As beer lovers, we love chasing after an experience. One of my fondest memories is walking through Universal Studios in Florida with a pint of Duff beer in my hand. There’s nothing like taking a seat at a bar, glancing at the taps, and seeing the beers that you can only get this time of year. To help make the magic happen, I felt it was time we had a conversation about these seasonal beers and when we can all enjoy them.
Spring
I like to call spring the “emergence” season. Winter is a dark and cold time filled with stouts and porters and other dark beers. Spring is a time for all of us to awake from our hibernation and come back into the light. The lighter beers begin to become popular again. People return to drinking IPAs and the excitement at the sunshine gives rise to the wheat beers and the blonde ales. Also, the presence of St. Patrick’s Day inspires the consumption of Irish Ales and lots of green beer.
Summer
The summer can be hot, with lots of outside activities. The brew is all about what’s in your hand at a barbeque while playing cornhole. During this season, the beers get even lighter than the spring beers with Pilsners, Fruit Ales, and Wheat Ales. The heat tends to discourage the heavier drinks and instead we find glasses filled with the lemon of a Shandy or the ease of a Session Ale.
Fall
The festivals are alive during the fall. Oktoberfest beers are the king of the season. The beer is beginning to become darker with its Brown Ale and deeper with its Red Ales. The fall is a season of transition and with it comes delightful full-bodied beers like Breakfast Stouts and Ales with inspiration from fall flavors like sweet potato and pumpkin.
Winter
The winter season is when the darker beers come back into full effect. Stouts and Porters populate the shelves, while Christmas Ales flow from the taps. The Christmas Ales have traditional flavors of the holiday with cinnamon, honey, and ginger. The Stouts and Porters fill the cracks of our souls to keep us warm during this cold season. Deeper flavored brews are more popular this time of year with Barley Wines, Chocolate Ale, and Scotch Ale.
At the Meeple, we love following the calendar of Beer. As I write these words, Christmas Ales are currently being delivered everywhere. These seasons can be a lot of fun to pursue and always create excitement.
The next time you want to dive into the Christmas season with a cold delicious beverage, stop into the Meeple for a cup of cheer!
Dana Miller has embraced the nerd culture his whole life. Starting from a passion for collectible X-Men cards to feverishly saving the princess from Bowser on his NES. He has managed game rooms, blockbusters and restaurants. He loves cooperative and team based activities, learning new board games, comic book films, League of Legends, and trying different craft beers.