Beer storage temp?

[kerrinmartin]

I've been to events where the keg was kept under the table and fed through a jockey box. I wonder if they do the same thing or if they brew, and never cold crash before they serve. Also, it can't be too bad for the beer, considering I pick up Lagers at room temp at the store, then put in my fridge at home. They have to go through some kind of cold process for lagering, then they come up to room temp for shipping and storage in the store.

Any advice here would be appreciated.

 

[LazyBrewer]

Long time home brewer here Keeping beer cold is always the best route. Chemical reactions happen faster at higher temperatures. This causes oxidation to happen more rapidly, bringing on a wet cardboard-like flavor is beer. Also, volatile hop flavors degrade faster at higher temps. Cold crashing is also the best method to assist in particulates (yeast, hop matter, and trub) dropping out of the beer. Beer stored warm in stores degrades faster than refrigerated beer. If possible, always pull your beer out f a cold case, rather than off a room temp shelf.

When my homebrew club poured at events out of jockey boxes, but we always kept our kegs iced down, in addition to the cooling from the ice in the jockey boxes.

 

[LazyBrewer]

And I love that you are thinking about beer at 4:17 am!

 

[BrandonBeach]

32.1 degrees, served in a frozen mug. Ahhhhhhh.......

Wait, what was The question?

 

[bass]

98.6 degrees - in my stomach

 

[Blue Lines]

I work in the wine industry and there is a huge amount of effort to care for and store wine at proper temperatures. This is good, but in actuality wine is fairly hardy while beer on the other hand is extremely fragile due to the hops and lower alcohol.

TLDR: take care of your beer, keep it cold and only purchase from those that do the same.

 

[bass]

@Blue Lining does beer that is stored warm immediately impact its quality or does it result in a shorter shelf life? Does the storage temp matter for canned or bottled beer?

I buy most of my beer from Costco and it is never cold.

 

[Blue Lines]

@Blue Lining does beer that is stored warm immediately impact its quality or does it result in a shorter shelf life? Does the storage temp matter for canned or bottled beer?

I buy most of my beer from Costco and it is never cold.

Great question!
Storing beer at warmer temps will impact it’s shelf life, and that impact can be extreme. Many beers are meant to be consumed within 6 months of canning/bottling (think IPA, lager, Pilsner) but in warm conditions that lifespan can be cut down to a few weeks.

Storage temp matters equally for both canned and bottled beer but bottled beer is also susceptible to light, becoming “light struck” and going skunky. This is due to a chemical reaction with a compound in the hops (so IPA and other very hoppy beers are more susceptible). The light causes what is called a cascading reaction, meaning when it begins it can move through the entire beer quickly.

All that said, Costco has a pretty high product turnover so it’s probably fine, but know it won’t be as fresh. I’d drink it quickly and not go for anything dusty.