If You Are Not Drinking Your Beer Warm, You Are Wrong?!?

I am a recent beer convert. Previously, I was a wine guy. Still am, but beer is on my mind these days. I mean, c’mon, it’s summer (at least on paper. Thanks stupid Rona), so you gotta have a frosty cold one.

I am the type that jumps in with both feet. I can become obsessed if not careful. So upon doing some research on the topic, imagine my surprise when experts claimed that drinking beer at room temperature is the correct way to drink it. Warm beer? Really? Not my bag. With that discovery, here are more ways how you could be drinking beer wrong.

1. Drinking Beer at Room Temp?

This really surprised me. Experts claim that you really should be drinking beer just above room temp. Like many of you, I find warm beer disgusting. I have yet to find a beer I can enjoy near room temp. This could depend on the type as well. Until I get this figured out, I will continue to enjoy my brews cold.

2. Don’t Frost Your Glass

I do this all time. You come to my place, and I have several frosted mugs ready to go. But experts claim that instead of serving beer in a frosted, cold glass, you should instead wet the glass with cold water on the inside. This will lessen friction which means more flavor and a better pour.

3. Do Not Let Beer Set Too Long

A couple years ago, I received a gift from the 805 Brewing Company (based in So Cal). It was a special bottle of their 805 (which was one of the first beers I tried). The bottle is now over 4 years old. Now, being a wine guy at the time, I treated it as a bottle of wine. Now, I understand that beer is meant to enjoyed as fresh as possible. It pains me to have to pour a bottle down the drain, but lesson learned. Don’t let your beer sit. Enjoy it as fresh as you can.

4. Pouring

The pour is the most important part. You can ruin a pour by pouring too fast or too slow (which contributes to bloat). We all know placing the glass at a 45 degree angle and aiming at the middle of the side of the glass is the goal. In all, the less friction, the better the pour. Also, don’t forget to rinse the glass with water to minimize friction when pouring. Also, a medium steady pour will help eliminate bloating caused by CO2. A slow pour can make you feel bloated. A nice medium paced pour will serve you well by releasing gases before it hits your belly. With that said, it also depends on the type of beer. Consult your local expert for details.

5. Store Bottles Standing Up

I made this faux paux recently and got chastised for it. NEVER lay down beer bottles to store them. For sciency reasons, storing upright helps keep it fresh longer. I recently put some in the fridge when we had some friends come over recently and was told that beer is best when stood up, not laying down. You can lay them down temporarily (as in within two days), but it is preferred to stand up on it’s base.

I have a lot more to learn and look forward to having this conversation with you when we chat soon!

All My Best,

The JimShow