Day two of Arriaca “flight¨, and I’m taking it easy. Today it’s their Session IPA, at less than 4%. It seems like the brewery is more active in fairs and industry activities towards the north of the country, showing in Salón Gourmets and winning medals in Barcelona and Frankfurt. I don’t know if the beer fairs of Madrid have become too small for their gastronomic ambitions, but there’s nothing wrong with pushing beer to a higher standard of recognition. It’s been the drink of kings, after all.

It appears to be a lighter version of the regular IPA, a more sunny golden color, and fluffily heady. Slightly spicier aroma, but still clearly in the IPA family. The session IPA is actually heavier on the citrus than the regular one, very orangey and tart. It doesn’t have the background of maltiness in the taste, being very clean and sharp. It’s a tasty but simple flavor. As a session IPA, it has a light feel and maybe the unsandwiched notes are best for its probable habitat – an afternoon drink or a nightcap, probably no meal, potentially a group sitting around having a good conversation.
