Most higher quality craft beers should be consumed at cellar temperature, which is between 50-60 degrees fahrenheit. Some beers are best consumed at actual room temperature. Really, the only beers which should be consumed cold are lager/pilsner style beers, and the various pale ales. Barleywines, stouts and the various Belgian Ales are best consumed at cellar or room temperature. This is because more of a beer's flavors and complexities and released when the beer is warm. When you drink a beer that is ice cold, the flavor of the beer is somewhat deadened. This probably explains why the only possible way to drink most mainstream macro lagers without puking is to drink them ice cold.
ew, matt, i dont know.... i've never drank a beer that was even luke warm and liked the taste... but if you say so
Pressed rat is right...If you aren't into the true flavor of beer, consuming it at relatively warm temperatures will bring out the true flavor of the beer and may overpower you. If you've been drinking domestic piss beer warm, then yeah, you aren't gonna like it, lol.
I dont like any kind of liquid luke warm, not even water.... its gotta be cold for me to even stand it.
madcrappie... that's how i feel. i dont even like coffee or tea cold. so um i dunno. i drink decent beer and let it sit out (by accident) at times and have a sip and i just dont like it then... *shrugs*
Go to any REAL Irish pub and order a Guinness. They serve it right around 55-60 degrees. There is no point in drinking certain beers if they're too cold, because you lose many of the flavors and complexities that make these beers so appealing. American macro lagers are supposed to be consumed ice cold, because you don't want to be able to taste the beer. I couldn't fathom drinking a warm Budweiser, I'd probably puke. A couple of nights ago I was drinking some Belgian Abbey ale. At first I didn't like it because it was too astringent and bitter. Then I realized it was because the beer was too cold. So I left it out for a couple hours until it was right around room temperature, and the beer's flavor changed drastically from harsh to super smooth - almost velvety. Of course now that the summer is approaching, I am switching away from heavy ales and stouts, to pale ales and lagers (which I always drink fairly cold). Again, it's all about the style of the beer. It's just like how wine is also supposed to be consumed warm. It's all about preserving the flavor.
damn! i had two responses in my head for you, matt, and i lost one of them but anyways... the one response i can remember is, i dont even know if there are any REAL irish bars around here cause i have been to the ones that seem to be the most authentic around here (and i did lots of research) and the guiness was always served cold... OH! i remembered the other thing... funny how these things work... right when you stop trying to rememeber ... anywho, i know in germany they like to drink lots of beer warm so im sure you have a point... i've just let to acquire that "taste" yet i suppose.
hehe crappie me either... i think i know more about beer then 85% of the population (around here anyway) but matt makes me look like an idiot.
If you enjoy your beer served icy cold, you're not experiencing its full character as the aroma and taste are masked by the chill of the beer. Imagine trying to savor the rich flavors of your favorite food while eating it frozen. It wouldn't be very satisfying. Each style of beer offers its own medley of characteristics if enjoyed at its prescribed serving temperature. Beers are best served at temperatures ranging from 45 to 65F. No beers are best served at temperatures in the mid-30's, as is the case in most bars and restaurants throughout the United States.
Again, it depends on the style of the beer. If it's something fairly tame like a lager, pale ale or IPA, I like it to be cold. But not too cold. The only beer which should be consumed ice cold are your Budweisers, Old Milwaukees, Millers, etc., because these beers have no flavor or complexities to begin with. They're made to be chugged down like ice water. If I am drinking a Belgian ale, barleywine, or stout of any kind, I usually drink it at, or slightly below, room temperature, because that's the way they're supposed to be consumed. Or sometimes I let my beer refrigerate, then take it out and leave it out while I am drinking it, so it gradually warms up, yet remains a little chilled.
Well, im not sure if it takes the flavor to another level just liquid is refreshing when cold, something to make your mouth wet when its dry.
