Craft Beer: Why Temperature Matters
Hello fellow Steemers, we all love cold beer, right? I know I do. Just about any beer tastes refreshing and quenching if it’s served super cold. Most everyone I know insists on their beer ice cold. However, just about any beer served cold, while refreshing, will taste similar. It may not be reaching its full flavor potential. When we are dealing with craft beer, we are paying extra for the unique hop flavor and special nuances brought on by higher-quality ingredients. I am not against ice cold beer, but why waste money on craft beer and not just have a Miller Lite instead?
It turns out, the improper temperature of beer can definitely mask the flavors of a beer. The cold temperatures deactivate the compounds in the beer which produce the aroma and flavor. It can be said that craft beer served too cold can “numb” the taste. All you will taste is cold, and not much else.
Warm beer also has similar effect. The compounds are allowed to release hop flavor and aroma, but once the beer gets too high in temperature, the hop bitterness or hop “bite” dissipates. As the beer warms, the carbonation, which is the vehicle carrying the flavor compounds upward for you to taste is also gone. One only needs to taste one flat beer to understand how much it can lose its luster. It can be a super-hopped bale ale, or super bitter IPA, but too warm it just tastes like grain-water. At least when it’s cold, it’s refreshing!
Each beer style is best served in its own different temperature range. Pretty much all beer lower than 32-33 degrees (freezing temperature) is going to suffer in the flavor department. 55 degrees is where just about any beer starts to become too warm and will slowly “fall off.” We do not have a 20 degree range to work with though, because most beer has about only a 10 degree range for flavor optimization depending on its style.
Lagers and Pilsners can be served the coldest. A light lager should be anywhere from 34-40 degrees, and pale lagers and pilsners should be at 38-45 degrees. These beers are not hop-centered so that’s why they don't really need the higher temperature to get the flavor compounds going. They are brewed cold and drank cold.
Belgian and American Pale Ales, India Pale Ales, Wheat Beers, most sours/lambics should be served between 40-50 degrees. This is the perfect balance between “numbing” the beer and having it “fall off.” Somewhere around 45 degrees will have it at its ideal temperature.
Stouts and Porters are served a little colder at an ideal temperature of 45-55 degrees. The colder temperature tends to hold the body of the beer together better. However, it is customary to have a a “stout” warm up, so I will start at around 50-55 degrees, but I like to sip on it and see how the flavors change as it gets down to 40-45 degrees personally.
Of course, there are beers that are meant to be enjoyed warmer. Strong Ales, Casked Ales, most Barleywines, and Belgian Dubbels flourish around 55 degrees and often higher when their greatest flavors get released. But take the average room temperature of around 62-72 degrees. I cannot think of one beer that will taste good at that temperature. Best to get it to at least 50-55 degrees first, and see how it is as it warms up.
Of course, these are just some general guidelines and not comprehensive, but just a quick reference so you can enjoy the craft beer you bought as much as possible.
Pardon my ethnocentrism, but I did put all temperatures in Fahrenheit. Here’s a quick conversion table for my global friends!
If you enjoyed this post, please follow and/or upvote it! Cheers!
And If you want to optimize your craft beer experience even more, check out my post about glassware - Proper Glassware
So very true. I forgot what company it was, but they put the temp and mug style on the bottle for opium drinking. #Resteemed
Thanks, that's a great point I should have included! Breweries are increasingly putting that on the bottle to guide people. It helps them in the long haul. If someone drinks the beer and doesn't like it due to not being served right, people will say the beer stinks.
I’ve told so many people that they are drinking their beers at the wrong temperature and they just look at me like I’m crazy. I think people have been conditioned by the macro beers that colder is better.
Yea, my dad thinks I am crazy especially. He insists on ice cold beer no matter the style and he likes a frozen glass too....to each his own I guess.
Frosted glasses are the worst; they just water down your beer. I’ve sent them back at restaurants for unchilled glasses. Just imagine the looks I got...
Yea..frosted glass is the quickest way to find out I am in a noob joint.
So true! Cheers man I look forward to reading more of your posts.
I've always loved my beer ice cold, definitely a must if drinking some Coors Light or Miller Light.
When I started getting into craft beer I remember reading it should be served a bit warmer, took me some getting used to as I really do love an iced cold beer.
One of my favorite beers of all time were the Coors Light Raddlers, not sure if you remember them they were only out like one summer but man were those good on a hot summer day and they had a pretty good alcohol content as well. I know it's probably a sin to mention Coors as being your favorite brew for a craft beer snob but man did I love that beer.
These days summertime I really enjoy a Founders All Day IPA, one of these days I wanna make it up to Grand Rapids and visit them.
I have not had that one, but I have made radlers out of many beers. Pouring anywhere from 1-2 parts grapefruit juice, or Fruit soda to 5 parts beer. It is pretty refreshing. I like these kind of drinks when it's hot and I am outside or I am somewhere sunny on vacation. Craft beer just loses its temp too fast then and it tastes terrible. I also like how Micheladas make Mexican cervezas more interesting as well by adding the spicy tomato juice. I think its less about snobbery but finding out what you want to get out of the experience and maximizing it. If I am at Half Acre for instance, you're paying more for the flavor from unique hops and ingredients, and they tend to taste way better when served at a certain temp and in the right glass
Yeah the Coors Light Raddler obviously wasn't the best quality of beers but it sure hit the spot on a hot summer day at the beach. We spend most weekends during the summer out in SW Michigan at Weko Beach in Brigman or Grand Mere State Park in Stevenville or sometimes we'll check out Southhaven or another little beach town.
In regards to Raddlers if you have a Standard Market near you they make a great raddler in the summer time with fresh soda and juice they make in house, pretty good.
I'm also a hug fan of Micheladas, Victoria is my beer of choice for Mexican beer. I'm actually heading down to Playa in a couple weeks so will probably be drinking a bunch of those.
Thanks for the post man! Learned something about beer today, really cool
well, this didn't take long :)
great post!
Besides you damn 'muricans and your farenheits, got my like wtf at first, so thanks for adding the conversions. ;)