The Session topic for August has been announced; it’s being hosted by Craig over at Drink Drank, and it’s an idea I really like the more I think about it: The One Beer to Rule Them All.

What if you were to design the perfect brew—a Tolkien-esque One Beer to Rule Them All. The perfect beer for you, personally. Would it be hoppy and dark or strong and light? Is it augmented with exotic ingredients or traditionally crafted? Would your One Beer be a historic recreation or something never before dreamt of? The sky is the limit on this one.

This exercise isn’t about making sure you’ve checked all the right boxes for the BJCP or some homebrew competition. This Session is all about imagining the possibilities—no matter how ridiculous! Feel free to create a recipe, right down to the alpha acid in your hops or conjure up a review just like you’d do for any other beer. However you want to come at this, it’s your ultimate beer, your One Beer to Rule Them All!

A couple of things come to mind with this topic. First, I suspect my “One Beer” would change from time to time, perhaps seasonally, though I do harbor something of a prototypical notion of “beer” that might express itself here. Second, Paul Arney at The Ale Apothecary here in Bend is basically already brewing his One Beer—Sahalie, his (for lack of a better term) “perfect” beer that subsequently will be the base of other beers and experiments. Exactly the kind of thing we’ll all be thinking about for The Session next month.

It’s taking place Friday, August 3rd, so be sure to post and let Craig know by leaving a comment pointing to your entry on his original post.