Warm Beer: To Buy Or Not To Buy?

It is a common misconception that beer that has been stored warm is of lower quality than beer that has been refrigerated. In reality, the process of allowing cold beer to warm up and then cooling it again does not affect its flavour. However, it is worth noting that beer stored at higher-than-normal temperatures for extended periods may develop a stale taste. Additionally, the hoppiness of the beer will also dissipate under extreme heat.

Beer stored cold stays fresh longer

Beer is a perishable item and, like milk, it will last longer in the fridge than out of it. Beer stored cold stays fresh longer.

It is a myth that cold beer, when warmed to room temperature, will go "skunky" or bad. Skunking is a reaction caused by light interacting with a chemical compound found in hops and has nothing to do with temperature. The technical off-flavour name of skunky beer is "lightstruck" and is most common in beer packaged in clear or green glass.

However, higher-than-normal temperatures over an extended period can affect a beer's flavour. Heat speeds up the process of oxidation, which can cause some beers to develop a stale, cardboard-like flavour, accompanied by a note of sherry. More malt-forward beers can even develop a sweet, bready, toffee-ish flavour. A beer's ""hoppiness" will also dissipate with extreme heat. The bitterness hops impart in the beer will stay in the mouthfeel, but any of those piney, citrusy, or floral hop aromas won't stick around for long in a too-hot beer.

Keeping beer at room temperature can reduce its shelf life from nearly six months to only a few weeks, and exposing the same beer to very warm temperatures can affect its flavour in a matter of a couple of days. However, it can never make you sick. It just might not taste very good. Hop flavours and aromas will be diminished, first. Malt flavours that used to remind you of chocolate and caramel will begin to meld into a generic sickly "sweet" flavour, and in some beers reminders of wet cardboard and paper can develop.

That being said, it would take many cycles of cooling and warming to have an appreciable effect on the beer, and most beer has already experienced several cold-to-warm cycles in its journey from the brewery to your glass.

Beer can be stored warm, but it's better to store it cold

It is a common misconception that cycling between cold and warm temperatures will "skunk" a beer. In reality, this has little to no effect on the freshness of the beer. Beer that is stored cold, however, will stay fresher for longer.

The reason for this is that higher-than-normal temperatures can affect a beer's flavour. Heat speeds up the oxidation process, which can cause some beers to develop a stale, cardboard-like flavour with a note of sherry. Beers with a high proportion of malt can develop a sweet, bready, toffee-like flavour. Additionally, the "hoppiness" of a beer will dissipate with extreme heat.

While it is true that light, not temperature, is the main cause of "skunky" beer, storing beer cold will help to preserve the flavour as the brewer intended. Keeping beer at room temperature can reduce its shelf life from almost six months to just a few weeks, and exposing beer to very warm temperatures can affect its flavour in a matter of days.

So, while it is possible to store beer warm, it is better to store it cold to maintain its freshness and flavour.

Extreme temperature fluctuations can ruin beer

Extreme temperature fluctuations can indeed ruin beer. While it is a myth that warming and then cooling beer will "skunk" it, exposing beer to very warm temperatures can affect its flavour in a matter of days. Beer is best preserved when kept cold, and keeping it at room temperature can reduce its shelf life from nearly six months to only a few weeks.

The reason for this is that heat speeds up the process of oxidation, which causes some beers to develop a stale, cardboard-like flavour, accompanied by a note of sherry. Beers with more malt can even develop a sweet, bready, toffee-like flavour. The "hoppiness" of a beer will also dissipate in extreme heat, with any piney, citrusy, or floral hop aromas failing to endure.

It is important to note that the effects of oxidation increase exponentially as the temperature of the beer rises. Therefore, a beer sitting at 60 degrees Fahrenheit will retain its original flavour for much longer than a beer sitting at 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

To prevent beer from spoiling, it is recommended to store it in a cool, shady spot, avoiding direct sunlight or extreme heat.

Light is the number one cause of skunky beer, not temperature

It is a common misconception that temperature cycling "skunks" beer. In reality, it is exposure to light—specifically, blue light and ultraviolet light—that causes skunking. Skunked beer is caused by a reaction between light and bitter hop compounds called iso-alpha acids, which results in the formation of 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (3MBT or MBT). MBT is a sulfur compound that gives beer a skunky or musky smell and taste.

The reaction between light and hops can occur very quickly, especially in strong sunlight. Beer left in direct sunlight can become skunked in less than a minute, while it may take a few hours in diffuse daylight and a few days under normal fluorescent light. Brewers typically use aluminum or dark glass packaging to protect their beer from light. Clear glass bottles and green-tinted glass do not offer enough protection from light, and beer packaged in these materials is at a higher risk of becoming skunked. Consumers can also protect their beer from skunking by using opaque glassware when drinking in direct sunlight and storing beer in a dark place.

While temperature does affect beer, it is exposure to warm temperatures over an extended period that can negatively impact its flavor—not temperature cycling. Keeping beer at room temperature can reduce its shelf life from nearly six months to only a few weeks, and exposing beer to very warm temperatures can affect its flavor in a matter of days. However, it is important to note that temperature fluctuations alone will not skunk beer.

So, if you're wondering whether to buy beer that has been stored warm, you can rest assured that the warm storage conditions alone will not have skunked the beer. However, it is essential to consider other factors, such as light exposure and the duration of warm storage, which may impact the beer's freshness and flavor.

Beer exposed to warm temperatures for extended periods will lose its hoppiness

Beer is best when stored cold. While it is a myth that temperature cycling ruins beer, exposing beer to warm temperatures for extended periods will negatively affect its flavour.

Heat speeds up the process of oxidation in beer. This causes some beers to develop a stale, cardboard-like flavour, with a note of sherry. Beers that are more malt-forward can even develop a sweet, bready, and toffee-like flavour.

The "hoppiness" of beer will also dissipate with extreme heat. While the bitterness of hops will remain in the mouthfeel, any piney, citrusy, or floral hop aromas will not stick around for long in a too-hot beer.

The temperature at which these flavour changes occur depends on the type of beer. A beer sitting at 60 degrees Fahrenheit will retain its original flavour for much longer than a beer sitting at 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is worth noting that temperature changes do not affect all beers in the same way. For example, the effect of temperature on kettle-soured beers is minimal because the bacteria are killed off during the boiling process. On the other hand, live sour beers with live bacteria in the package may be affected by temperature changes as warming the beer up can revive dormant yeast and bacteria.

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