Cold Beer Here!

[tmac2050]

Do you chill your bottled homebrew?

I seem to recall a number of posts in the HBT threads referring to sticking your beer in the fridge for a few days after bottle conditioning prior to drinking.

Is this just to compact the yeast/sediment? I've noticed on my last few beers (a Surly Furious clone, and a bourbon barrel porter) that I think they taste better right out of the basement conditioning stash.

I imagine the fridge is in the low 40s, and the basement is in the low 60s. I'll confirm those one of these days. Makes some sense since ideal serving temps are around 55, which is closer to 60 than 40.

 

[Wynne-R]

It depends on the beer. Better too cool than too warm. It’ll warm a little as you pour it and it will warm further as you drink it. I serve mine in the low 40's and it will be 50 in the glass. By the time I finish, it’s pushing 60.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Story.asp?StoryID=479

The fridge is also a mini cold crash. They pour better after a day or two.

 

[tmac2050]

It depends on the beer. Better too cool than too warm. It’ll warm a little as you pour it and it will warm further as you drink it. I serve mine in the low 40's and it will be 50 in the glass. By the time I finish, it’s pushing 60.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Story.asp?StoryID=479

The fridge is also a mini cold crash. They pour better after a day or two.

Makes sense, since I tend to prefer the beer styles that are listed as being served "cellar" temp to styles that are listed "warm". Good link - I had found a similar list posted elsewhere on this forum, but was also interested if the mini cold-crash had helpful effects.

 

[daksin]

I usually pour from a 38F fridge into a 70-75F glass, so the beer warms a bit (not a ton), and then continues to change as I drink it and it warms up. Much cooler than that is BMC temperatures.

 

[Ramitt]

the co2 goes into solution better with a few days of cold conditioning, though most ales taste better closer to cellar temps imho. So give them a few days in the fridge, but let them warm up a little before drinking is my solution.

 

[RedOktoberfest]

Low 60's in a basement in june?! Ok santa...

Daksin has my technique too. I like noticing the change. Some beers I'll leave out to warm up for a few, like cream ales.

 

[RM-MN]

I went to a pub last night where the waitress poured a cold porter into a warm glass. I then sat for the next 5 minutes with my hands wrapped around the glass to further warm the beer, then spent half an hour or more sipping that beer, warming it up so I could savor the flavors. I would never do that to a BMC.

 

[smizak]

If possible, you should absolutely store your homebrew cold, as close to 32F as you can. It will stay fresher, the chill haze will drop out, and your carbonation, head retention and mouthfeel will improve as the CO2 fully dissolves into the beer. Cold conditioning is really important IMO.

 

[unionrdr]

I keep my fridge at 47F,& if things stay in the back too long,they start to freeze. So neer 32F in a fridge is more like the freezer at that point. The beer needs fridge time to get co2 more fully into solution. And giving it at least a week will also give any chill haze time to form & settle out. So you'll get better,longer lasting carbonation & head with fridge time.

 

[zachattack]

I keep my fridge at 47F,& if things stay in the back too long,they start to freeze.

I don't think your fridge is actually at 47 if things are freezing

As an aside, if this is your kitchen fridge 47 is far too warm to store food safely. You want to keep the fridge as cold as you can, maybe 34 degrees or so.

 

[podz]

I am of the opinion that if a beer doesn't taste good at room temperature, then it's not worth drinking in the first place. Cold, carbonated beverages aren't really too good for your digestive system, either - something about cold C02 that really aggravates the esophagus.

But then I'm also wierd in the way that I think flavour is far more pronounced in meat when it's cold.

Some of my friends put red wine in the fridge. It makes me cringe. Same with cheese. Who would eat cold cheese?

 

[BinghamtonEd]

Before I got into craft beer and home brewing, I wanted all of my beer (usually Labatt Blue) to be as ice cold as possible (hey, it's a Canadian lager, it's cold up there). On those, I still do, because if I'm drinking them it's usually because someone brought them to a picnic or I'm at a ball game and it's probably hot out. Since I started expanding my horizons, I usually like my craft/homebrew beers around 50.

 

[dpatrickv]

I am of the opinion that if a beer doesn't taste good at room temperature, then it's not worth drinking in the first place. Cold, carbonated beverages aren't really too good for your digestive system, either - something about cold C02 that really aggravates the esophagus.

But then I'm also wierd in the way that I think flavour is far more pronounced in meat when it's cold.

Some of my friends put red wine in the fridge. It makes me cringe. Same with cheese. Who would eat cold cheese?

Red wine should be drank right around 55-60 degrees, so if your house is 72, then putting the wine in the fridge for a bit prior to chill it a bit is not out of the realm of being acceptable.

As far as my beer goes. My beer fridge stays right about 40 and I fill it. I would rather the beer be cold at first then me have to wait for it to chill prior to me wanting it day of.

 

[podz]

Red wine should be drank right around 55-60 degrees, so if your house is 72, then putting the wine in the fridge for a bit prior to chill it a bit is not out of the realm of being acceptable.

If we can agree to disagree, then I'll certainly pour you a glass or three!

 

[hunter_le five]

If possible, you should absolutely store your homebrew cold, as close to 32F as you can. It will stay fresher, the chill haze will drop out, and your carbonation, head retention and mouthfeel will improve as the CO2 fully dissolves into the beer. Cold conditioning is really important IMO.

I store all mine cold as well. When I'm ready to drink it, I just pour it and let it sit a few minutes to warm up.

 

[podz]

Did you ever taste a warm, unfiltered Helles with a grilled bratwurst or two and a fresh cabbage salad? Heaven right there where you sit.

 

[dpatrickv]

If we can agree to disagree, then I'll certainly pour you a glass or three!

Ah why not, I'll agree to disagree.

I usually drink all my wine at room temp as I refuse to keep a bottle of wine in the fridge and am too impatient to let it cool, but won't object to a 60 degree temp glass of Cabernet if its in front of me.

Bring on the wine!

 

[podz]

I usually drink all my wine at room temp as I refuse to keep a bottle of wine in the fridge and am too impatient to let it cool, but won't object to a 60 degree temp glass of Cabernet if its in front of me.

As said, a bottle in front of me is better than a frontal lobotomy.

Cheers. Do you like Veneto style wines?

 

[smizak]

Guys.....ummm....

 

[dpatrickv]

As said, a bottle in front of me is better than a frontal lobotomy.

Cheers. Do you like Veneto style wines?

I'm assuming you are referring to wines actually produced in that region.

To be honest, I drink mostly California wines, but on occasion I'll pick up an Italian bottle. I have had a few wines from the Veneto region of Italy which I do like but I would be hard pressed to come up with a wineries name without seeing the bottle again. Some of my favorite Italians come from the Tuscany region though.

As much as I really enjoy wine, I am nowhere near as knowledgeable about it as I am beer and whiskey.

 

[podz]

I like Maker's Mark when it comes to bourbon. Weissbier when it comes to bier. I will drink a cold beer, but it's not my favorite.

 

[tmac2050]

Low 60's in a basement in june?! Ok santa...

Daksin has my technique too. I like noticing the change. Some beers I'll leave out to warm up for a few, like cream ales.

measured 62 yesterday.