Seasonal Brewing Schedule

[yohoe]

When does every start brewing their seasonal (saison, oktoberfest, etc)?

I started my pumpkin ale way too late this year and wondering if anyone has a set schedule?



Thanks

 

[WileE65]

Well, you could take a look at this Homebrew Calendar.
It looks like a good tool to help pick a style to brew next...

 

[yohoe]

Awesome link. Thank you

 

[fredthecat]

ha sorry, but imho that brewing calendar made no sense in any practical way. not even sure what the seasonality of it is supposed to be for. most practical time to brew a lager is... winter not their suggested spring to may. if you're brewing lagers in may then you have perfect temp control-so... you can brew anything you want any time.

 

[bobeer]

I keg now so I don't really plan as much anymore. When I had to bottle though I'd brew my fall beers in July/Aug, Summer beers in April, Winter beers in Sept/Oct. I still brew a bourbon oak strong ale that I bottle. I brew that in Sept/Oct so it's ready by Jan/Feb even though I age them all year or longer.

 

[myerstyson]

Well, you could take a look at this Homebrew Calendar.
It looks like a good tool to help pick a style to brew next...

I bought this calendar which I love. It really helps.

As to what the OP asked, I must say that I am too new back to brewing to have a certain answer. But my 14 Nov brewing of my Christmas beer was too late. Next year I'll start my Holiday Ale NLT 31 October. Mine just wasn't carb'd enough by Christmas.

As for other seasonals, I'm not sure yet, but I think I'll try for 3 months prior for many of them. Doesn't hurt any for a beer to sit in the bottle waiting. Or so I think from reading oodles of posts here on HBT.

That being said, and assuming perfect timing (haha), I guess my 2015 sked would look something like this for "special" or "seasonal" beers:

Feb: Brew Maibock (for my own Spring Beer Fest)
Mar: Brew Pale Ale (for son's graduation)
Jul: Brew Pumpkin beer (for Halloween party)
Oct: Brew Christmas beer
Dec: Brew Rose Saison (for Valentine's Day)

 

[Wrangled13]

I have no set schedule except my Pumpkin Coffee Porter in Fall, some sort of "winter" ale in winter, and some IPAs in Summer. Besides that, i just brew whatever sounds good.

 

[Braufessor]

There are two ways to brew by season - as mentioned, the first is temp. control. If you don't have great temp. control then you want to brew your cooler fermenting beers now and you want to brew your saisons etc. in the summer.

If you do have temp. control, then you want to think about what you want to be drinking 1-2-3-4+ months from now. A lot of that just has to do with what you like to drink - so it is a matter of preference.

*I try to get some light lagers and pilsners going over the next 3 months - because I like to have them on hand from April-August (Pilsner, Helles, Dortmunder.)

* Will brew some sort of Oktoberfest in June or so.

*I will likely brew a Bourbon barrel porter in February . . . . . because it seems best at about 10-12 months old.... so I brew it a year in advance.

*I will brew more amber ales in late july so I have them in september. I will brew browns and porters in August-October so I have them through the winter.

*I brew APA's and IPA's all the time, because those are my favorite to drink.