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How Low Can You Go? Small beers that go big on taste.     In the July/August 2010 issue, writer Adem Tepedelen shows that you don’t have to sacrifice taste or quality when shopping for wines without an alcohol-y punch. Brewers have also long-touted a variety of beer styles that keep alcohol levels low without skimping on flavor. From a summery saison to an Irish-style stout, these small beers go big on taste while staying under 5 percent ABV.   Anchor Steam San Francisco, Calif.  4.9 percent ABV The flagship ale of one of the granddaddies of the American craft beer movement, this coppery-gold quaffer offers strong floral notes, some mild malty sweetness and a crisp bitterness that pairs perfectly with barbecued chicken.

Bayerischer Bahnhof Leipziger Gose
Leipzig, Germany  4.5 percent ABV
In 2000, German brewer Thomas Schneider decided to revive the virtually extinct Leipziger Gose style, a top-fermenting wheat beer made with coriander, salt and lactic acid. The resulting beer has distinctive tartness, with the salt appearing in the finish.

Bridgeport Blue Heron
Portland, Ore.  4.9 percent ABV
This classic pale ale pours a crystal-clear, new-penny copper with an ecru head and a nose full of hops, honey and a bit of peach. That subtle fruit element is also present on the palate, balancing the predominant flavor of cleansing hops bitterness. Great with a bowl of boiled shrimp or a batch of fried chicken.

Brooklyn Summer Ale
Brooklyn, N.Y.  4.5 percent ABV
Summertime drinking at its coolest, this English-style pale ale from Brooklyn brewmaster Garrett Oliver thoroughly quenches with its light, earthy hops and touch of food-friendly malt.

Stone Levitation
San Diego, Calif.  4.4 percent ABV
Stone has made its reputation on big-personality beers, so it’s no surprise that its lower-alcohol offering still packs plenty of flavor. This dark-copper brew offers loads of floral hops and a bitter-orange finish.

Dogfish Head Festina Pêche
Milton, Del.  4.5 percent ABV
Like the name suggests, this Berliner weisse-style beer has loads of peach flavor and a tangy acidity that balances the fruit.

Dupont Avril
Tourpes, Belgium  3.5 percent ABV
A traditional Belgian “table beer,” Avril is full of pungent herbs and lemony tartness, with a tingly effervescence that wakes up the tastebuds. A perfect picnic beer to go with chicken salad or tuna niçoise.

Hoegaarden
Hoegaarden, Belgium  4.9 percent ABV
The classic Belgian witbier—cloudy pale yellow, rich white foam on top, and a wheaty palate bursting with orange peel, coriander and banana. A great match for steamed mussels.

Mahr’s Hell
Bamburg, Germany  4.9 percent ABV
From a family-owned German brewpub in northern Bavaria comes this light golden lager. This hellesbier goes big on malt, with just a touch of sweetness on the finish that makes it a perfect match for less-sweet desserts like almond biscotti and fruit tarts.

Mikkeller It’s Alright
Lochristi-Hijfte, Denmark  4.5 percent ABV
Another deliciously crafty brew from renegade roving brewer, Mikkel Borg. The little brother to Borg’s brettanomyces-flecked It’s Alive wild ale, this sessionable beer is refreshingly dry with just a touch of tangy sourness.

Reissdorf Kölsch
Cologne, Germany  4.8 percent ABV
Light and refreshing, with good effervescence and a surprisingly hefty amount of hoppy bitterness.

Southern Tier Hop Sun
Lakewood, N.Y.  4.9 percent ABV
This beer is harder to come by, but definitely worth seeking out. It’s a brightly flavored wheat beer with enough lemon and malty sweetness to balance its vibrant hoppiness.

Tröegs Dreamweaver
Harrisburg, Penn.  4.8 percent ABV
Another deliciously refreshing wheat beer, this one with pronounced spicy notes and a strong undercurrent of banana.

Victory Donnybrook Stout
Downingtown, Penn.  3.7 percent ABV
Stouts are typically a lower-ABV beer style, but the double whammies of modern craft brewing have left their lower-alcohol counterparts in the dust. Enter this roasty-toasty brew from Victory. German malts mingle with earthy, European hops in this smooth and creamy, Irish-style stout.

Widmer Sunburn Summer Brew
Portland, Ore.  4.3 percent ABV
Smooth and highly sessionable, this brew goes big on flavor with fresh, citrusy notes from the new Citra hop. A refreshing thirst-quencher, pair it with orange-marinated chicken or a citrus-dressed salad.