Taste Test: Session IPAs

It’s easy to define session IPAs by what they’re not: hard-hitting hops delivery systems with soaring ABVs. But the category has complexity all its own, ranging from dry and piney refreshers to juicy numbers rich with tropical fruit, and more. This selection of widely distributed options spans West Coast, hazy, and American IPA styles. All clock in at less than 5 percent ABV, making them ideal for those moments when you want to sustain—not up end—a good time.

Two Roads Brewing Co. Lil’ Heaven Crushable IPA

It can be hard to deliver the hoppy bitterness of a traditional West Coast IPA in a lower-ABV package, but this offering from Connecticut-based Two Roads does just that. With 4.8 percent ABV, it has an earthy and malty character offset by resin and delicate fruit, including lemon zest, tangerine juice, and the slightest bit of fresh pineapple. Zesty hops balance but don’t overpower the palate, which is round, medium-bodied, and imminently enjoyable.

New Holland Brewing Little Piglet

At 4.6 percent ABV, this approachable beer from Michigan’s New Holland brewery sits well below mainstream IPAs’ 8 or even 9 percent ABV. Grassy hops and fresh-squeezed lemon and lime juices headline the nose, making way for a light-bodied, easy-drinking palate with soft, bready notes. It has less bitterness than hardcore hops heads might crave, but the dry finish is undeniably refreshing.

Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty

Many credit this Delaware-based brewery’s 2003 flagship 60 Minute IPA with amplifying U.S. appetites for the beer style. Slightly Mighty aims to celebrate that heritage in a lower-calorie and-ABV package. It has ample hop aromas, though the approachable palate is less hoppy than many commercial IPAs. Slightly Mighty clocks in at 4 percent ABV and 95 calories and gets its full-bodied texture from monk fruit, a Chinese melon that’s also used to make zero-calorie sweeteners beloved by the keto set. The beer’s long, almost fruity finish concludes with a pleasant bitterness.

Bell’s Light Hearted Lo-Cal IPA

In 2020, almost 25 years after Bell’s debuted its flagship IPA, Two Hearted, the Michigan-based brewery introduced this sessionable alternative. Like the 1997 original, Light Hearted is aromatic and hop-forward. However, it has just 4 percent ABV and 110 calories, versus Two Hearted’s 7 percent ABV and 212 calories. Galaxy and Centennial hops give Light Hearted its juicy orange and resin aromas. The varied malt bill (two row, Munich, pale ale, and others) provides a pleasantly sturdy backbone. It all wraps up with a long, crisp finish.

Lawson’s Finest Liquids Beach Party IPA

From a bucolic corner of Vermont comes this session IPA with sunny lemon and tangerine notes, tropical hops, and crisp effervescence in every sip. At 3.8 percent ABV, it’s one of the lowest-proof beers in the category. Its full-bodied flavors are due in part to chit malt, a type of functional malt in which the grains undergo a short germination period and can create long-lasting foam, haze retention, and lots of body without alcohol. True to its name, it makes an excellent beach beer, though we’d gladly sip it on the couch or at the kitchen table, too.

Cigar City Brewing Jai Low

Crisp and hoppy, Jai Low is perfect for beach days or ball games. Expect a veritable fruit basket of aromas—from lime and orange zest to juicy summer peaches—offset by bready notes. Golden brown in the glass, it’s made with Amarillo, Cascade, and Centennial hops, among others. It has savory pine, citrus, and malty flavors. While it’s not as full-bodied as many traditional American IPAs, it packs a hoppier punch than most sessionable alternatives, all at 4 percent ABV. Stock your cooler or crack one open on the couch and toast moderation at its finest.