Cellar temperature worries

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by CoreyC, Jan 10, 2016.

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  1. CoreyC

    CoreyC Initiate (0) Mar 16, 2015 Wisconsin

    I've read a lot posts here and was feeling ok about my basement closet cellar spot until I recent got the book Vintage Beer, which was also recommended here. I'm in Wisconsin and while my cellar is great right now at around 58 degrees, I believe it got to 72 last summer. The author warns against cellars that go above 65 degrees. Should I be worried?
    In the past I only aged a few beers and only one so far for over a year, but I just loaded up with a lot freaky nice beer as my Christmas gifts. Some on these I'd want to age five years plus. I worried I might ruin a lot of expensive beer. Should I stay on the short end, like 1 year instead of going long?
    Any input from relevant experience is much appreciated.
     
    #1 CoreyC, Jan 10, 2016
  2. srgehl

    srgehl Crusader (437) Oct 22, 2014 New Jersey

    I cellar all my beers in a converted freezer chest that stays at a constant 55F. I live in the northeast and my buddy keeps all his beer in a guest bedroom closet at room temp. so far the oldest beer we've both purchased at the same time and drank later on was 2 years old. And I tasted no difference between his room temp cellared beer and my 55F cellared beer. I will say that both of us keep our beer in complete darkness. Which I think is the most important.

    That doesn't mean that I think temp doesn't matter. I just think that people scare themselves into thinking beer is like ice cream. IMO a couple of days, or weeks of high temps won't destroy your beer. But if you want be safe investing in a fridge or freezer and adding a external thermostat to keep it at controlled temp is the way to go.
     
    #2 srgehl, Jan 10, 2016
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