Are you drinking your ales too cold?

I agree that most ales taste better if served warmer - 50F or so.
I often keep them in my garage which has a constant temp around 50

 

I take my ales from the refrigerator (e.g., about 40 degrees F) and then pour them into a room temperature glass. I never measured it but the beer will be slightly warmed by the room temperature glass. I also take my time drinking those ales (i.e., I am not a guzzler) and those last few sips will much warmer at that point in time. This all works for me.

Cheers!

 

I will wait 10-15 minutes before opening and pouring an IPA or pale ale. If it's a stout I'll wait a half hour or so, less depending on my lack of patience. Barleywine, belgian trappist-style beers and lambics I usually prefer just shy of room temp.

The article linked below shows suggested serving temperatures. I never go to the trouble to check temperatures, other than touch the can or bottle with my hand and say "yeah that feels about right."

https://homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/proper-beer-serving-temperatures/

 

That only applies during various weeks in Texas!

 

My whole thing is that I want to drink through the ideal temp, not start with it. Ideally I want to reach it mid drink because if I start at ideal temp, the beer's too warm once I get close to finishing it. So I'm good just drinking it cold right out of the fridge because I drink slow.

 

I often pull out my next beer while I am drinking the current one. If the next is a stout I’ll take it out of the fridge at the same time. Light beer half way. I rarely let the first one sit out unless it’s a stout/ IG beer or a beer that really improves at warmer temp.

 

Yes I do.

I like cold drinks, and I will drink my beer in a manner that pleases me, which is cold.

 

I'm never in a hurry to drink my beer (95% of the time I'm having a meal too) and I can take two hours to finish it, so starting at 40 degrees and then finishing at room temp, somewhere in that range is the ideal temp. I think it varies with the style, and it doesn't matter if it's an ale or lager. I think ales start hitting their best flavor around 20 minutes after opening, so probably around 50 degrees. Porters and stouts probably take slightly longer, so maybe 52-55 degrees.

I drink many more ales than lagers so I've studied/noticed the above temps due to the frequency of drinking ales. However, I'm not so sure that lagers are much, if any, different.

 

Most English or cask ales, are ideally served at cellar temperatures. This is usually in the low 50’s F. I actually find this to be a really nice experience. Allows them to open up.

I think the only beers that benefit from really cold temps in the 30’s to 40’s are the Bud/Miller/Coors variety. But don’t get me wrong, they hit the spot on a hot Texas day (England has no real knowledge of this).

 

Fuck ChatGPT. It has never tasted a beer and never will.

 

Thsi is why i think most ales are trash.

If the shit gotta be "frozen" to enjoy it then its garbage.
Very rarely are beers outstanding at room temp , but the good ones are.

I compare it to Unplugged music.
If you need electricity ( aka a modern marvel) to be enjoyable then you're garbage.

Do better.

 

"Ales" covers a lot of territory. You can keep your "lawnmower" beers, 'cause nothing beats a cold Zombie Dust on a hot and humid day. Flavored imperial stouts hit their sweet spot for me at 60°F or thereabouts; that seems to be where the flavors become discernable. I'll take saisons and other table-type beers at slightly below room temperature because I'm usually having these with a good meal. I guess about the only hard and fast rule for me is that ice-cold beer is a no-no unless I'm drinking an insipid macro lager, which I'm not. Ever.

 

I've noticed when drinking bourbon barrel aged beers, the bourbon doesn't really come through until it warms up a bit.

 

I'd say about 40 is ideal for me for most styles, maybe a bit warmer for stouts & porters.

 

Guiltyish. I pour my strong dark beers at fridge temperature, and drink them over a period of one to three hours, depending on ABV, ounces, flavor, circumstances, etc. For reviews, this works great since I can adjust the review as it warms, though I post the review from first impression. I rarely check temperature, but have a Fluke IR thermometer 'gun' when I do.

 

The two options are having a designated drinking room with a supplemental HVAC system so you can temperature control the room to the appropriate beer temperature. You need the beer to be 55 degrees? Set the room to 55 degrees that way you don’t risk warming the the beer up while drinking it.

the other option is just drink the beer straight from the fridge but keep a thermometer in your mouth and let your mouth warm up the beer. Once you see the sip of beer in your mouth hit the desired temperature on the thermometer go ahead and swallow that sip. This is a much more involved process than the dedicated room, but easier on the budget.

 

Nor will ChatGPT ever get poked in its eye by a thermometer trying to measure an exact 53° in a glass of IPA.
(Damn, its up to 54°! I gotta stop nursing this beer!)

Of course, pre-craft era AAL brewers often suggested temps higher than the above's "33° – 40° F" (OK, maybe not this high...).

 

I don't relish the thought of a 53 deg Genesee Cream Ale.

 

You want it warmer or colder?