Does your beer palate change with the seasons?

Of course it does, and I also fully maintain the right to play opposite day.

 

I suspect that a majority people that live in a temperate area that gets a ton of snow will prefer darker, boozier beers. I certainly fit into that generalization.

 

Love Octoberfests, Holiday Ales, and chewy winter beers

 

YES!!! i drink hoppy beers in the summer and malty in the winter as a general rule. I brewed a bunch of stouts and porters and they are sitting in my closet because I have yet to wear a jacket. This winter sucks.

 

Living in upstate New York, I concur with your generalization. Folks in warmer climates may love stouts and rich, strong beers, but they can enjoy them year round whenever the moods strikes. Those of us who have to survive long, brutal winters every year NEED our imperial stouts, barleywine, doppelbocks, etc.

 

I drink any type of beer any day of the year (any time of day), but my tastes do vary in the expected way- more dark & heavy beers in winter, more light & refreshing beers in summer.

 

My tastes don't change throughout the year but I enjoy the expectation of seasonal releases throughout the year. I used to stock-up more on things I like but now I'm apt to enjoy what is available at any point during the year.

 

Mine definitely does I love having a variety and usually the seasons change right as Im starting to get burnt out on pale ales, pilsners, and Gose. Its nice to have something to look forward to with a change in the weather, it creates a nostalgia that I like and I'm a huge history dork so I like to imagine a time when people had no choice but to drink seasonally.

 

To expand on that, I understand the concept of "cold weather = dark beer" much in the same way I understand why people crave soup and chili when it gets cold out. That said, I'm not drinking my beers outside in the winter. It's 70 degrees in my house. It's kind of a state of mind thing. In reality, the fact that it's cold outside has little bearing on our drinking habits beyond our preconceived notions about it.

 

I definitely crave beers more when it's in season, but if I want an imperial stout in July I'll drink it and if I want a pilsner in December I'll drink it. I will drink any beer I like any time of year, but yes my palate definitely does change with the seasons at least a little bit.

 

Absolutely. In the warm weather I am much less likely to drink a stout or porter especially if I am sitting outside.

 

Sitting outside tailgating at a football game in the cold is great and a stout or porter makes it even better.

 

I don't disagree. I should have made a disclaimer that I was only referencing indoor drinking. I've sat inside on a 100 degree day and sipped on a BCBS and, likewise, I've sat inside while it's -20 in the heart of January and enjoyed a lager. I have a friend who just can't wrap his head around drinking dark beers in the summer, even when he's indoors. I just don't grasp that notion.

 

We are in complete agreement and we all have a friend like that.

 

Weird bastards.

 

I drink Imperial Stouts in cooler weather but otherwise my drinking does not change.

 

I like any style, anytime of year. Although I really appreciate some of those summer variety packs, and beers like Oberon and Deschutes Twilight summer ale, during those hot months.

 

I think my answer the OP's question was "no" until the recent revival and increased availability of Gose styles. They are mostly spring seasonal releases and are, in my opinion, the perfect warm-weather beer. I look forward to hitting the lake or beach next spring with a Victory Kirsch or Sixpoint Jammer.

 

Mine does not for the most part. I love stouts and ipas year round. The exceptions are pumpkin and holiday ales. I always usually drink them in bulk when they first come out, but am kinda done with the style for the year about a month or so later.

 

Certainly! Pilsners and other lagers in the summer, oktoberfests and english style ales (I associate them with fall for some reason) in the fall, stouts, dark Belgians and other dark high ABV brews in the winter. Not sure yet what my favorite spring drink is yet. That said, I have a taste for IPAs not only anytime of year, but also any time of day.