Excellent article from the New York Times today about the rise of well-made low-alcohol light-bodied beers.

Visibly, much of the industry polarized into creating either gratuitously heavy, hoppy and high-alcohol content brews or glorified barley water.

However, a growing number of regional and national breweries are attempting to stem the tide. This bodes well for those of us who like to enjoy our beer bottle after bottle, rather than as a fancy wine substitute or as beer pong fodder.

“A bunch of guys talk in the market,” said Don Feinberg, a founder of Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, N.Y., and an importer for Vanberg & DeWulf there. “We’ve all been saying the same thing for about 18 months now, which is, enough of the high octane.”

For him, he said: “If I just want one beer, that high octane is stellar. If I want to drink several pints, I want something where I can still have a conversation.”

This taste for session beers will grow even in the face of Americans’ growing desire for double bocks and triple I.P.A.’s, said Ron Barchet, who brews Uncle Teddy’s Bitter (4.2 percent) and Donnybrook stout (3.7 percent) at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Pa. “Their lighter body and alcohol are a natural attraction for more mature craft drinkers,” he wrote in an e-mail message.

We have to admit, this is the first time we’ve heard the term “session beer” used to describe a flavorful low-alcohol beer. We must admit, we’ve enjoyed many of the beers (especially Hocus Pocus) on a great number of occasions, and we must concur: there needs to be more out there to satisfy the beer lover that doesn’t wish to set their mouth on fire or eat their beer with a fork and knife.

Honestly, (and this is just a matter of opinion) many folks believe that an ultra-hoppy I.P.A. or a creamy double-stout define great beer. We’re not quite ready to agree with that.

Next time you taste a beer, ask yourself this: Does it taste good? Are you ready for another one?

Sounds like the only true litmus test to me.

The Other Extreme - Low Alcohol Beers [New York Times]