Cold Beer

Although never one to turn down a beverage, politely offered, I do marvel at the folks that chill beer to the very edge of freezing, killing any taste it might have. Perhaps in our PBR college days that was a necessity, but now that we enjoy a universe of craft brews, we owe it to the brew master to serve them correctly.

From the micro-brewers association:


          Proper Serving Temperatures (allow 2F for warming caused by the glass)

1. Cold, no lower than 41° F (5° C) Lighter styles of beer — Sparkling wines/Champagne
   
   
2. Chilled, no lower than 46° F (8° C) Most craft beers — White wines
   
   
3. Cellar, around 53° F (12° C) Higher alcohol, richly flavored beers — Red wines
   
   

Since I like IPAs and stouts, and a bit warmer than this, I find the bilge is generally enough, although the inside of my lunch cooler (about 50F) is preferred in hot weather.

If you are going to broaden your tastes, then own it. No more ice-cold beer. Ice water is still good for cooling down, but drinking ice cold beer to cool down and rehydrate is just a recipe for sloppy sailing!