Every year, I get into the same discussions when it comes to what to brew when, what to drink when. Some people will drink the same style year round, not worrying whether it is June or January, you can find an IPA in their pint glass. I like to think of myself as a brewer in the traditional sense, that my palate and my mash tun follows the ebbs and flows of the seasons. When the mercury rises, I tend to seek out crisp refreshing Kolschs or spicy saisons. When the days shorten and get so cold you feel old, I gravitate towards big beefy Baltic porters and warming tripels. Since I have a very basic brewing set up, I also rely on the cold whether for lagering to take place as opposed to artificially putting carboys in a refrigerator. This works out beautifully during the dark days of late December through early February.
Brewers of old tended to follow a similar schedule to what I do. They couldn't brew with ingredients that were unavailable, because they grew them instead of purchasing them at the local HBS. If wheat was a bumper crop, then the brewing schedule followed suit. Also, referring to a previous post, the alcohol content was much, much lower throughout most of the year. When a saison is made, the idea behind it is to refresh those who are working all day and add calories back into their diet, not to get the drinker so hammered they can't speak. There is a local brew joint that consistently has nothing but high octane IPAs and APAs on tap. That's fine in the depths of winter, but in July I would like to be able to fill a growler with something other than rocket fuel.
One of the benefits of living in the northeast US is that we have four very distinct seasons, making it easy to brew and drink accordingly, the brewer's artistic license notwithstanding. If a beer lover would take a few days each season and sit back and drink along with the season, it would give a better appreciation for not only each season, but would open your eyes and mouths to different and exciting other styles.
There are obviously crossover styles of beers, that you can drink regardless of the time of year or temperature. If you have never had a Flemish sour ale in winter and then again in summer, you are missing out on one of the greatest gifts to the brewing world. The simplicity of the souring bacteria and how it dances around your palate regardless of the season is incredible. It warms in winter and is unbelievably refreshing in the heat of summer. Lagers of varying styles can do exactly the same thing, and should never not be available in your repertoire. Brown ales start to blend together styles and seasons and fit wonderfully in the fall to join the times of year and the colors from light beers of summer to the darker ones of winter. Snowflakes hasten the arrival of big, bold Belgians of every conceivable color and make. Spring blossoms signal Scottish ales and the beginning of the true IPA and APA season, right before the season of saison, while the long, hot days of summer pair perfectly with a sour or crisp, dry lager.
One final note to drinking with the season, there is no reason of any kind to follow any schedule, it is just something that I personally enjoy. If you ever want to know what to drink and when, consider the food that makes up your meals, and what would pair with them. Is it a hearty, heavy beef stew, or a light, delicate summer salad? Remember, what is in season can be a great guide to what to brew or consume, but above all else, enjoy whatever you want, whenever you want.
Na zdrowie.
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