On the 12th day of Christmas, Frank About Beer drank for me - H.L. Rex session pale ale from Monocacy brewery.
Session ales are typically developed as beers with low alcohol content. Don't think of them as "lite" beers that are watered-down - session beers are brewed to have a lot of the flavor as other craft beers, but about half the alcohol so you can enjoy several, "in a session."
H.L. Rex definitely follows suit with a low, 3.6% ABV, but is otherwise a solid beer. It pours a dark gold with good carbonation. There's a great fruity aroma, too.
Being a pale ale, you'd expect hoppy flavors, and there's definitely a complex group of flavors including pine, some lemon, and even a little grapefruit. There's not a lot of malt flavor (typical of session beers), but I'd be happy to get another half percent of alcohol for a little more maltiness.
Nevertheless, this is a good beer for casual fans, and would be great for warm weather or those times when you'd love to have a beer without the buzz. I definitely see myself picking up some of this for lounging around the pool.
How have you enjoyed our #12BeersofXmas series? We'd love to hear your feedback in the comments, or feel free to drop us a line privately. More to come!
Cheers!
Christian & Eric
