Is it just me? or do all ales taste better slightly below room temp

[Griff777]

Also, since I am still fighting chill haze, they look so much more appealling.

If I chill them down completely, it seems the malt taste gets masked somehow. Is it just me?

 

[oakbarn]

Warm beer? When I was in England in the Air Force, the local pubs kept the beer in the cellar. The temp was 50 to 55. Perfect for ales. Not warm, but cool. American Piss Beer needs to be 27 degrees to be drinkable. Real beer 50 to 55.!!!

 

[pelipen]

I like them best in the 50's and into room temp. Most craft beers are still good at RT.

 

[Kealia]

i like them best in the 50's and into room temp. Most craft beers are still good at rt.

+1

 

[Zorin]

I agree, if my beer gets much colder than 50 it loses its tasty component. Sometimes i just forget where I put my beer down, it gets to RT, which still taste pretty good.

 

[jakesz28]

I have woke up a few times. On the night stand I see a half full glass of a craft or home brew. It would be abuse to throw it away. So I finish it. It still tastes good in the morning at rt.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

My current batch (which is my first all grain) is still in the fermenter, but my gravity sample at 5 days at 65 and uncarbed tasted wonderful so I think you are on to something, but maybe I am just a proud papa (I know I was rushing some, but all in the name of science and beer and I am real close if not at FG). I have heard that the cold hides the flavor of the beer.

 

[Calichusetts]

Absolutely...many might not prefer a warmer beer but an ice cold beer will not release its flavor and aroma...there is a temperature guide out there somewhere for the styles of beer...none of them suggest "just under" room temperature but it makes no difference as long as its not ice cold.

Most craft beers have the suggested serving temp on the bottle now...and there is a reason wine is served in the 50s/60s...so every subtle flavor and aroma is released

 

[jbsg02]

I'm the same way. I love my IPAs when they get close to room temp.

 

[Griff777]

when you give a bottle away, i always instruct them to leave at room temp, and chill maybe fifteen minutes in the freezer before serving. seems like we have been "trained" to drink it ice cold (blue mountains when ready).

 

[Jaysus]

you will often hear it refereed to as "cellar temp"

 

[smyrnaquince]

I've been following this guide to serving temperatures. It lists APAs at "Cool (8-12C/45-54F)." Sounds good to me. It puts stouts in the same range and mine taste much better cool than fridge cold--more flavors come out.

I think I agree with this entry:

Very cold (0-4C/32-39F): Any beer you don’t actually want to taste.​

 

[AngerManagement]

Maybe I've lived in the desert too long, but I prefer cold beer. There's just something refreshing about it, and the taste isn't lacking.

 

[QuaffableQuips]

We have a room in our house that stays more or less at a constant 50-55 degrees in the winter if we shut the door. So I store most of my bottled ales in there just drink them at that temperature from about November to March. This time of year I'll start refrigerating them, but I almost always let them come up a few degrees before imbibing. I prefer lagers a tad cooler, but nowhere near "ice cold."

 

[iijakii]

I like my pales around 40. I don't guzzle them so I'm sure they hit near 50 by the time I'm done. I don't really like room temp IPAs too much.

My stouts I start out with at 40 (because my keezer is set there) and let them warm up a bit before/while I'm drinking. Mid 50s are good. Wish I had a cellar.

 

[Beer-lord]

I pretty much enjoy my ales much warmer than most folks. I find it tastes better and more balanced. However, after it sits awhile, I lose some of the aroma.

 

[wSelwyn]

I enjoy most of my ales around 40 F, but any time I have an imperial anything, I have it at around 45-50. Higher temp usually leads to more aromas and flavors. Lower temps usually mask specific characters.

 

[Euphist]

I keep my beer fridge set at 45. Even my friends that drink cheaper-than-BMC don't complain about the temp...they're too busy enjoying what real beer tastes like!

 

[BOBTHEukBREWER]

16 deg C suits the pale and medium beers I brew.

 

[captwalt]

i've found that at lower temps I taste more hop and less malt and as it warms the malt flavor comes out more and balances everything out

 

[ChshreCat]

when you give a bottle away, i always instruct them to leave at room temp, and chill maybe fifteen minutes in the freezer before serving. seems like we have been "trained" to drink it ice cold (blue mountains when ready).

The temp might be right, but the carbonation will be way off from what's intended.

 

[outside92129]

i have my kegerator set to 52F, works great for the stuff i put in there (nothing that resembles horse piss).

Using the ratebeer info I made this chart with suggested temp/co2 for various styles:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/temperature-vs-co2-volumes-serving-beer-301592/

 

[ChemE]

I love room temperature ales especially my haus ale (a special bitter with a nice bit of SpecB). As soon as they come out of the fridge they are a pale imitation of themselves. Once a poured bottle has warmed close to 60F the magic comes back out. Colder than 50F I just cup my hands around the pint glass and wait, especially when I'm out at a bar or restaurant.

 

[Griff777]

The temp might be right, but the carbonation will be way off from what's intended.

I don't give any away until the bottle carbonation had taken place. Then they can chill, decant and enjoy.

 

[ChemE]

I don't give any away until the bottle carbonation had taken place. Then they can chill, decant and enjoy.

At room temperature there is no where near the CO2 dissolved into the beer that there should be. You don't get proper bottle carbonation until the beer has equalized with the CO2 atmosphere in the bottle for two or more days at 38F (or so).

 

[Griff777]

At room temperature there is no where near the CO2 dissolved into the beer that there should be. You don't get proper bottle carbonation until the beer has equalized with the CO2 atmosphere in the bottle for two or more days at 38F (or so).

It is true that these ales are not highly carbonated. I seem to get a nice head, then it disappates fairly quickly and the beer itself is not harshly carbonated. However, the taste makes up for the lack of carbonation, and they don't last long in the glass. Half my recipes are English style bitters, and Fullers ESB clone, which is lightly carbonated anyway. I do know that when kegging, the colder the beer the more Co2 it accepts and faster carbonation, but for me, carbonation is secondary to the flavor of the beer at warmer temps. Even store bought beers consumed at warmer temps lose their carbonation quickly and are less fizzy. Its a trade off.

 

[ChshreCat]

Exactly. As the beer carbonates, the CO2 builds up in the headspace of the bottle (between the beer and the cap). Liquids can hold more dissolved gasses at lower temps than they can at higher temps. So, as the beer chills, it absorbs that CO2 that is sitting in the headspace. If you don't give it time to absorb that CO2, you can get a nice *psssst* when you open the bottle, but not enough carbonation to maintain the head and the beer tastes flat, even though it carbed long enough.

I like to suggest to people to keep the beer in the fridge, but set the bottle out on the counter for 20 minutes or so before opening it. Still allows the beer to come up from the cold temps of the fridge, but makes sure the CO2 is absorbed. I also don't give away warm beers. I always put them in my beer fridge for a few days before I hand them out. That way I know they can open them as soon as they get home and they'll be good.

 

[carltjones]

Draft is set for 40 and I let it set for 10 minutes. 50F seems about right for ales.

 

[Griff777]

Exactly. As the beer carbonates, the CO2 builds up in the headspace of the bottle (between the beer and the cap). Liquids can hold more dissolved gasses at lower temps than they can at higher temps. So, as the beer chills, it absorbs that CO2 that is sitting in the headspace. If you don't give it time to absorb that CO2, you can get a nice *psssst* when you open the bottle, but not enough carbonation to maintain the head and the beer tastes flat, even though it carbed long enough.

I like to suggest to people to keep the beer in the fridge, but set the bottle out on the counter for 20 minutes or so before opening it. Still allows the beer to come up from the cold temps of the fridge, but makes sure the CO2 is absorbed. I also don't give away warm beers. I always put them in my beer fridge for a few days before I hand them out. That way I know they can open them as soon as they get home and they'll be good.

This is good advice. I do it both ways. If the beer has been in cold storage, they can drink it cold or let it warm, with better carbonation. Or if it's from my "stash", tell them to refridgerate and let warm for best carbonation. Or, LOL if in a hurry to drink, chill a little and drink awat at it.