A Guide to Brewing the Most Popular Seasonal Beers
A good brewery knows that you can’t rely on the same old thing indefinitely. Innovation should be something you strive for as a brewer because it’s fun to expand your knowledge, and customers want to try new things from the breweries they enjoy. A great way to introduce a new beer into your lineup is to follow the passage of time and create something unique to the season.
Seasonal beers have been around a long time, and they’re in a constant state of flux based on what people are looking for. If you’re thinking about adding something new to your lineup, or you just want to challenge yourself to make something different, a seasonal beer might be the perfect option. This article will give you some important information on brewing some of the most popular seasonal beers in the right time frame.
What Makes a Seasonal Beer?
It’s not all about the flavor of the beer itself when you’re making a seasonal beer. While it’s certainly important to consider, you should also think about how different kinds of beer make people feel when they’re drinking them. Two of the biggest things that make a seasonal beer are how it complements its season and what ingredients you decide to use.
Complementary to the Season’s Feeling
When the sun is scorching, and the heat is on, you probably don’t want to drink down a heavy, thick beer that will make you feel more lethargic. When it’s cold out, you want something that will get you comfortable and cozy. A good seasonal beer takes into account the emotions of the season and plays into the feelings of the person drinking it.
Seasonal Ingredients
Obviously, we associate certain flavors with different times of the year. Not many people are interested in pumpkin flavoring at the beginning of the summer, but they may be more excited about it in the fall. You want to also consider how accessible certain ingredients are, such as how certain fruits will be easier to obtain in specific seasons, making it easier to use them in your brewing.
Brewing Beers for Each Season
Here, we’ll go a little deeper into brewing some of the most popular seasonal beers for different times of the year. While there is plenty of room to experiment and try out something brand new, customers tend to flock toward certain beers during specific seasons, so don’t be afraid to capitalize on these varieties.
Flavors of Spring
When we can finally shrug off the winter chill, we want to come back to life. Seasonal beers for the spring tend to be lighter than winter options, and they boast much brighter and crisper flavors that evoke the spirit of spring. Lighter beers tend to do better for this season since more people are enjoying the outdoors once again.
Saisons
A saison might be a new avenue for many brewers, but they are the perfect complement for a spring day. Saisons tend to have very complex and bright flavors, often described as funky or intriguing. Saisons don’t have the highest alcohol content, which is perfect for spring as it lets the drinker enjoy more of its unique flavor.
Bocks
Bock beers might not seem like a spring seasonal beer at first glance because they still have rather dark malts, but they’re the best option for places where the winter sticks around longer than we would normally like. They’re not as cloyingly dark as something like a porter, but they manage to hit the mark between being bright enough for spring and malty enough to get you through the last of the cold weather.
Flavors of Summer
You’ll often see fruity flavors in a lot of summer seasonal beers. This is because it’s easy to get those ingredients during the summer but also because sweeter flavors help beat the heat of the season. Lighter beers reign supreme in the summer as more people spend time outside in the sun.
Shandies
A shandy is the ultimate mix between beer and fruit, and they’re incredibly refreshing on a hot day. A traditional shandy is a mixture of lemonade and beer, but you can go outside the box and use other fruit flavors to create a unique shandy that might be the drink of the summer.
IPAs
An IPA is a classic go-to for a hot summer’s day. There are tons of different kinds of IPAs to choose from, and it’s easy to understand why they’re so popular. Their bright, fruity notes, along with that hoppy crispness, can be exactly what someone needs after a particularly sweltering day out in the sun.
Pilsners
There’s a reason that pilsners are synonymous with summer nowadays. As light as they are, they allow you to enjoy them fully, even on the hottest days of the year. The most common pilsners don’t offer much in terms of innovation, but as a brewer, you can turn a traditional pilsner on its head with plenty of experimental flavors to create something new and unique.
Flavors of Autumn
When the weather starts to get cooler again, suddenly, beers that focus on refreshment aren’t as popular. Autumnal flavors such as maple and pumpkin can make some incredible beers, and spicier flavors can warm things back up.
Amber Beers
An amber beer is a great middle-ground for the season between the extremes of summer and winter. Darker than a pale ale but lighter than a stout, amber beers are an excellent choice for a chilly fall day.
Flavors of Winter
Winter is when everyone wants to hunker down and nestle into the warmth of their homes. Winter beers focus on the warmth and comfort that a good beer can provide, and they’re usually heavier as well. Coffee, chocolate, and other bitter flavors are great for a winter seasonal beer.
Imperial Beers
The term “imperial” usually refers to a boozier beer than what we’re used to. Since we’re stuck inside away from the cold, a nice and boozy imperial beer can take the edge off the stress of dealing with the winter’s cold and snow.
Stouts & Porters
Stouts and porters are the first beers we think of for winter because they get you nice and warm with strong flavors that are extra comforting. These beers tend to be heavy and full-bodied, perfect for a lazy day watching the snowflakes fall.
Whatever seasonal beer you’re going for, Craftmaster Stainless has all the commercial brewing equipment you need to get started and scale up quickly. Find everything you need to get your operation ready for the changing of the seasons right here at Craftmaster Stainless.
