Summer Beer
and Seasonal Styles are Hot
When thinking about summer beer promotions, think simple: in summertime the drinking should be easy.
By Lucy Saunders L
ight, clean beers have been a favorite with operators for some time. Especially come warmer weather these beers continue to get more traction on premise. Crisp, clean
and refreshing fl avors, from blonde ales to witbiers, are most popular among the summer seasonal beer styles, according to Kip Snider, “beer guru” and beverage director at the Yard House, the multi-tap chain headquartered in Irvine, CA, with 30 units in 10 states. “During the summer, I think of wheats, wits and weiss,” Snider
says. “American wheat ales tend to be a little less complex than Belgian-style witbiers and Bavarian-style hefeweizens,” yet all three styles are popular seasonal releases. Th ough customers will prefer one style over others, Snider says the Yard House doesn’t promote specifi c brands, instead focusing on “selling all styles across the board,” because with more than 100 taps, priced from $4 to $10, Snider says, “We would like all the brands to move equally.” Julia Herz, craft beer program director for the Boulder, Colorado-
based Brewers Association, also believes that lighter, refreshing “session beers,” lower than fi ve percent ABV, will be popular. Herz says, “Since 2010 was the summer of Saisons, I expect 2011 to also be laden with these food-friendly farmhouse ales.”
40 | JUNE 2011 www.cheersonline.com .ch che
