I don’t know about you, but for me there’s about a 0% chance I’ll order a Scotch ale or a porter in August or September. Likewise a pilsener, hefe or kolsch in December.
But, where I live, few places with shorter tap lists rotate their beers in and out with the seasons. Sure there’s always a high-ABV “holiday” beer that comes in for winter, and maybe a “Fest”, but that’s about it. Cider never gies way to barleywine or applejack. And IPAs just keep rolling along, like it’s Bombay year-round.
Has anyone else experienced this? How important is the seasonality of beer to you?
To a degree… I’m not going to down a heavy chocolate porter on a humid August afternoon, but Ill happily nurse it on a chilly damp December evening. Nothing better than a cold caña of Estrella at thr end of a long hot day in Spain, but its not my favorite any other time.
Kölsch is a year round for me, as I’ve visited Köln many times, and often in wet, blustery, and somrtimes icy weather…when Im in that city, I drink kölsch.
I would offer that (other than some of the truly seasonal flavors like our local Hello Gourdie pumpkin beer thats only made for a few weeks) my choices are weather and activity driven, rather than by season.
Likewise. I’m in no mood for heavy beers when it’s hot out, and when it’s cold out I’ll only have the “lighter” beers if they match well with the food I’m eating. Any barleywines, imperials, etc. I buy during the spring or summer get cellared until winter.
