Serving temperature

[Donmega]

I have just finished reading an interesting article which said here in Nz we drink our beer far to cold compared to the rest of the world (1-4 degrees) as opposed to 7 plus, even room temp depending on the style in most other countries..and also need to stop drinking from the bottle as we are missing all the good smells etc...He also went on to say beer should be consumed as soon as possible after bottling as that's when the flavours are at their best... This guy runs a work renowned brewery so I don't doubt him but consuming the beer as soon as possible goes against most info I have read...does this only apply to commercial brews..??


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[ChelisHubby]

Don't let someone else tell you what flavors you like or tempatures, Granted some beers have a suggested serving temp but unless you want to drink it like a native of the region that the beer is from, it doesn't matter.

 

[Gameface]

Do a test.

I thought I liked ice cold beer until I tried the same beer at 35F, 38F, 42F and 48F. It was a porter.

At 35F all the worst characteristics were up front. All the best traits were buried in the background. As I moved up in temp the fullness and velvety creaminess of the roasted grains came though without the harsh edge I experienced at lower temps.

It really depends on the beer, but I'm a full believer that some beers are MUCH better at higher temps.

As far as drinking as soon as possible...

Again, it depends. If a beer is produced in such a way that no off flavors are created then there is no reason not to enjoy as soon as possible. If, however, there are some off flavors, they can be cleaned up over time. For the most part you can minimize off flavors by adhering to what I call the BIG 3 rules of brewing.

1-Pitch adequate yeast. One smack pack or vial probably isn't enough.

2-Aerate. Using pure O2 is the only way to really get there. If you're not using pure O2 you need to overcompensate with the other 2 criteria on the BIG 3.

3-Control fermentation temps to the lower end of the yeast's temp range. And just as important, don't force a hot fermentation down, allow your wort to rise to the desired ferm temp after pitching, and then hold it there.

 

[JimRausch]

I agree with the thought of "Drink your beer at whatever temp. you prefer it". For me, as a broad general rule, if it's light colored I like it cold, but darker brews I prefer a little warmer.
Timewise, there is a 'sweet spot' where every brew is at it's peak, but for my brews, I enjoy them just as well at 2-3 weeks as I do at 2-3 months. I even have a few bottles left over from batches I did 2 years ago which are still quite enjoyable.
Don't let any "expert" tell you how to drink your ambrosia. Decide for yourself.

 

[RonPopeil]

Don't let someone else tell you what flavors you like or tempatures, Granted some beers have a suggested serving temp but unless you want to drink it like a native of the region that the beer is from, it doesn't matter.

I agree with this. There are some ideas that are commonly considered best practice. Generally, the brewer knows how to best drink their product. It always makes me happy to see serving temperatures on bottles like Southern Tier, Ommegang and I think even Rogue.

Americans are also guilty of a macro beer drinking culture who think ice cold is best. It's funny that the exact opposite is true considering beer long predates refrigeration.

 

[logan3825]

Temp wise, styles have recommended drinking temperatures. I usually like beer a little warmer than fridge temp. Fridge temp is for horse piss beer which is nice once in a while during hot months.

Hoppier beers are usually best sooner. Hop aroma/flavor tends to fade. Sooner is whenever they are properly carbonated. That can be fairly variable. Other than that, beer can eventually go bad if not properly stored. Don't let it get to hot or expose it to light. In most cases longer storage may give you a product that the brewer didn't originally intend.

 

[Teromous]

Honestly I find serving temperatures to be a bit of a joke. Most average people probably don't have a dedicated refrigerator for beer. Are these people taking beers out of the fridge and setting them on a counter to warm up? How are they measuring the temperature of the bottle after it has been sitting out for a while...by using a thermometer? The easiest way that I've seen is that the beer is stored at room temperature (cool room temperature...) then set in an ice bucket to bring it up to a decent temp, then using your hand to judge how cool it is. Now for either of these, it means that you're waiting. Most people would probably prefer to just take it out of the fridge.

Now I have a keggerator with two taps that is temperature controlled. I very regularly have two different varieties on tap which also differ in preferred serving temperatures. I can't set my fridge to two separate temperatures, so I just pick the one that works best for both. The same goes for beer fridges; you just set it to the general temperature that you like. Sure if you're cracking open some special beer you might attempt to get the temperature in the right ballpark, but it's never something I stress over.

Sure you could also just open the beer and drink it, then leave the beer out and let it get warm on its own. I've done this more times than I could count. The problem here is that you're not really getting the full experience of the beer at the "desired temperature" from the start. The head starts to fade, and carbonation tends to drop. Your palate is probably not as fresh, and depending on the ABV you might be a little buzzed. My advice is just not to worry about it that much. While it's nice to have a recommended glass type and temperature, it's more enjoyable to just drink the beer than it is worrying about proper glassware and temperature.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]

This guy runs a work renowned brewery so I don't doubt him but consuming the beer as soon as possible goes against most info I have read...does this only apply to commercial brews..??

"Commercial brews" have nothing to recommend aging. End of story.

As for everything else, his advise is more correct than not - in the entire brewing constellation there are relatively few good brews that will benefit from bottle aging.

I'd take his advise on all counts...

Cheers!

 

[thCapn]

My keggerator has three taps and is set for 45F, no matter what is in it. I rather enjoy the transformation of the flavors as the glass of beer gradually warms. If I pour a beer I prefer colder then I'll use a smaller glass that I'll finish quicker and a larger glass for beers I like a bit warmer. The shape of the glass also has a big impact on it's ability to hold temps.

 

[worlddivides]

I think Teromous's post is pretty much perfect, but I think that in optimal situations the best "serving temperature" really depends on the beer. I honestly prefer light beers (such as lagers) to be very cold. I have had lagers at 32F/0C and also around 45F/7C and the colder lager always, regardless of brand or category (craft, micro, macro, etc.), tastes MUCH MUCH MUCH better (seriously. the exact same beer can taste 100x better at 32F than at 45F or even warmer). But for dark beers like stouts, I do think that they taste better a little warmer. Likewise, with other specific styles, just how warm or cool is optimal can differ. But, as Teromous said, most people don't have a device to get the beverage to that temperature, and does it really matter that much?

 

[Pkrd]

I have just finished reading an interesting article

That article also said beer is 80-90% malt?

From the brewery that trademarked radler? :smack:

 

[Donmega]

That article also said beer is 80-90% malt?



From the brewery that trademarked radler? :smack:

True to that !!


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