Spring is upon us and with it comes the opportunity to create vibrant and flavourful beers to enjoy in the warmer months ahead.
Brewing with the seasons is a great way to challenge yourself as a brewer to try new styles and better match your output with your lifestyle.
So, with this in mind, here’s a selection of different beer styles that are well-suited to both brewing and drinking throughout spring and into early summer. We’ll start out with some of the more common beer styles for the season, and finish up with a few less-common styles for the more adventurous brewers and drinkers out there. And, helpfully, we’ve paired each style with a recommended Bluestone Yeast strain.
Common beer styles to brew in spring
1. American Pale Ale: This popular style offers a balanced profile with a good amount of hop bitterness and a moderate malt backbone. It’s a versatile choice for spring, providing a refreshing hop kick without being too heavy.
Brew with: BSY-A010 San Diego.
2. Kölsch: This German-style ale is pale, crisp, and slightly fruity with a delicate hop bitterness. These refreshing characteristics make it an ideal beer to enjoy in the spring sunshine.
Brew with: BSY-A008 Cologne.
3. Session IPA: Session IPAs are a hop-forward beer with lower alcohol content, featuring vibrant hop aromas and flavours, often with citrusy, floral, or piney notes.
Brew with: BSY-A010 San Diego
4. Wheat Beers: Styles such as Hefeweizens and American Wheat Ales, are light and often have an appealing cloudy appearance. Wheat beers often feature citrus and clove-like flavours, making them a great choice for warm spring days.
Brew with: BSY-A007 Munich
Less common beer styles to brew in spring
1. Saison: This French style is typically light in colour but complex in flavour, with a mix of fruity, spicy, and sometimes funky notes. The style was traditionally brewed in the cooler months to be enjoyed when the weather warmed up.
Brew with: BSY-A005 Brussels (aspirational release date Nov 2023)
2. Maibock: This strong, pale lager offers a good balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness. The name Maibock translates from German as May Bock. It’s a traditional German springtime beer, brewed to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather.
Brew with: BSY-L005 Pilsen
3. Witbier: This Belgian-style wheat beer provides a light, crisp body with flavours of orange peel and coriander. Its refreshing and light flavour profile makes it a great choice for the increasingly warm days of spring.
Brew with: BSY-A003 Liege (aspirational release date Nov 2023)
Whatever brews you choose to put down this spring, here’s to enjoying them with friends and family in a warm and convivial atmosphere.
