Why do my beers taste better at room temperature?

[mr_tripp]

I have been brewing all-grain and extract for about 2 years and it seems that the warmer my beer the better it taste. I know I have seen on several forums that beer should not be that cold, but why do commercial beers taste good at colder temperatures?

 

[Wakadaka]

which commercial beers are you talking about.

Rules of thumb that I follow (might not be universal):
lagers served colder than ales
the more carbonation the lower the temperature
higher the fg warmer the temperature
the more body in a beer the warmer the temperature

don't frost your mugs unless you don't want to taste what you are drinking.

traditionally beer isn't served cold. The colder it gets the less flavor you taste. Some beers are meant to be served very cold, but generally the whole "ice cold beer" motto seems to come from BMC type beers, to help with the "drinkability".

I love the coors light mountains that tell you when your beer is cold enough to drink. Always gotten a kick out of them

 

[dfc]

which commercial beers are you talking about.

Rules of thumb that I follow (might not be universal):
lagers served colder than ales
the more carbonation the lower the temperature
higher the fg warmer the temperature
the more body in a beer the warmer the temperature

don't frost your mugs unless you don't want to taste what you are drinking.

traditionally beer isn't served cold. The colder it gets the less flavor you taste. Some beers are meant to be served very cold, but generally the whole "ice cold beer" motto seems to come from BMC type beers, to help with the "drinkability".

I love the coors light mountains that tell you when your beer is cold enough to drink. Always gotten a kick out of them

 

[GuldTuborg]

Rules of thumb that I follow (might not be universal):

Pretty good list there, most of which I also find to hold true, most all the time. I'd only add that, in general, the higher alcohol %, the warmer you might serve, as well.

Also, OP, what kind of beers are you making? Many styles (especially from Britain and Belgium) tend to taste better on the warm side. Another rule might be, the more flavor derived from yeast, the warmer it should be served.

 

[Wakadaka]

Another rule might be, the more flavor derived from yeast, the warmer it should be served.

Really? I typically like my wheat beers served rather cold? That is the only style that I have brewed that I would think the flavor comes from the yeast. What other styles are yeast dependent flavors? Maybe a kolsch?

 

[Wakadaka]

Around what temperature are you actually talking anyways? I have had several beers at ~70 degrees, and I wouldn't say I prefer it to ~45.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Really? I typically like my wheat beers served rather cold?

Hmmm. Good point. That may be an exception to the rule. But then again, I assume we're talking hefeweizens and wits, which we expect to be extra carbonated and refreshing. Those traits we already counted on the "better served cold" side. It's all a matter of balance, I suppose.

 

[BmillaTheBrewzilla]

So many layers of taste make themselves known as a good beer warms a little bit.