Cooling Cellared Beers Before You Drink?

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by joberlander, Jun 11, 2015.

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  1. joberlander

    joberlander Initiate (0) May 30, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    So I've gone back and forth on this and wanted to get other people's opinion. Do you, when your going to drink a beer in your cellar, throw it in the fridge to cool it down or do you just drink it at cellared temp? I know rules of thumb say drink at whatever temp you store your beer in but I bought dark horse plead the 5th from a cooler and kept 2 bottles cool and drank them and really enjoyed the flavors come out as it warms. I was thinking I may try it more. especially with it being summer and a cooler beverage tastes much better on a hot day.

    Cheers!
     
  2. JouerAvecLeFeu

    JouerAvecLeFeu Pooh-Bah (2,032) Apr 17, 2015 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    I almost always chill. But, I've been told that I don't run with the heard..
     
  3. eb1610

    eb1610 Savant (1,227) Jan 3, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Depends on the beer but I usually chill at least a little bit to see how it changes as it warms
     
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  4. atpca

    atpca Pooh-Bah (1,652) Jun 10, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Totally depends on the style. Most of my stuff is at 53 or 55F and for my go-to styles (lambics, barleywines) that seems to be a good starting point for drinking.
     
  5. Scott17Taylor

    Scott17Taylor Initiate (0) Oct 28, 2013 Iowa
    Trader

    I drink at cellar temp, the warmer the beer the more flavors will come out. I see the point in chilling to experience the changes, but for me I'd rather just drink it at the right temperature for the style right away.
     
  6. dheldman

    dheldman Maven (1,255) Feb 7, 2011 Minnesota

    All a matter of preference but I agree it seems well linked to styles. For stouts the 55F range seems about right for getting right into it but for sours and saisons it's a touch on the warm side for me. I tend to let these get down to fridge temps, about 35F, and then warm them just a bit before serving. Probably comes out to be 40F or so.
     
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  7. sbconrad

    sbconrad Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2015 Pennsylvania

    I always warm things up when they come out of the fridge until they're around cellar temp anyways, so I just drink as is.
     
  8. MisterKilderkin

    MisterKilderkin Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2011 California

    Depends. I keep my cellar at 55. Good for most. Sometimes I want something a bit colder...
     
  9. joberlander

    joberlander Initiate (0) May 30, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Ok, my cellar is probably around 60 degrees, so I'll probably start chilling a little.
     
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  10. Sneex

    Sneex Initiate (0) Jul 25, 2014 Rhode Island

    That's the way I do it. My cellar's about 55 in the winter, 65 in the summer... so I normally drink at cellar temp half the year and chill for 15ish minutes in the fridge the other half of the year.
     
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  11. mattosgood

    mattosgood Initiate (0) Jan 13, 2014 Massachusetts

    Until recently, I'd place them in the refrigerator the morning of. It's cool enough in my cellar, though, to just bring them up and serve as is. I doubted this technique until I opened a barleywine I really like (Pretty Things) and drank straight from the cellar and was really, really pleased. Maybe it's a case by case basis, but I'd seriously doubt I ever chill again. Maybe with my Stone Enjoy After.
     
  12. atpca

    atpca Pooh-Bah (1,652) Jun 10, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Oh man, fridge temp sours and especially Gueuze is a personal pet peeve.
     
  13. BranfordBound

    BranfordBound Initiate (0) Apr 7, 2010 Connecticut

    I don't have a separate fridge for cellaring, so my cellar beers are literally on the floor in a closet in my basement. I don't imagine they get too warm, but they probably aren't too cool either.

    I might chill them a little bit before opening, maybe =<15 mins in the refrigerator before opening. If I sense it is too cold I will let it sit. I think that is the beauty of cellar and cask beers - you want them a bit warmer to really enjoy that first assault of flavor to the tongue.
     
  14. HopVol

    HopVol Initiate (0) Mar 31, 2015 Tennessee

    Depends your cellar temp. My cellar stays about 68, I know that's not ideal but it is what it is. I chill mine first and sometimes I let it sit in the glass and warm up a few minutes. I have even used my thermapen to see when it hits around 55 but usually don't bother with that. Typically if its a bomber I leave the 2nd half sitting out while I drink the first half and see how it changes as it warms.
     
  15. dheldman

    dheldman Maven (1,255) Feb 7, 2011 Minnesota

    Try Vlad the Imp Aler warm, it's not good. Sorry. Gueuze can be a little warmer though, totally agree there.
     
  16. atpca

    atpca Pooh-Bah (1,652) Jun 10, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I didn't think Vlad was good at *any* temperature! :stuck_out_tongue:
     
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  17. Imperial207

    Imperial207 Initiate (0) Aug 9, 2014 Maine

    Depends on the beer but I generally chill them and let them come up to temp as I drink them. Usually take me an hour to sip a good beer so I like to start cold and let flavors develope as I drink it.
     
  18. HighWine

    HighWine Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 Illinois

    I used to keep my cellar at 54 degrees but always felt the beers were a little too warm when I wanted to drink them. I hated waiting for the bottles to cool down in the fridge so I lowered my cellar temp to 50 degrees. Ive been happier since and really enjoy not going to the fridge with them anymore.
     
  19. RobertRuiz

    RobertRuiz Initiate (0) Jan 10, 2015 Texas

    Mine hovers between 50 and 55, so for me it's straight cellar temp...
     
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