Temp fluctuation in cellar

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by fo1ksguitar, Dec 10, 2012.

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  1. fo1ksguitar

    fo1ksguitar Zealot (730) May 13, 2011 Missouri
    Trader

    Hello all, I have my cellar collection in my basement, where the temp probably drops to 50deg in winter and is up to 65-70 deg in the summer. Does a small amount of slow temp variation make a big difference in cellaring for longer periods of time (5+yrs)? Any advice is appreciated.
     
  2. jedwards

    jedwards Initiate (0) Feb 3, 2009 California

    People say it does, but it's really unknown for beer. The specific reason that it makes a difference for wine is that the temperature variance produces a pressure variance, which moves gas and vapor back and forth through the cork, typically accelerating ullage. That doesn't apply to (almost all) beer.

    The variation you describe is not very significant, and I doubt it would have a large impact on the flavor development beyond the result of the temperatures themselves. You may want to look into passive cooling methods to keep summer temperatures down if you're able to build in your basement -- Gold's book "How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar" is an excellent resource for information on passively cooled spaces.

    Also -- build yourself a "bottle thermometer" by inserting a thermometer into a glass bottle full of (boiled) water and sealing the top. You may find that the variation in the actual bottles is less than in the space itself.
     
    muletrane and maximum12 like this.
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