The seasons meet expectations this year only with great difficulty. We had an autumnal summer and a summery autumn. And the winter? In contrast to the one from a year ago, it came somewhat close with snow and skates. The seasons also affect a product like beer, because they work with seasonal, old-fashioned conventions. As a result, there is autumn buck and winter beer. And I already wrote about bock beer too early in a warm late summer. In short, it is very difficult these days to enjoy the right beer at the right time.
This is just as problematic with winter beer. There are many brewers who brew special Christmas beers, which have been renamed 'winter beers' for sales reasons and there are meibok which are renamed 'springbok'. After all, who still drinks Christmas beer after Christmas and who drinks Meibok in April?
As I write this, after the cold winter days, there is a fantastic spring day, which almost invited you to barbecue. I still had a bottle of Gulpener's spring goat and took an advance on spring, delicious. I don't drink beer because my calendar tells me it's time. A drizzly, water-cold summer day can invite you to a bock beer. I can recommend everyone to invest in a counter-cyclical manner when it comes to beer. Buy the bock beer that is on sale in the winter and the winter beer in the spring. If you keep this for a year, it will only taste better and you have the advantage that you are not dependent on sales seasons. That way you are always armed against the fickleness of Mother Nature.
I mean, I really love traditions, but once the weather gods have let go of the calendar, there's not much reason for me to let that limit me. I think in that respect you should be okay with conventions. Drink a Christmas beer at Easter! Enjoy a weizen on the ice! Drink a radler even if you are not on your bike!
The best beer is the beer that matches your mood. I'm looking forward to spring, but I'll keep some winter beer on hand, just in case.
Ivo is an international beer sommelier, entertainer and catering expert. Has an immeasurable passion for beer, catering and hospitality. Ivo will write a monthly column for Horeca Groningen.