Four Irish session beers perfect for the last few weeks of summer

Despite the poor weather, I have been enjoying a range of lighter summery beers in recent months. Session beers are perfect thirst-quenchers for sunny days and evenings spent around the barbecue waiting for the food to be cooked. “Lawnmower beers,” says Quincey Fennelly of Wicklow Wolf brewery. A session beer can be anything from 3% to 5% ABV, although this would include Guinness and most of the standard brews in your local. But craft beers tend to be stronger, hence the need for session beers. Here are four lower alcohol beers to quench the thirst for the remaining few weeks of summer.

The Belmont Demesne in Co Wicklow is well worth a visit for its beautiful walks, fatbikes and other outdoor activities. Very soon, another reason to visit will be the craft brewer O Brother, where a brand new brewery on the premises is currently under completion. They also brew the Nasc Session beer for Aldi featured below.

Kinnegar Brewing in Donegal is one of my favourite brewers. Their Low Tide (1% ABV) is our midweek alcohol-free(ish) drink and the Scraggy Bay is a very good IPA. Grisette is a lighter farmhouse ale that originates in the Hainaut province of Belgium, which is lower in alcohol and higher in acidity. It quenched the thirst of hardworking farmers and miners in the region. The Grisette below is part of a mixed pack launched by Kinnegar this summer, featuring four limited release beers, and is also available through their website.

Sliced Can – a play on “sliced pan” – is a collaboration brew between Wicklow Wolf and Brennan’s, made using surplus bread instead of barley. It is brewed sustainably using electricity generated by their solar panels, and Wicklow Wolf will plant one native Irish tree for every 12 cans sold.