Selling Wintertime Brews
Seasonal Beer Brands Put Pints in Glasses and Smiles on Faces

When the weather gets cold, as a rule of thumb among beer connoisseurs, it takes a darker ale to take off the winter chill. However, any bar manager with an ounce of beer knowledge can ensure solid profits until the first spring thaw with a targeted and thorough winter brew line-up.

Seasonal Sellers
        As beverage director for the Flying Saucer chain headquartered in Dallas, Keith Schlabs oversees the beer selection for 11 tap houses spread across Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas. Each Flying Saucer has more than 200 beers — around 75 taps and 125 bottles.
        One of Schlabs’ favorite winter beers is the Anchor Christmas from San Francisco. This beer changes every year, although it usually maintains a slightly piney flavor to it. At the very least, the coniferous tree featured on the bottle changes each year. No matter the recipe or label, it’s a favorite at any Flying Saucer location.
        “It’s something our customers seek out every year,” Schlabs says. “Another big winter beer is the Sierra Nevada Celebration from Chico, Calif. Harpoon Winter Ale from Massachusetts is another big mover during the cold months, as is the North Coast Wintertime Ale from northern California. Pyramid Snowcap is another seasonal that sells well as the days grow shorter.”
    Because the winter beers tend to be higher in alcohol content, they have a longer expiration date. That’s why Flying Saucer bars usually hold a beer back to compare the season-to-season change. It’s always interesting to have a 2005 winter beer from one brewery to compare with a 2006 model.

Four-Wall Marketing Works
        Flying Saucer operators promote their winter beers through a blackboard above the bar, handout advertising and table tabs. The staff also lets regulars know what is coming down the pike before it does. It’s important to hype up winter beers with the staff so they can spread the good news with word of mouth. Also, Web sites are a good place to let customers know that winter beers are “coming soon.”
       Chuck Skypeck, head brewer of the Boscos brewpub chain, says Boscos’ sales mix turns around dramatically with the changing of seasons.
    Winter is a time for fuller-bodied, fuller-flavored beers, which seem to sell better every year, such as Boscos Wee Heavy, Boscos 90 Shilling Ale, Boscos Oatmeal Stout, Winter Warmer, Olde Fool and HopGod Ale.
        In all, Boscos brews about 40 different beers a year. Brewing small batches in brewpub settings allows them to truly brew seasonally, which is what customers have grown to expect.

Opportunities to Promote 
        The Oskar Blues Grill & Bar in Lyons, Colo., features four beers regularly on tap, with at least one seasonal present. Dale’s Pale Ale and Old Chubb Scottish Ale have been regulars on that tap handle during the cold months in Colorado for nine years.
        These beers also find their way into various festivals, such as the Telluride Music Festival, where the Oskar Blues Grill & Bar hosted a booth. “Wherever there is an opportunity, we’re there to get our name out,” Tyra Sutak, manager at  Oskar, says.