Expand your definition of a "session beer"

Per my earlier entry, the Avery Experience beer tasting happened this past Wednesday night at Toronado. And all I can say is that I'm glad I work from home, because despite my best attempts at pacing, I got drunk.. and, consequently, there was a bit of a price to pay, headache-wise, in the morning. haha. But it was all good..

It was my first beer tasting (besides various festivals); I showed up solo, but it there was a friendly crew in attendance and so got to talk beer, learn a new (drinking?) game, meet some brewers (Adam Avery, Richard Norgrove), and drink some awesome beer. Check this line-up; fifteen beers, served in five separate flights:

Flagships
1. Ellie's Brown Ale (5.6% abv)
2. White Rascal Belgian Wheat Ale (5.6% abv)
3. India Pale Ale (6.3% abv) **

Quirky Seasonals
4. New World Porter (6.7% abv)
5. THIRTEEN - Weizen Doppelbock (9.5% abv) **
6. FOURTEEN - Belgian Dubbel IPA (9.46% abv)

The Holy Trinity of Ales
7. Salvation - Belgian Golden Ale (9% abv)
8. The Reverend - Belgian Quadrupel Ale (10% abv)
9. Hog Heaven Barleywine (9.2% abv) **

The Dictator Series
10. The Maharaja - Imperial India Pale Ale 2007 (9.65% abv) **
11. The Kaiser - Imperial Oktoberfest 2005 (8.9% abv)
12. The Czar - Imperial Stout 2003 (11.9% abv)

The Demons of Ale
13. The Beast Grand Cru Ale 2007 (16.42% abv)
14. Samael's Oak-aged Ale 2006 (14.5% abv)
15. Mephistopheles' Stout 2006 (15.1% abv) **

** = personal top picks

My favorite memory of the night was that on several occasions, as he was saying a few words about each beer in a given flight, Adam Avery would note, "This beer is totally sessionable." And he would be talking about a beer like their IPA at 6.3% abv (ok, on the high side, but I'll give him that one), but then later he'd say this about their FOURTEEN as well.. at 9.46% abv! We all had a good chuckle; the man obviously has a highly-optimized liver. ;)