The first of March marks the beginning of spring, and spring means blossoming trees, sunny days and, of course, March beer.
The origins of March beer
Seasonal beer, spring beer or March beer, there are many names to describe it, and being designated as such is generally a guarantee of quality. It is a very old style, dating back more than 600 years, as archives have been found in the town of Arras, in the Nord Pas de Calais region. These are the first seasonal beers of the year, brewed with malt from the latest barley harvests, for storage in cellars and vats around October throughout the winter.
After several months of storage in the natural cold at the end of the year, it reaches maturity in the spring. In the past, there was even a law with a deadline for when brewing was allowed for health reasons, since in the absence of refrigerators, the cold allowed the beverage to be preserved. This prevented bad yeasts from developing and thus the risk of infecting the beer and giving it a sour taste. However, over time, these disadvantages disappeared and the style did too, before being revived in the 1980s.
There are two types of seasonal beers: those brewed in March, i.e. in spring, and those brewed in October for Christmas. The former are sold by breweries throughout March for a limited period, and are generally fruity, light and refreshing.
Most March beers are top-fermented and characterised by an amber colour ranging from dark orange to copper, often because the brewery adds caramel or colouring plant extracts. Low in alcohol and hops, it ranges from 4.5 to 5.5% alcohol, with a subtle bitterness and a hint of spice, for brewing a recipe with aromatic hops.
At PerfectDraft, you can discover, for example, Leffe Spring in a 6-litre keg for the PerfectDraft beer tap.
Leffe Spring 2022 is a blonde beer with a creamy, smooth head, brewed with elderflower. Characterised by a distinct but balanced bitterness and a fruity bouquet with spicy aromas of cloves and vanilla and floral notes, it is ideally paired with caramel flavours. Produced in the tradition of the Leffe Abbey, it has an elegant blonde colour and remains slightly sweet.
It is the ideal beer for refreshing aperitifs, to be enjoyed with a barbecue at a temperature of 3 to 6°C.
ALCOHOL ABUSE IS DANGEROUS FOR YOUR HEALTH, PLEASE DRINK IN MODERATION.
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