Beer Storage Question

Homebrewers,

Since summer will soon be upon us, I have a question regarding storage temperatures on beer. Since I have limited refrigerator space, and the alternative is to store it in the garage, how warm does the garage need to get before adversely affecting the flavor of the beer I have made? I want to keep making beer, but don't want to make it if the beer will be damaged storing it in the garage.
Thanks all.

NRS

NorthRiverS said:

Homebrewers,

Since summer will soon be upon us, I have a question regarding storage temperatures on beer. Since I have limited refrigerator space, and the alternative is to store it in the garage, how warm does the garage need to get before adversely affecting the flavor of the beer I have made? I want to keep making beer, but don't want to make it if the beer will be damaged storing it in the garage.
Thanks all.

NRS

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I am a total noobie (I've only brewed one batched so far) but from what I have been reading and people have posted you can make a "swamp cooler" by getting one of those big rope bins putting your fermenting bucket in there along with some frozen bottles of ice water... you can change and rotate the bottles out as needed to achieve the desired temp. Hope that helps DWRAHAHB!

are you talking about fermenting beer or bottled beer?

He was talking about refrigerator space so I'm assuming bottled...?

Assuming you are talking about bottled beer:
Do you have room in your basement, closet, bedroom, wherever for a couple boxes? I would think that anywhere inside the house (except maybe an uninsulated attic) would be better than the garage where you will be experiencing wild temperature fluctuations. I wouldnt feel comfortable keeping my beer at any temperature over say 80 degrees. Even then I wouldnt want to keep it for very long, since beer (like almost anything) ages (deteriorates) faster at higher temperatures.

If you are talking about fermenting beer, then do as Southie says and look into the swamp cooler.

I would keep the bottles in a corner of a closet somewhere and increase your consumption rate .

aggiejay06 said:

I would keep the bottles in a corner of a closet somewhere and increase your consumption rate .

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Aggie for the WIN! :rockin:

aggiejay06 said:

I would keep the bottles in a corner of a closet somewhere and increase your consumption rate .

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EPIC WIN!!!

Seriously though. The colder the better (no duh, right?) but another consideration is temperature flucuations. I'd store it somewhere cool as possible that has consistent temps. Aim for the basement or a closet in an airconditioned space...

--OR-- Convince momma that a beer fridge is a good idea. Hit up Craigslist.

Could you swamp cool bottles? Worst case scenario if you had nowhere cooler, could you just fill up a tub with water and toss the bottles in? Your seal should be more than tight enough that the water wouldn't leak in, and even with no monitoring with ice it should stay cooler and more constant.

Personally i wouldn't think twice about anything under 80 degrees, and i imagine the water would stay below there.

I've safely stored bottles over the long term or semi-long term in the back of a cool closet. The house is kept at 68-70, this part of the house is generally a bit cooler. I tend to get to my ales quickly, but beers that can be cellared have held up pretty good there. The cellaring is accelerated, yeah, but that's not a huge deal if you intend to DRINK your beer.

ThePearsonFam said:

--OR-- Convince momma that a beer fridge is a good idea. Hit up Craigslist.

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I'm thinking that a restaurant or convenient store type reach in would be nice :rockin: