A first step into the light for craft breweries. If you keep your eye on the trends and pay attention to alcohol-free breweries like Harmons, low-alcohol lagers seem to be trending.

There was a time when low-alcohol beers (with 4% ABV drawing the line) were ridiculed on both sides of craft brewery bars.

Well, not so much.

Among the current wave of craft breweries, one brewer made IPAs famous brewed its first Pale Lager “after eight years of childish obstinacy.”

Refined Fool of Sarnia has brewed the first batch of Sarnia Light.  One or more test batches will be conducted as the brewing team reviews the recipe and considers customer feedback.  Once complete, the Sarnia Light will become a permanent fixture.

“(It’s) a combination of maturity, a changing landscape, and some added tank space,” said Refined Fool director Brandon Huybers.  “When we first opened in 2014, we offered six heavy ales and vowed to stay away from lagers forever.  Not sure why we were so stubborn in our earlier years, but we have since realized that (a) lagers are good, and (b) we were cutting out a large portion of local customers who preferred easier drinking options.”

Adding tank capacity was important.

“Unfortunately, lagers take much longer to produce, and up until recently our tanks were always filled with IPAs” the style they are best known for around the province,” he said.  “We solved this problem by adding six more tanks, allowing us to brew more locally-focused batches like this.”

Sarnia Light is a 4% ABV rice lager with a classic North American flavor that is smooth, chewy and easy to crush.  Many people choose to save calories and alcohol content without switching to a nearby beer rather than choosing to be able to lose a lot at once.

Refined Fool may be the latest company to offer what southwestern Ontario beer fans are looking for in a local craft brewery, but it won’t be the first.

Cowbell of Blyth, where golfers, boaters, theatergoers, country folk and campers mingle perfectly with beer lovers, Smooth Sailing has sold out quickly since its introduction. Like Sarnia Light, Smooth Sailing contains 4% alcohol.

Powerhouse Brewing‘s 9 to 5 Light Lager is even lower.  This London Pale Lager is a corn sweet malt with 3.5% ABV.

Sidelaunch of Collingwood (owned by Equals Brewing of London) has Easy Breezy, a lemony pale lager brewed with Citra hops. 3.8 percent.

SOURCE: O.Canada