Session Lager - Full Sail Brewery & Tasting Room & Pub

MrDonQuixote

Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Served on Tap:

A- Reddish amber hue with a small white head that dissipates quickly

S- Sweet malt with a light hop smell

T- Not a ton of taste. Has a thick malty backbone with a bitter finish

M- Smooth Mouthfeel. Definitely helps the beer fit its name

O- Not my favorite beer in the world, but definitely a beer I could kick back with and drink a few

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2011 23:03:10 | More by MrDonQuixote

slaintemhor

Oregon

3/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at the Full Sail brewery in Hood River, OR. The colour was light straw with little head. The aroma was some light malt and faint hops. On the palate, it was reasonably crisp with some light hops and cereal grain character. I haven't tried many macro lagers, but I suspect this may be a bit better than most.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2009 02:48:49 | More by slaintemhor

FlyingBull

California

3.79/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I purchased this brew at a local chain grocery on sale for $12/12 pack. These were 11 oz little "Red Stripe" or "PBR" bottles. 11 oz???

This beer poured a clear light to medium yellow with a white 2" foamy head that dissipated after about 2 minutes to a thin top layer that styed though out the drink.

The aroma was a nice clean malt with a very slight fruity hop note.

The taste was a nice clean malt flavor, followed by some light hop bitterness. There was some residual sweetness, but not the cloying kind. With good carbonation and a medium mouth feel, the beer was relatively crisp and very drinkable.

I find most Euro lagers to be a little more crisp, dry, and with more hop bitterness. This one had a little more sweetness and a little less hop bitterness in comparison. For an American lager, I find this one to be one of the better I've had. I enjoyed it and I would buy this again as well as recommend it for someone looking to transition to craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 14:09:10 | More by FlyingBull

bbluemzbeer

California

5/5  rDev +35.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is an amazing beer ! It is both refreshing and flavorful. There is an many number of beers out there which are dull. This taste like a great Germany beer!

Appearance: Looks like Lager . It has nice lacing , clarity and head.

Smell: Like a beer. No foul smell

Taste: Very nice and thirst quenching. It is not overly bitter or sweet. It is very pleasant, and finishes dryl.

Mouthfeel: Not to heavy or watered down, it just right for me.

D: This is an amazing find, being both refreshing and flavorful. There is an alarming number of BAs out there who would dismiss this brew as flavorless and dull. These, my friends, are BAs who have not discovered the great brews of Germany. They are those who have not a clue as to the value of delicacy and balance in a beer. Sessions Lager is delicate, it is flavorful, and it is balanced, and that is why you should drink Sessions Lager.
A: Straw in color with an egg white head, Sessions displays admirable lacing and clarity. The head could use a touch more retention though.

S: Bouquet is a touch shy, but boasts sulfur and citrus.

T: Dry, with notes of toasted cereal, orange marmalade, and just a touch of sulphur.

M: Light body with heavy carbonation and a clean finish.

Overall : This is a great beer!! Its not complicated, but who needs complication. Price is very affordable cost way less then Germany Beer. A rating of 5 !

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 16:12:32 | More by bbluemzbeer

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.69/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance-Pours a crystal clear golden color with a one finger white head that fizzles out fairly quickly. Upon fading there is a thin layer of fizzy looking lacing left on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a grainy malt smell mixed with some aromas of hay and a lighter aroma of citrus lemon hop and a bit of an herbal aroma.

Taste – The taste begins crisp with a grainy and bready taste. There is a lighter level of a caramel sweetness upfront, which gets stronger as the flavor advances further. Other sweeter flavors come to the tongue as well being of a corny and light fruit flavor of apple and pear. Toward the end a flavor of some citrus hop as well as a bit of grass bitter the brew some, leaving, a crisp and balanced taste on the tongue.

Mouthfeel- Te body of the brew is thin and crisp with a carbonation level that has lot s of little carbonation bubbles although it is not really overly carbonated. The carbonation and thinner body make it rather refreshing and suit the nice crisp feel of the brew.

Overall- This is a very easy drinking and refreshing brew, coupled with a more moderate alcohol level it is just what a session style brew should be (although the abv may be a little on the high side for a session, ah but…). Rather nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 23:54:53 | More by Darkmagus82

startreker

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +25%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

I found this beer by mere chance. I was at my local grocery store, and the name of the beer begged me to give it a try!! I`m so glad I did!!

A .. Very nice golden color, pours up beautifully.

S.. Not a whole lot of aroma, but nonetheless, it is pleasing, and reminds me of fresh made bread.

T.. Very nice and quenching, not overly bitter, nor sweet. Very pleasant, and finishes dry, wich is delightful.

M.. A very satisfying mouth feel going on here. Not to heavy, not watered down, but just right!

O.. Overall .. I love this beer!! Its not overly complicated, and really hits it spot on!! Price is very affordable!! This is my new go to beer hands down!!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 23:43:20 | More by startreker

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.64/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A - Pretty standard looking crisp bright yellow, yet not much head just a finger that reduces to lace ring.
S - Corn hush and lager yeast. Mild skunk and hops. Nothing outstanding but it doesn't smell offensive.
T - Not that bad it has some moderate hops, lager yeast and sweeter malts. In a way though it's kind of bland as well.
M - Light and crisp on par with session.

Overall not as interesting as the session black lager but a step up from BMC.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 00:42:32 | More by DrDemento456

Burkbom23

Connecticut

2.79/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Clear Light golden color. Thin white head fades to film. Lots of bubbles. Tiny bit of lacing with not a lott of sticking power. Clean nose. Not much going on. Some hints of grain maybe some corn husk. Some very slight maltiness up front. Very smooth and drinkable as the name would suggest. Crisp finish. Light medium feel with good carbination. Better alternative to one of the macro lagers for sure, but still nothing I would seek out.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 23:50:20 | More by Burkbom23

mnrider

Connecticut

3.71/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

11 oz. Snub Nose bottle. has freshness date.

A: Clear golden yellow, slightly pale. Small white head. Not much retention nor lacing.

S: Typical pale lager. Grass, grains and sweet malts. has a little bit of a floral kick to it.

T/M: Mostly clean and light on taste. Sweet malts and hop bitterness balance well.
More grains come in and the finish is on the dry side. Light bodied and impressively
crisp.

O: What it lacks in taste it makes up for on feel and overall drinkability. The taste is
pretty basic but is strong enough to complement the easy crisp drinkability. I see this
as a good summer beer and one I could easily Session.

Cheers!!

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 22:14:57 | More by mnrider

phishsihq

Colorado

3.56/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Full Sail Session Lager pours a clean and crisp golden color with a quickly diminishing white head. The nose consists of pale malt, grain, and hints of corn are met with just a touch of honey. Cracker and biscuit malt flavors are well met with a hint of honey and a touch of hops to provide a good balance. Moderately carbonated, this sessionable is both crisp and sharp for a lighter bodied brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 00:09:57 | More by phishsihq

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

11oz stubby bottle poured into a shaker pint.

Appearance
Straw colored with a short white head that dissipates quickly. Excellent clarity and lively carbonation.

Nose
Cracker, Pilsner malts and lemongrass with hints of corn.

Taste
Cracker-like malts with a light caramel drizzle. Slight hints of Pilsner malt and lemongrass.

Mouthfeel
Light bodied, crisp, clean and refreshing.

Overall
Not too much going on...but hella-refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 23:20:49 | More by justintcoons

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

When I cut grass I drink LaBatts. When I cut grass now I'm hoping to drink Session. What an awesome beer.
It was clear, clean with a bright straw color. Thin head on top fades. gentile carbonation. It looks like you want to drink it.
The aroma is crisp and malty like those other beers.
Drinks refreshing good with a crisp malty taste, like a good pils. has a grainy finish.
Smooth and crisp on the palate.
I like this beer. It tastes great and is less filling. Plus the cap said "tools required" how awesome is that.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 14:36:32 | More by micromaniac129

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I was at a bottle share recently where someone told me that Full Sail was coming to PA and I thought, "Yeah, Philly, as usual and no thought to us outliers." Boy, was I wrong! I am seeing Full Sail beers everywhere and I could not be more excited. I have loved their lineup ever since the Oregon Brewers Fest in 2007 and I have the proper tools as required on the crown cap. I love the throwback look of the stubby bottle which only increases its portability as it can be hidden in a lot of places to sneak past security and other such constabulary.

I went bananas with my pour and almost caused it to overflow the glass. Whoops! Two fingers of rocky, bone-white head with great retention were the result. Color was sunshine-yellow with NE-plus quality clarity. Nose was grassy, biscuit malty and just as I remembered it. Mouthfeel was medium and the grassiness of the hops reminded me of fresh-mown lawn. Come on, warm weather! It is three days into Spring 2013 and it is colder than some days this past Winter. Grrr. It is a good thing that I have beer. I anxiously await the opportunity to begin mowing my backyard again after laying grass seed last summer. I digress. Man, was this beer going down quickly! I really liked the way the malt got out of the way of the hops until the extreme finish and offset them just enough to be considered semi-dry. Dry should be reserved for American IPAs while lagers should exhibit at least a little sweetness. Welcome to PA, Hood River, OR! I hope that you plan to stick around.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 21:33:46 | More by woodychandler

cbbqbrew

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This Beer does for me what I wish the Macro Brews did. That is to offer a refreshing yet flavorful "light" Beer that doesn't reek of cereal Grains. Session also offers a nice mouthfeel for this type of beer. Subtle and nice beer. Really nice!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 21:22:35 | More by cbbqbrew

YoubemeIBU

Texas

3.46/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

A - straw colored with active carbonation

S - Smell is nothing special; hard to find distinct flavor notes. Sweet/lemongrass. Reminds me of many American Adjunct Lagers I've had and of course not really enjoyed.

T - Taste is surprising considering the lack-luster smell. Light citrus flavor with significant sweetness. Typical lager flavor with a tinge of hop character .

M - Medium body with stimulating carbonation

O - Good lager especially for the price (11.95 for a 12-pack of stubbies at HEB in Texas)

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 05:08:08 | More by YoubemeIBU

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.66/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

I have had this beer before, and have tried the Black Lager and the Fest offering. That is their seasonal beer, and they all taste pretty much the same. I didn't realize the caps had rock, paper, scissors on them… so I am learning! This is a beer that sells well here in Arizona because this is light, crisp, and easy to drink on a hot summer day. The days here get hot… REALLY hot. But this was in the fridge, and we wanted to review a second beer today. So let's drink!

In the Glass: It looks pretty boring, highly carbonated, and almost like any other domestic beer I've ever had. Imagine pouring a Bud Light into a glass. Yep. That is what this looks like. A light white head does hover on top, but there is little lace. I don't expect this to be great. This would be a beer that would be great with food. There is pizza in the kitchen. Maybe I will grab a slice.

Nose: It smells like liquid yeast. There is a subtle sweetness there, but pretty much just smells like yeast. This is a low ABV beer, and something I feel I could chug all day long. It's a session beer, after all. Hence the name!

Flavor: It is better than I expected it to be. There is a bunch of sweetness toward the end, and the finish is really nice. It is easy to drink, and VERY chuggable… but I do not remember this having so much flavor. There are a lot of bubbles, but it is not overly carbonated. My favorite part is the finish/aftertaste. But we will get to that!

Mouthfeel: There are a bunch of bubbles on the middle of the palate, but they balance out well toward the finish. It is very easy to drink, and I can seriously see myself chugging 5 or 6 of these during a round of golf. I am playing golf tomorrow, so maybe I will pack a cooler! For a buck a bottle, I am shocked more golf courses don't serve this. Now that I think about it, I am not sure any bars or restaurants serve this. Glad Total Wine & More has it!

Aftertaste: This is my favorite part of the beer. It finishes sweet, the bubbles become balanced, and the burp is delightful. The sweetness is what I like. I do like sweets, from wine to beer, even cocktails… It's not overly sweet, but a hint toward the finish. Every time I swallow, the aftertaste lingers, but the sweetness is still obvious and somewhat drying.

I haven't bought this beer in a while… but I might have to get some the next time I am at Total Wine. I am serious about taking this to the golf course! If you want a good replacement for a domestic (and yes, you DO), give this a try. Grab a single bottle of this and the Black Lager so you can compare these two stubbies. Ha. That sounds dirty!

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 20:00:19 | More by rickyleepotts

smokinyodas

Florida

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Updated bottles now require tools. Out pours a golden yellow lager with white head and thin lacing. Slightly creamy body with mild malt sweetness and aroma of malt, hops, grain, caramel and light floral. Overall Session Lager is easy to drink, yet combined with low cost and accessibility in most places of the US makes it a real winner.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 16:09:47 | More by smokinyodas

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.84/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: poued from an 11 oz stubby bottle into a dimpled pub mug, light golden colored with a short white head that dissipates leaving little lacing, clear

S: pale malt, light hops, very light smells, grassy, grain

T: sweeter up front with a nice hop profile that develops upon swallowing, smooth dry clean finish

M: medium to lighter bodied with lively carbonation

O: Full Sail succeded in making a quality, flavorful, easy drinking lager.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 00:22:12 | More by M_C_Hampton

lancecenter

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Crystal clear, pale straw. This looks just like an adjunct except for the large amount of head and a little bit of lacing.

S - Sweet grass.

T/M - This is like a sweeter, smoother PBR. This is what a session beer should be.

O - I could drink this all night. One of the best session beers I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 02:43:22 | More by lancecenter

Jsteez

New Mexico

3.95/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into an American beer mug from a 11.2 oz. stubby. Just like a Jamaican Red Stripe bottle, which is a perfect warm weather/beach beer. It is fun to only drink Red Stripe out of the bottle, and I usually would drink Sessions from the bottle, but I used a glass to rate it. Drinking this from the bottle is most satisfying!

A-Pale yellow straw in color and noticeable carbonation. Poured a 2 finger head with some white soapy bubbles. The head dissipated into a thin ring around the edges 3 minutes after pour. Very minimal lacing on the glass, almost nonexistent, but enough to say there was some lace. The look was not too special, it looks like a typical a lager-pilsner!

S-Malty graininess, that's about it. All lager aromas never really impress me, but it is worth noting the high malty smell.

T-Despite the smell, the taste is really what made this beer. It was a balance of sweet/dry malt, a trace of bitterness from the minimal hops to balance the sweetish grain, and the perfect dry feeling in the aftertaste. It was quite refreshing. I have yet to have a beer by Full Sail Brewery that wasn't worth buying again.

M-Quite crisp and light bodied. The quenchability in the carbonation was really satisfying. The name 'Sessions' describes it all! It is easy to throwback a couple while hangin' out on a beach patio on some island in the Indian Ocean (if it was imported there!).

Overall, this is a great backyard bbq beer, or the perfect beer to have after mowing the lawn. I usually have a tendency to not crave lager/pils during the winter. However, the February "thaw" is here and signs of warmer weather are approaching. Drinking this brew brought back memories of a warmer time when the leaves were green, the waves were crashing on the beach, the birds were chirping, and the smell of bbq's permeated the air. It brought back nostalgic feelings from a previous moment in time worth yearning for. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 18:10:51 | More by Jsteez

pkalix

California

3/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

wow. straw clear yellow. some foam, which dissipates quickly.
pilsner-y, lager-y smell....
taste is.... bland.
whatever....
overall, the black is better, but whatever. i gues this can pass for a decent 'sessionable' brew, if your expectations arent terribly high, but it definitely isnt my favorite 'straw' beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 02:37:13 | More by pkalix

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.5/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Session Premium Lager has a medium, white head and a clear, bubbly, yellow-golden appearance, with minimal lacing left behind on the glass. The aroma is mild, but one gets sweet, bready malt and a touch of hops. One will notice a similar flavor, which even has a fruity aspect to it. Mouthfeel is mostly watery, and Session Premium Lager finishes crisp, refreshing, dry, and delicious. Overall, I really enjoyed it and think it's really good! RJT

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 21:34:30 | More by RonaldTheriot

chugalug06

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Avery Tulip.

Amazing crystal clarity. Yellow in color with a 1 1/2 finger white full fluff head. Thin viscosity and no lacing. Head dissipates fast too.

Crisp. Mild hops and tons of crystal/munich malt. Grassy and tropical (not in a hop way)

Crisp, clean, refreshing. Heavy carbonation takes away from full lager flavors. Great balance of bitter, sweet, and clean. I could handle a bit more hop in both the nose and flavor.

Refreshing for a warm fall day, but I would like for this brew to be a bit more full flavor and less on the light side of things. Recommended for a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 00:56:42 | More by chugalug06

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a nonic pint glass on 10/21/12

Enjoy by: 11/16/12

Clear, golden straw color. One finger, smooth white head. Rising bubbles delay the dissipation of the head for a few minutes. Tall rings of lace.

Cereal grains have a distinct aroma and act as a backing for mild hop notes of grassy/herbal/earthy variety. Doughy overtones. Hops come across stronger on the palate before the flavor settles up with smooth grains. Just a hint of toastiness. It tastes clean and finishes the same. The body is light but not overly crisp. Carbonation is on the high side of average, but is well-proportioned.

Drinkability is ridiculously high. Why have I waited this long to try it?

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 04:51:14 | More by Ryan011235

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.7/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A big white head settles to a decent enough lacing above a clear golden colored beer.

Traditional American lager aroma with a light floral hops on a dominate grain malt aroma.

Light grain malt tastes with just a hit of the hops giving some balance and crispness to this light bodied lager.

A light dry aftertaste with just a hint of the grains sticking around for later.

A simple American lager taste that seems to have more too it than most of the more popular light American lagers.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 22:32:20 | More by LXIXME