Moving this summer - transporting bottled beer through heat?

signpost · 01-29-2012, 04:52 AM

I did some searching for thoughts on this subject, but didn't quite find anything that answered my questions.

Here's my basic situation: I am planning on moving across the country this summer. I have been living in small town Arizona for about 5 years and I'm ready to move back to civilization. Also, I just recently started brewing after receiving a starter brew kit as a Christmas gift. My first batch is almost ready to be bottled and I am psyched to get another batch going pretty soon.

Here's my big question - will traveling 1700 miles or so through hot summer weather in a moving truck cause problems with my bottled beers? Are there certain types of beer that will hold up better through that move? I've read a number of articles that say exposure to light is much worse for beer than changes in temperature, but would extreme heat (well over 100 F in the moving truck) be enough to cause problems?

Should I put off brewing more until after I have made the move? Should I go ahead and brew and just try to drink it all before moving?

My first batch that I should be bottling in the next week or so is the Olde Luddite Strong Ale made from Northern Brewer's kit. I was definitely planning on aging some of it for a good while. Should I not bother trying to age any of it, and just drink it?

Any thoughts or advice will be much appreciated. Thanks.

ThreeSheetsBrewing · 01-29-2012, 05:47 AM

Are you moving by yourself? Is there room in the cab? Perhaps you can try a cooler.

signpost · 01-29-2012, 06:14 AM

My wife will be moving with me. Not sure she'll want to hold it all on her lap.

**A4J** · 01-29-2012, 01:57 PM

I live in the desert. I've had homebrew that was left in the car for a couple hours and they were fine. Plus, all the beer that gets delivered here are delivered in non-refrigerated trucks so I think you'll be fine. I would worry about freshly bottled beer though, but if they're already carbonated, I think you're ok.

signpost · 01-29-2012, 05:15 PM

Thanks. I guess I had just assumed that most beer delivery trucks were refrigerated.

That means I can brew a couple more batches as long as I bottle them by early May. That should be early enough for carbonation to happen by the time we pack up the truck and hit the road. It will be nice to have some home brews when unloading the truck and getting settled in a new place.