Cold Storage For All Beer?

[Oktober]

Hey All,

So after you have finished with a beer (either bottle conditioning or in a keg), does everyone keep their finished beer refrigerated while it is being stored. Obviously everyone refrigerates before serving it, but if you know you probably won't drink it for a couple weeks, to you keep it on the shelf or always keep it in the fridge?

All my beer is bottle conditioned and as my inventory of beer continues to grow, I've run out of room in the beer fridge. As such, I'm forced to let some beer sit at room temp until space frees up in the beer fridge. (The wife and I have been battling for space in our main fridge, and I’ve been able to secure a little more than a beachhead at best).

Of course, the easy answer is to drink more so there is always more room - that's a strategy I'm constantly working on

Thanks!

-Okt

[Bugeater]

As you know, some beers are best when drunk young. Other styles benefit from aging for a while. Storage at room temperature tends to speed up that aging process.

Styles like English bitters and milds, hefeweizens, and blonde ales should all be drunk fairly soon after being bottled and carbonated. These should definitely be kept in the refrigerator.

High alcohol beers like barleywines, wee heavys, old ales and imperial stouts can be safely stored at room temperatures for long periods of time.

Beers in between can be stored at room temperature but should be put into the cooler whenever you have room.

The key is to sort the beers by type and keep track of how old they are so you can rotate them into the fridge.

Wayne

[Chupa LaHomebrew]

Room temp isn't so bad, just watch out for summer temps! Do you have a basement?

[Bellmer]

As you know, some beers are best when drunk young. Other styles benefit from aging for a while. Storage at room temperature tends to speed up that aging process.

Styles like English bitters and milds, hefeweizens, and blonde ales should all be drunk fairly soon after being bottled and carbonated. These should definitely be kept in the refrigerator.

High alcohol beers like barleywines, wee heavys, old ales and imperial stouts can be safely stored at room temperatures for long periods of time.

Beers in between can be stored at room temperature but should be put into the cooler whenever you have room.

The key is to sort the beers by type and keep track of how old they are so you can rotate them into the fridge.

Wayne

I agree with everything Bug has said here (as usual). I just wanted to add that every beer needs to sit a little while to allow for the uptake of the bottling sugars etc. and to let the flavors meld - even pale ales, blondes, etc. So I think they are all safe for a couple of weeks at room temperature. Personally, living in a tiny apartment with my fiancee, there is no room to begin with let alone room for beer in the fridge (I hide the good ones in the back), so all of mine are room temp practically. I try to keep them in the central area of the apartment away from windows and shaded at all times. I don't believe I've had a problem with the beers that wasn't caused by my brewing practices (some fusels, some exploding bottles etc.). Things like the exploding bottles are definitely exacerbated by warmer temperatures, so if you have any you worry about as far as that goes, make sure and keep them cold or you might be digging glass out of your legs (your legs if you're lucky).