The Best Holiday Beers To Serve On Your Beer Draft Tap System
More and more people are exploring unique craft beer flavors, and the holiday season offers the perfect opportunity for beer connoisseurs to enjoy winter brews. Luckily, draft systems make it easy to offer a variety of seasonal flavors.
Want to know how you can boost sales and customer satisfaction at your establishment this holiday season? Read on to learn all about the most popular holiday beers you can serve off the tap.
The Top Holiday Beer Styles
From lagers to stouts, holiday beers tend to be darker and richer than their warm-weather counterparts. That's because these flavors not only match the winter weather, but also pair well with classic holiday dinners and desserts like ham, turkey, chocolate, and gingerbread. Here are some of the most popular beers typically served around the holidays:
Stouts
Crafted by brewing with primarily roasted barley, this beer is known for its dark, robust flavors and smooth, creamy texture. This combination, facilitated by rich notes of coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt, makes it a festive choice for the holiday season. Stouts are an excellent addition to any draft system, especially when served ice cold to highlight their bold flavors. Pouring them from a draft system also ensures a consistent creamy head.
Optimal Pairings:- Savory dishes: Pair with beef stew or a hearty shepherd’s pie.
- Sweet treats: Complements desserts like chocolate cake or fudge.
- Cheese boards: Excellent with sharp cheddar or blue cheese.
Porters
Accomplished by brewing malted barley with hops and ale yeast, porters offer many different flavor options to satisfy each customer's taste. Their typical reddish-brown hues and slightly bitter chocolate notes offer a medium-bodied brew ideal for winter weather. Plus, they benefit greatly from the temperature and pour controls offered by draft systems, as quality dispensing highlights their rich, roasted malt flavors and creamy finish.
Optimal Pairings:- Barbecue: Smoked meats like brisket or pulled pork.
- Holiday desserts: Gingerbread cookies or pecan pie.
- Comfort food: Mac and cheese or roasted vegetables.
Imperial
Spice up your bar this holiday season with Imperial beers. Produced by increasing the hops and malt quantity used during the brewing process, these brews are known for higher alcohol content and bold flavor profiles. Whether in stout or lager form, imperials maintain the best temperatures and carbonation when poured through a draft system.
Optimal Pairings:- Rich entrees: Lamb shank or duck.
- Seasonal sides: Sweet potatoes or roasted chestnuts.
- After-dinner drinks: Sipped alongside a slice of spiced fruitcake.
Bourbon
These beers are aged in bourbon barrels, creating an oaky, liquor-infused flavor that's classically American and perfectly festive. Unlike bottles or glasses, draft systems ensure these beers are served at the ideal cool-but-not-cold temperature. This allows the bourbon notes to shine without overpowering the malt base.
Optimal Pairings:- Hearty dishes: Prime rib or grilled venison.
- Holiday desserts: Pair with bread pudding or caramel pie.
- Cocktail alternative: Serve as a stand-alone drink to savor slowly.
Unique Flavor Combinations & Considerations
Looking to get creative with your craft beer selection this holiday season? Before you taste test a peppermint eggnog disaster, consider these tried-and-true flavors—and a few unique options—to inspire your tap offerings:
Chocolate and Coffee: While stouts and ports naturally have this flavor, experimenting with your own coffee and chocolate recipes is a safe way to create rich, decadent beers perfect for cold winter nights.
Chocolate and Peppermint: Peppermint is bold, but paired with a classic flavor like chocolate, it creates a playful, festive combination that shines on any winter day.
Eggnog: A fun alcoholic twist on a classic holiday drink, eggnog-inspired brews capture a creamy, spiced essence. Consider this flavorful dessert alternative if you want a bold, sweet option at your brewery this holiday season.
Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Perfect for evoking the warmth of holiday baking, these spices create incredible spiced lagers. Just ensure this festive combination doesn't overpower the beer's base notes.
- Vanilla and Bourbon: For a more luxurious holiday option, vanilla pairs perfectly with barrel-aged stouts. It adds just the right amount of smoothness, creating a slight caramel sweetness.
- Citrus and Clove: Often featured in wheat beers and Belgian ales, the balance of bright citrus and earthy clove produces light and bold flavors for a refreshing holiday brew.
- Ginger and Molasses: For classic holiday sweetness, consider brews inspired by gingerbread. These flavors can create exceptional spiced beers that pair seamlessly with holiday feasts and sweet treats.
- Cranberry and Orange: Contrast with heavier winter flavors by adding a fruity but still festive addition to holiday beer menus. They provide a refreshing contrast to heavier dishes, allowing them to work well in sours or lighter ales.
- Toasted Marshmallow: A fun twist on winter stouts, this flavor captures the nostalgia of fireside treats with its sweet, caramelized essence.
How Draft Beer Systems Improve Holiday Drink Variety
Draft beer systems play a major role in simplifying not just the pouring process, but also your ability to offer a variety of holiday options. In particular, long-draw systems allow you to serve several different types of beer at the perfect temperature and freshness. Here's how draft systems enhance holiday drink variety:
Multiple Keg Connections: Modern draft systems can connect multiple kegs to a single tap station, making it easy for you to offer anything from spiced ales to chocolate stouts without crowding the beer bar.
Effortless Switching: Rotate through special holiday beers effortlessly with an easy-to-use keg changeover feature.
Temperature Control: Whether you're serving stout or crisp 38-degree brews, draft systems ensure that every line is calibrated to the perfect temperature. This preserves the intended flavors of holiday-themed beers.
Offer The Best Holiday Flavors With GS Draft's Tap Systems!
Whether you own a bar or restaurant, draft beer systems make it easy to offer countless holiday beer options. Beyond that, these systems reduce waste, increase sales, and build customer loyalty.
So if you're looking for a new draft beer tap system, the GS Draft System Solutions team is ready to help. We take pride in our work and are here to address any inquiries about our extensive product options and services, which are all created to help your business run above the industry standard.
Explore our comprehensive installation options by calling us at (949) 421-3882. You can also email us at sales@gsdraft.com. We look forward to your message!
