Best temperature for bottle conditioning?

I store my freshly bottled beers in a closet at 75°F for two weeks. They are usually fully carbonated in a week at this warm temperature, but I give them two just to be sure. Then I move them to my garage, which can be quite cool, even cold at this time of year.

I understand that big beers such as stouts improve greatly with long bottle conditioning, often months, but at what temperature? Will my stouts improve stored in a cool garage (upper 40s°F), or will they do better in the cellar (low 60s°F), or at room temperature (70°F)?

TomVA

 

Usual cellar conditions are between 50-60 F so you should be fine storing them there. You want to avoid them getting to hot, but being a bit colder isn't really much of an issue.

 

Definitely store them cooler. Cellar temps to lower. They'll still age but not as fast. I'd say the garage. Anymore I just age in the fridge.

 

Question, not a statement: I've shot for cellar temp for maturing/conditioning. I kinda thought they wouldn't mature/age at fridge temps (32 - 40 F) since the active yeast would go dormant at temps that low and they played a part in cleaning up what's in the bottle to help the maturation process?

 

Yeah, That's what I thought as well, which is why I asked the question.

 

As far as I know you only need yeast for fermentation and bottle carbonation. Once you reach carbonation you want to store at a good temp for aging. For me that is after fermentation and at fridge temps since I keg. If I bottled it would be after balanced carbonation. Beers age at fridge temps just slower.

 

I don't have a comparison because my beers are matured at 72 degrees. I like how they turn out and have found that the darker, higher alcohol beers seem to age quite well and get really good and smooth between 1 and 2 years in storage.