The 10 Best Session IPAs of 2022

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Team Untappd

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 15:39:02 +0000

Consider session IPAs like a little sister, brother, or cousin to their bigger, bolder, more bitter American, West Coast, or Double/Imperial IPA counterparts.

But just because these beers are a bit lower in alcohol—aka "sessionable," aka you can have more than one of them in one drinking session—doesn't mean they're any less popular.

In fact, in 2021 you all in the Untappd community checked in "IPA - Session/India Session Ales" a whopping 1.5 million times. Good for the eighth highest most-checked in style of last year.

Especially during the hot summer months, session IPAs are great for doubling (or tripling) up on by the pool, in the park, on the trail, up the mountain, on the beach, in the backyard, and just about anywhere you adventure.

What Exactly Is a Session IPA?

In general, session has become an industry term used to describe a beer lower in ABV. One you can drink two or three of during a single session. In theory, this name can apply to really any style, but session IPAs in particular have become extremely popular.

Why?

Because instead of an 8% ABV or higher IPA that blows out your palate after one, session IPAs tend to be a bit softer around the edges. For session IPAs specifically, the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) categorizes them under "Specialty IPAs" but requires that any IPA of session strength fall between 3.0-5.0% ABV.

They are not only lower in alcohol content, but also in bitterness. Meaning you can enjoy one, two, or even three in one sitting without wrecking your tastebuds or your brain.

Plus, many breweries have leveraged session IPAs as a chance to jump on the better-for-you trend. They've made their crushable IPAs part of their year-round portfolios with lower calories and carbs to hit that sweet spot for active lifestyles. These are beers you can take on the trail, pack in your cooler for a day at the beach, or enjoy after a long bike ride or run.

Consider session IPAs kind of like the goldilocks of beers—not too hoppy, not too bitter, not too high in ABV; they're just right.

Accordingly, many mainstream breweries, especially those well known for their American IPAs or hazy IPAs, have also brewed a session IPA. And spoiler alert: They're pretty delicious.

We're not even halfway through summer, so go ahead and stock up on one of Untappd's 10 Highest-Rate Session IPAs of 2022.

Looking for even more? Don't miss Hop Culture's "The 12 Best Session IPAs Available in Most Stores Right Now" to find even more easy-going versions of this style that are widely available across the country.