Easter celebrations bring families and friends together for festive meals and gatherings. While wine often takes center stage, beer can be an excellent complement to Easter feasts. From light and refreshing options that pair well with ham to rich, complex brews that stand up to chocolate desserts, here’s our carefully curated list of the best beers to enjoy in Easter.

Saison Dupont

This classic Belgian farmhouse ale is the perfect Easter beer with its bright, effervescent character and complex flavor profile. Saison Dupont pours a beautiful golden hue with a fluffy white head that releases aromas of citrus, peppery spice, and a touch of farmhouse funk. The flavor balances fruity esters with earthy hop notes and a dry, refreshing finish that cleanses the palate between bites of your Easter feast.

Originally brewed to quench the thirst of farmworkers during harvest season, this 6.5% ABV beer has become the benchmark for the saison style. Its versatility makes it an excellent pairing for traditional Easter dishes like glazed ham, where its effervescence cuts through the sweetness and saltiness. The beer’s peppery notes complement herb-roasted spring vegetables, while its dry finish prevents palate fatigue.

Saison Dupont’s elegant champagne-like quality makes it suitable for toasting and celebrating, yet it remains accessible enough for beer enthusiasts and novices alike. Serve in a tulip glass slightly chilled but not cold to allow the complex aromatics to fully develop. It’s no wonder many consider Saison Dupont the best beer to enjoy in Easter—it represents the rebirth of spring both symbolically and gastronomically.

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

From the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery comes this exemplary Bavarian wheat beer. Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier is the epitome of the style with its cloudy, pale golden appearance and billowing white head. The aroma immediately captivates with notes of banana, clove, and fresh-baked bread – a perfect complement to the season of renewal.

This 5.4% ABV beer offers a smooth, creamy mouthfeel with flavors of ripe banana, subtle vanilla, and distinctive clove spiciness derived from the special yeast strain. The wheat provides a soft, pillowy texture while maintaining a refreshing quality that makes it ideal for spring celebrations.

Hefeweissbier pairs beautifully with Easter brunch favorites like eggs Benedict, smoked salmon, and fresh fruit. The beer’s effervescence and bright flavors cut through rich hollandaise sauce while complementing the saltiness of ham or salmon. For Easter dinner, it harmonizes with herb-roasted chicken or pork, highlighting the meat’s natural flavors without overwhelming them.

Tradition dictates serving this beer in a tall, curvy wheat beer glass to showcase its beautiful color and aroma. For many beer lovers, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier stands out as the best beer to enjoy in Easter, combining Bavarian heritage with seasonal charm.

St. Bernardus Abt 12

For those seeking a more contemplative Easter beer experience, St. Bernardus Abt 12 offers monastic-inspired complexity and depth. This quadruple-style Belgian strong dark ale pours a deep mahogany with a persistent tan head and enticing aromas of dark fruits, caramel, and spice.

At 10% ABV, this is a beer for sipping and savoring. The flavor profile is a masterful balance of raisin, fig, chocolate, and toffee notes with subtle spiciness and a warming alcohol presence that never dominates. Despite its strength, Abt 12 maintains remarkable drinkability with a velvet-smooth mouthfeel and pleasantly dry finish that prevents it from becoming cloying.

This beer’s rich character makes it an ideal companion for Easter dinner’s hearty offerings. It stands up beautifully to slow-roasted lamb, complementing the meat’s natural gaminess while enhancing herbal seasonings like rosemary and thyme. The beer’s fruitiness also pairs wonderfully with Easter’s sweet traditions, from hot cross buns to chocolate desserts.

St. Bernardus Abt 12 represents the peak of Belgian brewing tradition, originally developed in collaboration with monks from the Trappist monastery of Westvleteren. It’s widely regarded as one of the best beer to enjoy in Easter, offering deep reflection and celebration in every sip.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

This American craft beer classic brings hoppy refreshment to your Easter celebration. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is often considered the best beer to enjoy in Easter thanks to its vibrant flavor and impeccable balance. It pioneered the American craft brewing movement and remains a benchmark for balanced, hop-forward beers. It pours a clear amber with a creamy off-white head, releasing aromas of pine, citrus, and fresh bread.

At 5.6% ABV, this pale ale strikes the perfect balance between flavor intensity and drinkability. The Cascade hops provide distinctive floral, piney, and grapefruit notes that harmonize with the caramel malt backbone. The result is a beer with enough character to stand up to flavorful Easter dishes but enough restraint to remain refreshing throughout a long afternoon gathering.

Pale Ale pairs exceptionally well with honey-glazed ham, as the hop bitterness cuts through the sweetness while the malt complements the caramelized exterior. It’s equally at home alongside deviled eggs, where the beer’s crispness contrasts with the creamy filling. For cheese plates, try pairing it with medium-sharp cheddar or gouda.

Sierra Nevada’s commitment to sustainability makes this an environmentally conscious choice for your Easter celebration. The brewery’s solar power installations, water conservation efforts, and carbon farming initiatives align with spring’s themes of renewal and stewardship. Serve in a standard pint glass at 45-50°F to fully appreciate this American classic that’s become a global ambassador for craft beer.

Orval Trappist Ale

Unique among Trappist beers, Orval is arguably the best beer to enjoy in Easter for those seeking a singular and evolving taste experience that celebrates the holiday’s themes of individuality and rebirth. This Belgian pale ale undergoes an unusual brewing process involving dry hopping and a secondary fermentation with Brettanomyces yeast, creating a complex beer that evolves in the bottle.

Pouring a beautiful copper color with exceptional carbonation, Orval presents an imposing rocky head that releases aromas of leather, spice, tropical fruit, and a distinctive barnyard funk. At 6.2% ABV, its initial taste features a perfect balance of malt sweetness and hoppy bitterness, but it’s the finish that captivates – dry, refreshing, and complex with hints of citrus, herbs, and an enigmatic wild character.

Orval’s complexity makes it an excellent accompaniment to Easter’s varied table. It pairs beautifully with spring vegetables, cutting through the richness of asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Its earthy character complements mushroom dishes while its dry finish refreshes after rich foods. For cheese, try it with the abbey’s own Orval cheese or similarly earthy options like Taleggio.

Brewed by monks at Notre-Dame d’Orval Abbey in Belgium, each purchase supports the monastery’s charitable works. The distinctive bowling-pin shaped bottle contains a beer that continues to develop with age – young Orval (2-3 months) emphasizes hop character, while aged versions (1+ years) develop more pronounced Brett funk and complexity. Serve in the traditional Orval chalice at around 50-55°F.

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

This luxurious German doppelbock is truly one of the best beers to enjoy in Easter celebrations, bringing traditional Bavarian craftsmanship and rich history to the table. Historically brewed by monks as “liquid bread” during Lenten fasting, doppelbock has a natural connection to Easter’s breaking of the fast. Celebrator pours a deep mahogany with ruby highlights and a persistent tan head, releasing aromas of toasted bread, dark fruit, and chocolate.

At 6.7% ABV, this beer offers remarkable depth without overwhelming strength. The flavor profile showcases masterful malt complexity with notes of toffee, prune, fig, and dark chocolate, perfectly balanced by a subtle hop bitterness that prevents cloying sweetness. The smooth, creamy mouthfeel provides an almost dessert-like experience with a surprisingly dry finish.

Celebrator pairs wonderfully with Easter’s heartier dishes. Its malt richness stands up to slow-roasted lamb, complementing the meat’s caramelized exterior and enhancing herb seasonings. For ham, the beer’s dark fruit notes harmonize with sweet glazes, while its toasty character complements the smokiness. It’s equally at home alongside chocolate desserts, where similar flavor notes create a seamless pairing.

Ayinger’s brewing tradition dates back to 1878, and each bottle of Celebrator comes with a small plastic goat charm – a nod to the “bock” name (meaning “goat” in German). Serve in a traditional mug or tulip glass at around 50°F to experience the full range of flavors in this world-class example of German brewing excellence.

Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale

Boulevard’s Tank 7 is a perfect Easter beer, combining bold complexity with a refreshing character throughout. Named after a stubborn fermentation tank, it blends American creativity with traditional Belgian saison brewing techniques. The beer pours a hazy golden color with a tall, white head and vibrant aromas of citrus.

Peppery spice and soft tropical fruit notes follow, making the aroma as inviting as the taste. With 8.5% ABV, it’s stronger than typical saisons but still easy to sip and enjoy. The flavor balances bright citrus and grapefruit from hops with pepper, clove, and banana from Belgian yeast. A dry, bubbly finish refreshes the palate, making it perfect for pairing with Easter meals.

Tank 7 complements Easter ham, cutting through richness and pairing well with sweet, glazed flavors. At brunch, it enhances eggs Benedict, smoked salmon, or quiche, even with creamy sauces. It also pairs well with spring vegetables like peas and asparagus. Boulevard Brewing respects tradition while pushing boundaries, creating a globally loved modern saison. Serve it in a tulip glass around 45–50°F to enjoy its full aroma and flavor. Tank 7 brings Old World charm and New World creativity together for your Easter celebration.

Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout

The best beer to enjoy in Easter celebrations, especially for dessert lovers, may be Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout. This English stout pours opaque black with a creamy tan head and rich aromas of chocolate and roasted malt. At 5% ABV, it delivers full chocolate flavor using organic cocoa extract and roasted organic barley. The beer is silky smooth, perfectly balanced between sweetness and bitterness, and never feels too heavy or cloying.

It pairs beautifully with chocolate desserts like cakes, brownies, and truffles, enhancing their flavors with every sip. For contrast, enjoy it alongside fruity desserts like berry tarts for a rich-versus-bright experience. You can also pair it with grilled meats, where roasted notes complement caramelized edges and smoky flavors.

Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery, founded in 1758 in Yorkshire, still uses traditional stone Yorkshire squares for fermentation. Their dedication to organic ingredients reflects spring’s focus on renewal, growth, and natural balance. Serve this stout at 50–55°F in a nonic pint or tulip glass for full enjoyment.

Duvel Belgian Golden Ale

The best beer to enjoy in Easter gatherings where elegance and flavor meet is undoubtedly Duvel. This iconic Belgian strong golden ale pours a crystal-clear pale gold with a massive, pillowy white head that seems to defy gravity. The aroma is a delicate balance of pear, apple, lemon zest, and subtle spicy hops.

At 8.5% ABV, Duvel hides its strength behind an exceptionally refined flavor profile. The taste features subtle fruitiness from the yeast, delicate hop bitterness, and a clean, dry finish that makes it dangerously drinkable. The extraordinary carbonation creates a champagne-like effervescence, making this a perfect beer for toasting and celebration.

Duvel pairs wonderfully with Easter’s more delicate offerings. Its bright character complements seafood starters like shrimp cocktail or smoked salmon. For main courses, try it with herb-roasted chicken or pork tenderloin, where the beer’s effervescence lightens the meat while its subtle complexity enhances herbs and seasonings. The carbonation also makes it an excellent palate cleanser between rich courses.

The Duvel brewing process involves three different yeast strains and a bottle conditioning period that creates its signature carbonation and complexity. The brewery’s distinctive tulip glass was specially designed to showcase the beer’s aroma and maintain its magnificent head. Serve at around 45-50°F in the proper glass to experience this masterpiece of Belgian brewing at its best.

Schneider Weisse Aventinus

Complete your Easter beer exploration with this extraordinary wheat doppelbock that combines the best of German brewing traditions. Aventinus pours a cloudy dark brown with ruby highlights and a tall, mocha-colored head. The aroma is a complex tapestry of banana bread, chocolate, clove, raisins, and warming alcohol.

At 8.2% ABV, this is a substantial beer that maintains remarkable drinkability. The flavor profile offers waves of dark fruit, banana, chocolate, and spice from the special wheat beer yeast, balanced by subtle hop bitterness and a warming finish. Despite its strength and complexity, Aventinus remains smooth and never heavy.

For Easter dinner, Aventinus pairs beautifully with roasted lamb or duck, where its fruity notes complement the meat’s richness while its carbonation refreshes the palate. The beer’s spicy character works wonderfully with ham’s salt and sweet glaze. For dessert, try it with dark chocolate or caramel desserts, where similar flavor notes create harmony.

First brewed in 1907, Aventinus is named after Johannes Aventinus, a Bavarian historian. The Schneider brewery has maintained family ownership since 1855 and continues to specialize in wheat beers. For the best experience, serve this beer in a traditional wheat beer glass at around 50–55°F. Let it warm slightly to reveal new layers of flavor and aroma with each sip. Its evolving complexity makes it a perfect contemplative beer for meaningful Easter celebrations.

Conclusion

Easter is a time of renewal, joy, and celebration—and what better way to enhance the occasion than with one of these top beers specially selected for the season? Whether you love the earthy funk of a Belgian farmhouse ale, the rich indulgence of a chocolate stout, or the vibrant crispness of a German wheat beer, there’s a perfect brew on this list to complement your Easter feast, brunch, or reflective moment.

At Wave Translations, we believe culture often speaks through taste—and beer is no exception. With a skilled Beer Tasting Interpreter, breweries, hospitality brands, and beer lovers around the world can connect through the rich stories behind every pour, no matter the language. This Easter, celebrate not only with good company and great food but also with a beer that truly captures the spirit of the season—no translation needed.