) I already also have an amount of specialty grains and hops already socked away.
So, with 10 pounds of English malt, I can brew two small beers. Two weeks ago I brewed an Ordinary Bitter, which needs to be kegged, and this weekend I may brew a Dark Mild with the remaining Maris Otter (and reuse the yeast from the Bitter for it).
Not only does this tickle the homebrew itch, but these are small beers—roughly 3.2% and 3.5% ABV is the plan—perfect for quarantine moderation and easy-drinking. I will probably do something similar with the two-row malt albeit in an American-styled direction—a hoppy golden ale (India Session Ale, anyone?) or similar.
Sessionable beer is key. I have a lot of beer on hand, but much of it is strong and/or barrel-aged which isn’t always conducive to moderation when you just want something easy.
And I’m occasionally still getting beers from local breweries, some that I’m writing about, some for myself; the main difference is, brewery visits and really any trip out are curtailed which makes it difficult for everybody. There’s so much uncertainty about what’s coming next, and the path forward, and—let’s be honest—who (among the breweries and brewpubs) is going to survive?
Sobering thoughts… so it’s getting towards the end of my workday this Friday, so I do believe I will find a beer to enjoy. I hope you do, too.
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