Serving Temperatures

[gplutt]

So I'm just about finished with a keg of pale ale. I took it out of the fridge(kept at about 45 degrees) and put it down in my "beer storage area" (about 60 degrees). I wish I'd have done that when it was full because it tastes so much better! The hop aroma is fuller and the malt flavor is wonderful, it tastes close to a cask ale. Seriously, I'm brewing it again next week and I'm going to actually just leave it out next time.

 

[curt656]

I for one have always thought that beer tastes better when warmer. I have friends who won't drink a beer (SACRILEDGE I SAY) because it's too warm.

 

[gplutt]

temp depends on the style, is how I usually do it..I usually try to keep my ales about 45-50..but this is 60 degrees! Everything just came right into balance at that temperature. I have decided to brew this one again(I was going to give it a rest for the winter)and just leave it out at that temp. I'm sad its gone

I think in the future I'm going to pull pints at different temperatures just to check flavor. A beer that may be "eh" at one may come alive at 5 degrees warmer/colder.

 

[curt656]

I volunteer to serve as a tester to back up your hypothesis. For the sake of science, it must be done.

 

[coolbeerluke]

I for one have always thought that beer tastes better when warmer. I have friends who won't drink a beer (SACRILEDGE I SAY) because it's too warm.

Is it true that in Europe they drink beer warm? or maybe at least Germany?

 

[gplutt]

Is it true that in Europe they drink beer warm? or maybe at least Germany?

In England its "cellar temp" which I believe is about 55 degrees or so. I assume that Germany with its lagers serves beer cooler...and thinking about it: my pale ale is sitting on a cold concrete floor, the thermostat in the room is about head level(6 ft)..I'm probably sitting in the high range of proper cellar temperature at floor level.

 

[Sager Brewing Co.]

The way it goes is, typically the darker the beer, the higher the serving temp, to a point of course.

 

[Shonuff]

Beer tastes much better when it's served at the proper temp. Just because this is America doesn't mean we have to drink beer at nearly freezing temperatures.

 

[Pivzavod]

Beer tastes much better when it's served at the proper temp. Just because this is America doesn't mean we have to drink beer at nearly freezing temperatures.

Thats me, I like to put my bottles in the fridge for a fresh ice cold shnookooms

 

[thevalkrye]

yup temperature has a huge impact on the flavors you perceive.

try this.....eat a spoon full of ice cream......then let it come up to room temperature and taste it again....same ice cream but it tastes a lot sweeter. the colder it is the less of the sweetness comes through...its just how our taste system works. (you wouldn't beleive how amazed i was when i first heard about this..ha ha ha)

some beers are best cold "right out of the ice"..cold clean and refreshing and some beers are not good this way. i think stout tastes better at a warmer temperature while a nice wheat ale is more delicious-er ice cold.

experiment by drinking a glass of beer slowly (sometimes hard to do)....as it warm up towards room temp you will notice the flavors changing and you can judge for your self whether it should be served warmer..or colder!