Ideal drinking temperature?

[kelper]

CAMRA and Cask Marque want pub beers served at 12 deg C for real ales but I find this too cold. My PB is connected to a beer engine. The PB sits on a stone floor. I measured my pint yesterday and it was 19.

Am I alone in enjoying bitters and IPAs at room temp? This was drinking outdoors on a hot day. I'd always hope to have the beer cooler than ambient.

 

[Cwrw666]

Isn't it meant to be a few degrees below ambient temperature? Hence why casks were traditionally stored in a coolish cellar.
It's certainly true that flavours are numbed when the beer is too cold.

 

[Hanglow]

No, I find a lot are too warm in the UK . For me it depends on the beer really; pale lagers, hefeweisse 6c to 10c or so, saisons, golden/pale/IP ales about 8-12c , most everything else 12c.


I do dislike ice cold beers, but you can always let your beer warm up a bit of it's too cold, but if it's too warm to start with then that is less than good.


Last time I was in Oxford a couple of years ago, every beer I had, with the exception of one venue, was served at about 20c and so was of course also flat. For me, it was very disappointing.

 

[kelper]

No, I find a lot are too warm in the UK . For me it depends on the beer really; pale lagers, hefeweisse 6c to 10c or so, saisons, golden/pale/IP ales about 8-12c , most everything else 12c.


I do dislike ice cold beers, but you can always let your beer warm up a bit of it's too cold, but if it's too warm to start with then that is less than good.


Last time I was in Oxford a couple of years ago, every beer I had, with the exception of one venue, was served at about 20c and so was of course also flat. For me, it was very disappointing.

Stick to pubs with the Cask Marque!

 

[samale]

8 degrees is perfect. Anything from 4 to 12 is acceptable.
I couldn't drink room temperature beer it will make me gag. Bad memories of underage drinking down the local tunnel or back lane

 

[Hanglow]

Stick to pubs with the Cask Marque!

I find that is no guarantee of any sort of quality unfortunately!

 

[JockyBrewer]

I set my kegerator at 5-7c, but that is for keg beer. Real ale should be warmer, I’d expect 12-13c.

 

[kelper]

Isn't it meant to be a few degrees below ambient temperature? Hence why casks were traditionally stored in a coolish cellar.
It's certainly true that flavours are numbed when the beer is too cold.

So what temp do you like?

 

[Clint]

Some can be too cold...ages ago I had a pint of Devils Backbone in Spoons and it was that cold I had brain freeze!
I told the server it was too cold but got a blank look....

 

[Cwrw666]

So what temp do you like?

A few degrees below room temperature which of course is going to vary through the year.

 

[uDicko]

Does style dictates serving temp? Personally drink pale hoppy stuff and never really looked into the serving temp but always have it around 5 - 7

 

[CD]

CAMRA and Cask Marque want pub beers served at 12 deg C for real ales but I find this too cold. My PB is connected to a beer engine. The PB sits on a stone floor. I measured my pint yesterday and it was 19.

Am I alone in enjoying bitters and IPAs at room temp? This was drinking outdoors on a hot day. I'd always hope to have the beer cooler than ambient.

19C is warm. Between 12 and 13.5 is cool. Much less is cold. I waste a lot of good drinking time in pubs, cradling my pint in my hands to try and warm it up until it tastes of something.

 

[marshbrewer]

I have my Kegorator set to 12° and that seems fine to me.

 

[kelper]

19C is warm. Between 12 and 13.5 is cool. Much less is cold. I waste a lot of good drinking time in pubs, cradling my pint in my hands to try and warm it up until it tastes of something.

So what is your ideal temp for pub beer?

 

[colliefish]

I like mine around 10 but also like to let it warm as I drink to get a full variety of flavours.
I really never understand Guinness extra cold. What’s that about. now I like a pint of Guinness but even standard spoons poured is way too cold.

 

[CD]

So what is your ideal temp for pub beer?

Cellar cool, i.e. 12 to 13.5C.

 

[kelper]

OK. Pubs shouldn't serve it any colder than 12!

 

[Galena]

Yes 12 to 13.5 is about right for me, cellar temperature, any cooler and it loses it's flavour, for most ales though I can cope with IPA a little cooler, but the tastiest part of the drink is the last few mouthfuls from the glass when it has warmed a little. Carbonation plays a big part too, I hate fizzy ales, I even ask for the sparkler off when buying cask ale from a pub

 

[CD]

I think you will find that the range suggested by most brewers of cask conditioned ale is between 11 to 13C. Cask Marque gives a bit of leeway, suggesting 10 to 14C. I personally find 10C too cold.

The ambient in my brewery/garage is 28c at the moment, I have the beer store temperature regulator set at 12.5C, meaning the cooler comes on at 13.5 and off at 12.5, and it was reading 13.1 when I was last there.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I'm okay with room temp beers. I tend to sip more and taste more at room temp.
Generally, the beer goes in the fridge so it's colder than ideal.