Beers are best drank cold—but what happens when it gets warm? Does warm temperature ruin the flavour of the beer? These are the most common questions that people ask when it comes to beer, and we’re going to dive deep into that.
First, to answer the question, “Does letting a cold beer get warm ruin its flavour?” No, it will not affect its flavour at all.
Why Beer Is Stored Cold
The main reason beers are stored cold, aside from them tasting better, is that the cold temperature can help beer stay fresher and longer. That’s it.
The Most Common “Skunky” Myth
The myth that when cold beer gets warm, it will get skunky is only a myth. Skunking isn’t a reaction to the beer’s change in temperature, but it is caused when light interacts with a chemical compound found in hops.
How Heat Affects Beer
When beer is exposed in higher-than-normal temperatures for a long period, it can affect its flavour. However, it’s not the heat that creates a distinct flavour, but heat speeds up the oxidation process.
Therefore, when oxidation takes place, that’s when beers develop a stale flavour. Some beers, like malt, may even develop a distinct sweet and toffee-ish flavour.
Additionally, the hoppiness of the beer dissipates when placed under extreme heat temperature.
How to Avoid Skunking
If you’re not keeping your beer in your fridge, store it in a cool, dark place instead. Your lights at home have UV rays, too, and UV rays aren’t just harmful to humans, but to beers as well.
Moreover, if you’re going to transfer the beer to a glass, skip the clear glass as well. Clear glasses can’t filter UV light well. Try a green, brown, or amber glass instead. But do you really need to transfer it? Just drink it from the can!
Also, it’s important that you are mindful of where you buy your beer. If the grocery store where you often purchase beers from store beers right by the windows or against a lighted glass door, then that’s not probably the best place to buy beers from. If you have the time, why don’t you check out some local breweries in your area?
If you’re in Australia, Geelong breweries are one of the best places to get beer from, and you can guarantee that you’ll get best-flavoured beers. If you’re up for it, you can even go for Geelong beer tours and get to know about the brewing process of beers.
The Moral of the Beer Story
Simply keep your beer cold when you can, but there’s nothing to worry about when it warms up and then you cool it again. It won’t affect its flavour, and you can still drink and enjoy it.
Beers demand respect, so if you want to be able to really enjoy it, you really have to respect it and its delicate chemistry. Just as long as it’s not exposed to extreme heat for an extended period of time, you have nothing to worry about your good ‘ol beer.
If you’re looking to learn more about beer in Geelong, book a Geelong Beer Tour to see how we can help.