Seasonal beers benefit both breweries and consumers

But for beer lovers, the transition from summer to fall is best marked by a change in beverage. As colder weather approaches, brew connoisseurs put down their light and fruity ales and fill up on dark and malty lagers.

"We've had seasonal beer offerings going on 30 years now," said Andy Crouch, author of "Great American Craft Beer: A Guide to the Nation's Finest Beers and Breweries" (Running Press, $24.95), adding that the Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco started the trend. "Obviously, going back to Germany and Belgium and the historic brewing countries, they've been doing seasonal beers for centuries."

Today, seasonal libations are standard at breweries all across the United States. The Magic Hat Brewing Company in South Burlington, Vt., first ventured into seasonal brews in 1995 with No. 9. "We wanted to expand our selection of beers since (the brew) Humble (Patience) had such a great reception during our first year," said Magic Hat spokesman Steve Hill, in an email interview. "And we also wanted to brew something fun and completely different that we felt aligned with the hot months of summer, since that was a longer selling season. No. 9 made the cut and it did so well that it didn't take us long to give it a permanent place in our lineup."

Although Magic Hat's current seasonal assortment is comprised of four specific brews — the springtime amber lager Vinyl; the refreshing summer ale Wacko; the fall Oktoberfest-style Hex; and the wintertime black lager Howl — Hill said beer varieties should not be defined by the time of year. "Since we like to experiment a lot and sort of make our own path through the craft beer world, we don't think that any one style in particular should be designated for one season over another," he said. "However, we do tend to brew darker, more malt-forward beer for the colder months and lighter beers for the warmer months."

Crouch said some breweries support the opposite approach. "I know there are people who have very distinct beliefs that summer beers need to be cool, light and refreshing and winter beers need to be a little heartier," he said. "But there are plenty of breweries that take the reverse view of things and come out with their heavy-hitting imperial stouts in the summer."

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, Del., follows the more traditional stance with winter's dark Chicory Stout, spring's fruity Aprihop and summer's sharp but sweet Festina Peche. But it's the fall brew, Punkin Ale that is the most popular, said Adam Lambert, vice president of sales.

That would come as no surprise to Crouch. "Pretty much anything with the word pumpkin on it sells like crazy," he said. "Brewers often actually hate those beers because they can be notoriously difficult to brew with, especially if you're actually using pumpkin. It's very messy."

Samuel Adams is another brewery that offers consumers this beloved type of brew. The Harvest Pumpkin Ale is just one of its current 14 seasonal selections. But while the beers alone are often enjoyed, Sam Adams brewer Grant Wood encouraged adding something extra to the drinking experience. "Beer is a great choice as a beverage for people to try with food," he said. "I can't stress enough that that's something to try at home."

For Sam Adams' four main seasonal offerings, Wood suggested certain complementary cuisines. He mentioned teaming up the Summer Ale, a wheat beer, with light dishes, such as salads or grilled chicken. When drinking fall's malty Octoberfest, Wood said to try it with more substantial foods, like roasted pork or baked beans. He also recommended pairing the spicy Winter Lager with sweeter selections, including baked ham and sweet potatoes.

Spring's fickle nature makes planning a menu around Sam Adams' hoppy Noble Pils a little more complicated. "Springtime is a different thing for every piece of the country it seems like," Wood said. "We have a long spring in New England and you have a short spring into summer in the South. It's kind of an interesting beer. It tries to cover a lot of different dishes I think."

As is the case with many trends, a variety of factors have influenced the popularity of seasonal beers. Ted Whitney, national sales director at Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colo., said he thinks it has to do with the fact that these brews are in short supply.

"A lot of consumers will see something and realize that it's only available for a limited time and jump on it," Whitney said. Avery Brewing offers three seasonal beers — New World Porter, a black IPA and robust porter, for winter/spring; Karma, a Belgian pale ale, for summer; and Old Jubilation, an English old Ale, for fall.

The drive to make seasonal selections available has also led to the trend. "I think part of the reason is that not only do customers enjoy new products and brewers enjoy fixing it up a little bit, but also in a larger sense, the beer wholesalers, the distributors and retailers, whether they be bars and restaurants or liquor stores or grocery stores, love being able to offer consumers new products and so they have really pushed the beer industry and brewers to fully embrace seasonal beer," Crouch said.

But for breweries like Dogfish Head, the desire to make seasonal beers starts at home. "Obviously, we all love what we do but to have an opportunity to launch a new brand or a brand year in and year out at a certain period of time to celebrate that period of time, I think that's why the trend has really grown amongst craft brewers," Lambert said. "We love what we do, we love our art and we love celebrating."