What is seasonal beer, and why does its flavour evoke such strong associations with a particular season? More and more often, it is concentrated juices that determine the unique aroma, colour and character of beers brewed for winter, summer or autumn. Carefully selected fruits allow brewers to create compositions that perfectly match consumers’ seasonal expectations. Find out how concentrated juices give beer its seasonal character and discover what makes seasonal beers taste so unique!
What is seasonal beer?
Seasonal beer is a style or variant of beer created with a specific season in mind – both in terms of flavour profile and the ingredients used. In practice, this means beers designed to meet consumers’ taste expectations at a given time: light and refreshing in summer, spicy or malty in autumn, and in
winter – fuller, warming, often fruity. The heart of seasonal beer is balance – between the character of the base style and the additions that give it a unique, annual or cyclical identity.
Seasonality in brewing has its roots in agricultural traditions, where breweries used fruit available at specific times of the year. Today, this role is taken over by fruit concentrates for beer and concentrated juices, which allow the fresh fruit character to be precisely reproduced without logistical limitations.
What are the types of seasonal beer according to the season and the availability of fruit?
The types of seasonal beer largely result from both the time of year and the natural availability of fruit, which give them their distinctive flavour and aroma. For this reason, already at the recipe development stage the question arises of what juice to choose for fruit beer in order to highlight the beer style and maintain its consistency with the season. It is also crucial to understand what juice from concentrated juice is, as it allows brewers to achieve consistent quality, intensity of fruity notes and fullness of flavour regardless of the harvest period.
Summer beers
In summer, consumers primarily look for dry, refreshing beers with an intense fruity aroma. Citrus fruits dominate here – lemon and lime – as well as berries such as raspberry and strawberry. Concentrated fruit juices work exceptionally well because they ensure a stable and consistent character – an extremely valuable trait when producing large volumes. Summer beers made with concentrated fruit juice can achieve a profile similar to radlers, but with a more craft-like, authentic finish.
Spring beers
Spring is a season when consumers tend to reach for fruit beers that are more subtle and delicate. Apple, pear, or gooseberry concentrates are often used here, as well as white fruits. Concentrated juices help maintain a bright colour and enhance the freshness, which is a key feature in spring beers.
Autumn beers
Autumn is a time for richer flavours. Styles such as amber ale, red ale, or wheat beers often feature pumpkin, cherry, or apple concentrates. These add a hint of sweetness and gentle acidity, reflecting consumers’ seasonal preferences. Autumn beers also offer brewers an excellent opportunity to create more sophisticated and refined offerings.
Winter beers
In the winter season, darker, fuller and warming styles sell best, such as winter craft beers with fruit concentrates. Cranberry, cherry, blackcurrant, or orange concentrates introduce aroma associated with the festive period. Concentrated juices also make an ideal base for mulled beer, as they naturally enhance sweetness and help maintain product stability even when heated. The king of winter beers is the Baltic porter, a source of pride in Poland, along with its variations featuring plum or cherry juice.
How to create a seasonal character in beer using concentrated juice?
Concentrated juices give brewers greater control over aroma, colour and sweetness. Unlike fresh fruit, they are predictable, easy to dose, and available all year round. Using them, a brewery can plan short series, limited editions, or cyclical returns of seasonal bestsellers.
Concentrates also allow precise control over Brix, acidity, and the final sensory profile without the risk of fluctuations in the quality of ingredients. This is particularly important in the production of fruit beers, which require a stable, consistent flavour base. Concentrated juices enable the natural
fruit character to be reproduced in a way that meets consumer expectations – without excessive sweetness and without any artificial aftertaste.
The essence of seasonal beer is best seen in the conscious selection of ingredients, which highlight the character of a given season and respond to changing consumer expectations. Concentrated juices and fruit concentrates enable brewers to create consistent, repeatable recipes without the limitations imposed by the seasonality of harvests. Collaborating with an experienced producer of fruit concentrates for alcohol gives breweries access to ingredients of stable quality that retain the natural flavour and aroma of the fruit. This makes it possible to plan limited editions, seasonal series, and to consistently build a recognisable beer style. This combination of craft creativity and modern technology ensures that seasonal beers stand out for their authenticity and high quality!