Beer quality/temp after force carb in keg, then bottling

[brad2157]

Just brewed a Dunkelweiss for a friend of mine's Oktoberfest party coming up, as I didn't have time to brew a lager in time. I racked the 5g batch over to a corny keg today and have it in my fridge force carbing at approx. 18psi at 40 degrees. From what I read, it's easier to carb a beer at a cooler temp, which allows the CO2 to dissolve in the beer. I plan to use my counterflow bottle filler to bottle the batch once reaching my desired carb level.

My question is...if the beer is 40 degrees while it's getting force carb'd and then after I bottle it, I let it warm up to 75-80 degrees in the garage / house, how will that affect the beer? I don't totally grasp the reasoning behind "skunking" a beer, but I know I have had several in the past that got ruined from some type of temperature fluctuation up / down. I know that I won't buy beer already cold at the store, if I can't get it cold / back home within a short time afterwards. I just don't want my batch go be cold, room temp, and then back cold again to serve at the party if it's going to ruin it in the process. Thanks in advance. Still learning here...long ways to go.

 

[55x11]

Just brewed a Dunkelweiss for a friend of mine's Oktoberfest party coming up, as I didn't have time to get any beer lagered in time. I racked the 5g batch over to a corny keg today and have it in my fridge force carbing at approx. 18psi at 40 degrees. From what I read, it's easier to carb a beer at a cooler temp, which allows the CO2 to dissolve in the beer. I plan to use my counterflow bottle filler to bottle the batch once reaching my desired carb level.

My question is...if the beer is 40 degrees while it's getting force carb'd and then after I bottle it, I let it warm up to 75-80 degrees in the garage / house, how will that affect the beer? I don't totally grasp the reasoning behind "skunking" a beer, but I know I have had several in the past that got ruined from some type of temperature fluctuation up / down. I know that I won't buy beer already cold at the store, if I can't get it cold / back home within a short time afterwards. I just don't want my batch go be cold, room temp, and then back cold again to serve at the party if it's going to ruin it in the process. Thanks in advance. Still learning here...long ways to go.

First off, 18 psi at 40F is about 3 volumes which may be a bit on the high side carbonation-wise for oktoberfest beer. [edit - just re-read your post, maybe for dunkelweiss it's ok]

"Skunking" the beer usually refers to effects due primarily the effect of light, not heat.

Normally warming up the beer after carbing it and then cooling again before serving, in a closed container, shouldn't change carbonation level.

But there are many chemical reactions that accelerate at higher temperatures, and 75-80F may be too much for any extended period of time in my opinion. Flavor may change drastically. There were experiments done on beers left in dark attics at 90F or so that made beers undrinkable within a week or so.

If you could keep it under 70F - that would be best. Even better 60F or below.

 

[brad2157]

First off, 18 psi at 40F is about 3 volumes which may be a bit on the high side carbonation-wise for oktoberfest beer. [edit - just re-read your post, maybe for dunkelweiss it's ok]

"Skunking" the beer usually refers to effects due primarily the effect of light, not heat.

Normally warming up the beer after carbing it and then cooling again before serving, in a closed container, shouldn't change carbonation level.

But there are many chemical reactions that accelerate at higher temperatures, and 75-80F may be too much for any extended period of time in my opinion. Flavor may change drastically. There were experiments done on beers left in dark attics at 90F or so that made beers undrinkable within a week or so.

If you could keep it under 70F - that would be best. Even better 60F or below.

I should have mentioned that I turned up the pressure to 18psi after my fridge in the garage wouldn't cool as well during the hot day we had today. The last time I checked, it was around 58 degrees. It is normally set and stays right at 40 degrees when it can keep up. Looking to get right over 2 volumes of CO2 in this beer.

I may have not typed my original question/concern well, but I was not concerned about the carbonation levels during the temp fluctuation, only how it could impact the taste/quality of the beer.

I mentioned the 75-80 degree range because I had planned on leaving the cases of bottled beers in the garage until time for the party. I can always bring them into the house, to keep them in a lower temp climate.

Thanks for the info!

 

[day_trippr]

[...]I can always bring them into the house, to keep them in a lower temp climate.

Do that.

The answer to your question is this: pretty much every reaction on this planet accelerates with rising temperature. If you want your bottles to be at their best, don't slap them with a stay in a hot garage if you have a cooler location available...

Cheers!

 

[55x11]

Do that.

The answer to your question is this: pretty much every reaction on this planet accelerates with rising temperature. If you want your bottles to be at their best, don't slap them with a stay in a hot garage if you have a cooler location available...

Cheers!

agreed. bring them to the house. temperatures <70F will go a long way to keeping your beer taste the way it should.