Seasonals

Summer ends too soon, vacations are over too soon, fall seasonals hit the shelves too soon—all reminders that while it may feel too soon to drink a pumpkin beer, it’s just the right time to brew one.

Is green-colored beer just a contemporary gimmick to drum up business on St. Patrick’s Day? Not necessarily—its history is longer than you think.

When most people hear “bock,” they think malt—and there’s no question that maibock is a malt-forward style. However, you can lean into hops and other flavor elements to add interest, and—done well—the result is much more than a “strong helles.”

Not every beer needs to chase the latest trends and tech—consider Sierra Nevada’s Celebration IPA, the fresh-hopped seasonal that remains reassuringly old-school. here, chief brewer Brian Grossman explains how the team works to keep its profile consistent in the face of changing tastes and changing hops.

Easy to forage and easy to use, spruce tips can add a range of flavors to your beers and be used in a variety of ways—and the best time to harvest them is just around the corner.

Pumpkin ale is a seasonal American tradition strong enough to smash even the most cynical pumpkin-spice fatigue. It’s also fun to make—and drink, and share—at home.

We know: It’s time to drink it, not brew it. Yet while you’re hoisting a few at the season’s festivities, it’s never too early to start thinking about your spring brewing schedule...

Matthew O’Hara, brewmaster at Beau’s Brewing in Ontario, Canada, talks about how the stout—once associated with colder drinking months and St. Patrick’s Day—is now a year-round affair. (It's still nice in winter though.)

Popular legend holds that colonists brewed ales with pumpkins, even if the evidence is scanty. But if they did, what would they have been like? Frank Clark, food historian and brewer at Colonial Williamsburg, walks us through his highly educated guess.