First off, sorry for not getting a post up about St. Louis craft beer week, but I tried to go to one event, got terrible service (aka not served in 30 minutes) and left. The rest of the week I decided to stay home and taste and review new beers I had already purchased.
Anyway, that's it for an apology. Now it's time for a rant. Is it just me or are breweries releasing seasonals earlier and earlier? It's not just me, that was a rhetorical question. It's happening.
Case and point, I bought a sixer of Schlafly Pumpkin Ale today. Don't get me wrong, this is a great beer; probably the best pumpkin beer out there. Hell, it might be the best pumpkin beer ever made....it's that good. Pumpkin pie in a bottle. Where I get frustrated is the fact that it is currently the beginning of August and fall seasonal beers are coming out.
Previously, I thought it was just macro brewers pushing seasonals early, like with Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy coming out in March. Now, Schlafly Pumpkin Ale drives the point home. Everyone is releasing early. I can't blame them; if you have a popular beer and other brewers release theirs, you have to follow suit to keep the revenue up, but it's getting excessive.
Part of my attraction to beer itself is its versatility. There is a beer for every occasion, season, and setting. The season piece is fading fast though. I don't really want to consistently drink imperial stouts in the heat of a midwestern summer. Similarly, I don't want to drink a shandy in the dark, cold of winter. Granted a taste of an out of season beer is good every once in a while, but that's why I keep a cellar of pretty much everything but IPA's. Let people drink seasonally unless they plan otherwise.
Honestly, I really don't know what you 26 readers are supposed to gather from this post, but sometimes a good rant is just needed. I know I haven't given you guys a picture in this post so here ya know.
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| Really Linus? In August already? |
-Chris
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