Munchies: "You Should Stop Drinking Ice-Cold Beer"

Man, glad I don't pay your heat bill or cut your wood. 72? Really? I am at 60.

I know someone who does drink all beer at room temperature. He claims cellar temp is too cold. Me, it depends on the beer, but cellar temp is best for most, and I also do enjoy many beers in the 60+ degree range.

 

Well, still glad I don't pay your heat bill or cut your wood.

 

But if we look further, we find it has a lot to do with you, because room temperature has no exact definition.

https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_temperature

 

For most of the beer consumed in the US, the melted ice turns to water and fits in perfectly with the rest of the beer already in glass.

 

I almost always remember ask for a room temperature glass, and offer to take a wine glass if all the glassware is chilled. You should see how my wife rolls her eyes...

 

The gal behind the bar shouldn't be behind the bar if she has no idea what "neat" means.

 

Funny you should ask. A few years back I was in a London pub and ordered an ale. The bartender asked me if I wanted ice in it. I said "Thank you, no" and then asked why he thought I would want ice in my beer. He replied "You're an American, aren't you?"

 

I like most IPAs pretty cold. Certainly much colder than 50 degrees. "Ice cold", maybe not. The bigger, maltier, higher abv DIPAs can be a little warmer. But something like Little Sumpin Sumpin is much better at 36 than 46. I can't even drink a cask IPA.

Most stouts, porters, scotch ales, strong ales I would prefer a little warmer. Still, above 50 is a little too warm, certainly as a starting temperature. I'm sure my BCBS gets to that temperature before I'm done with it, But I'd rather consume it from 40-50 than 50-60.

There is no place around here using "frosty mugs" that serves any beer better than say a Wachusett Blueberry beer, which is fine in that glass (frozen blueberries are a nice touch too).

 

You keep your house at 60°??? I don't have any reason to doubt you, but that is freaking cold. I have a relative who keeps their house at 63° and it's an old family joke about wearing long underwear at holidays!

 

But, sir, then your liquor will taste like liquor... you must be confused, you don't want any pepsi or anything in it?

 

It was at the golf course in my small hometown. I was there for an anniversary party. The girl likely had a schedule of two workdays per pay period and 98% percent of the drinks she served were either Mich Ultra or rum and coke.

 

I also recycle everything possible, compost everything possible, don't fly (well once in last 30 years), drive under 6K a year, and work managing a recycling facility (where I have steered half a million pounds of recyclable material from the waste stream into the manufacturing stream). I am a committed green guy, and recommend the same to everyone. Once you get used to it (I do wear a sweatshirt round the house) 60 is nice and warm.

 

I think my refrigerator is set to between 34 and 35 degrees Fahrenheit. love me some ice cold brews, especially fresh IPAs.

 

This is in my best John Wayne accent and dialect, "Thou shalt not should others or oneself, pilgrim".

 

Sounds like a First World Anarchist to me. I bet he walks up escalators and in the 'out' door at grocery stores!

 

I tend to start with a cold beer, then after the first sip regret that I had it so cold, and use my hands to warm it up, once it's at like 45 to 55, it's good to go. There is something to be said though for trying something new at sub 40 degrees, and drinking it as it warms up, you notice far more delicious little nuances as each comes into its own as the temp. rises. First time I had xocoveza a few days ago I did this, and was pleasantly blown away as it went from good but unremarkable at 36 degrees, to utterly amazing 55 degrees, if I had started at 50 to 55, I don't think I would have really noticed so thoroughly every flavor in that beer. Im a bit too easily amused I suppose, experiencing those changes in a new beer always excites me.

That said, I worked in a pizza place some years back that kept the pint glasses in the freezer, even the damn wine glasses were in the freezer, it bothered the crap outta me but the manager refused to stop doing it. Nobody ever asked for a warmer glass, even for wine (which i thought was weird) i offered it when they'd order something other than BMC, but they just looked at me like I was crazy for even suggesting they wouldn't want that ice coated glass that smelt like a musty pizza place freezer.

It's like built into our american psyche that we need our beer frozen in order to drink it, it's why you see liquor stores with huge signs boasting "COLDEST BEER IN TOWN/THE STATE/THE UNIVERSE", people think that's when beer tastes good...when really that's when beer tastes the most like water.