From the Beer Writer: There are many session India pale ales—IPAs coming in lower on the alcohol-by-volume scale than their typically 6-to-8% ABV forebears—on the market these days. And many leave a lot to be desired where depth of flavor is concerned. Some merely taste like hop-infused water, but Societe Brewing Co.’s The Coachman offers layers of flavor. That’s fitting considering one of those tiers is onion-like earthiness that shows up in the aroma along with foresty pine notes. The onion continues to the palate, marrying nicely with flavors of garlic, lemon and spruce. Despite being low in ABV, the beer doesn’t taste or feel watery, yet remains very refreshing. And since Societe has a large tribe of followers regularly draining its kegs, The Coachman isn’t allowed to degrade at the expedited pace of session IPAs. It’s one small beer for man, one giant leap for session IPA kind!
From the Brewer: “We make IPAs…lots of them. The Publican is like an IPA, only small. And The Coachman is also like an IPA, but really small. It is in the 4.5% ABV range, so you can drink a couple and still safely drive your coach home. In addition to malted barley, The Coachman contains a hefty load of malted wheat—about 40%-far more malted wheat by percentage than in any other beer we make. It’s intense, but not overly bitter. Hop character comes from Saaz, Simcoe and Mosaic. Some may consider it a ‘session IPA’ or a ‘session wheat IPA’, but in the scope of our lineup, it is our ‘really small IPA’.”—Travis Smith, Brewmaster, Societe Brewing Co.
