Drinking beer at room temperature

Room temperature is 60F/16C? That is pretty ideal temp to be drinking Iris, sure it could bd a little colder, but if it really was 60F thats great, now if it is more around 75 or something that's a different story.

 

When I first started getting into better beer, I bought a St. Bernardus Abt 12 (750ml). I popped it's cork and poured into a wine glass. I tasted it, boy was it strong. It was at Baltimore room temp which is about 72 degrees. I put a bottle stopper in it, placed it in the fridge waited about an hour. Poured another glass and it was one of the best beers I've ever had.

 

I would say Iris is at its best between 50 and 60 degrees (F). I have had it overly chilled and above 60 degrees, and I definitely prefer the later. I have never understood the American tendency to chill beers (especially ales) so much.

 

A friend recently tried Ommegang Abbey Ale and wasn't impressed but said that he had it cold (~40F). I bought some and had it chilled it a little to get it to about 55F and found it was delicious. In my experience the flavor of the heavier beers and ales are more apparent around 50-60F which makes them more enjoyable. That's probably why a lot of the better beers have a recommended temperature on their labels.

 

Just think about how long we had refrigeration for EVERYONE, its not that long ago. in my memory of the 1970's, in many places the beer was still served in casks at room temp. Granted this was Europe. Many beers do well at Room temp.
60f is NOT hot. its barely warm IMHO. cheers!

 

... is better than no Iris at all.

 

The reason most American brewers recommend drinking their products ice cold is that the temperature numbs the taste buds, and you don't detect the flaws.

 

Ugh. No matter what anyone says, I can't do room temperature beer. I'm sure it's true that you miss the subtle characteristics when it's ice cold, but warm beer makes me gag. It just does.

 

I highly recommend visiting de Bierboom in Brugge if the opportunity arises. Pannepot at room temp there is magnificent. I wanted to drink a Oud Beersel Geuze but they only had warm bottles available and I thought it was fine so I don't see a problem. Lambic beers are probably better a little cooler but whatever.

 

How many different beers have you tried at room temperature, though? Some beers (JW Lees Harvest or Thomas Hardy's, for example) will taste kind of metallic and nasty if they are too cool but have nice nutty, caramel flavors at room temperature.

 

This is an interesting insight. I did not realize that BMC beers were rather bland, but now that you mention it, that is most certainly the case. Pretty clever of them to use physics and biology tricks to their advantage to fool people into thinking that their beer is something other than mediocre. They got me, that's for sure!

Did BMC ever think about pressurizing their beers like crazy? That would both lower the freezing point of water, allowing them to serve it even colder, and shoot it down your mouth faster, giving you less time to taste its "flavor". Don't bother patenting this because I already publicly disclosed it here, but it seems like the ultimate BMC delivery system if you ask me.

 

I also enjoy my beers closer to room temp than the opposite. Damn MI winters and me still believing that I can leave a six pack in the snowbank as a cooler leads to some over frozen beers sometimes, hey here's to beer slushies!

 

I try everything cold and then let it warm up to compare the change in flavor, so room temp beer isn't a problem for me.

 

I'm cool (no pun intended) with a room temperature beer. Something like an Imperial Stout or Imperial IPA, I prefer a little bit warmer than "cellar" temp. Most other beer I pour cold and take sip, then it sits for at least 5 minutes unless I'm just plain ol' thirsty. Like someone else said, 60F is fine. 75F + and I would pass.

 

Is this a polite way of saying "animal shitesque"? seriously I don't know.

Damn, dude...
(misty watercolored memories...)

 

where room temperature is 60?

 

To each his own. They have to at least be at fridge temperature for me. Hoppy beers I even like to put in the freezer for a few minutes.

 

Beer Tasting Terms:

Barnyard Used to describe the earthy and sometimes vegetal undertones (often with hints of sweat or urine mixed in). These aromas are most common in spontaneously fermented beers. At low levels some beer drinkers may find this appealing, for others it may offend. At higher levels most people find these notes unpleasing.