Does Beer Have To Be Kept Cold? Storage Tips For El Paso Beer Drinkers

Summer is almost, (ok, it pretty much IS), here and there's a whole new season of bbq-ing, pool parties and beer drinking ahead. Watch your beer's temp though ...

To cut right to the heart of that matter ... because beer is important and I want you to keep yours at its best ... the answer is no. Beer doesn't have to be kept cold nor does it have to stay cold after it's been refrigerated.

Meaning, you can take beer from the store cooler and not worry about it warming up and going bad before you can put it into your fridge.

Beer is a wonderful thing and it doesn't require a ton of attention. It's a pretty stable drink and just because it has been chilled once doesn't mean it can never warm again.

When Cold Beer Gets Warm

Cold beer getting warm isn't typically a problem. Although, I don't recommend it; it won't really hurt the taste of the beer. Unless it's an extreme or very repeated cooling/warming cycle.

Warmer temperatures speed up reactions in the bottle or can, making the beer taste stale, flat, or just "off." A beer that spends a few hours at room temperature after coming out of the fridge won't suffer much, but if it's repeatedly warmed or exposed to high heat, like in a garage in the summer, or on a sunny countertop, those reactions can accelerate. This will impact hop aroma, malt character, and overall freshness. - southernliving

READ MORE: The Most Popular Beer In Texas And New Mexico 

Freezing to room temperature, to boiling hot ... as in, your yard during an E Paso summer ... are wild extremes that will make your beer taste bad. Drinking it still won't hurt you but the taste will be off and you probably won't want it anymore.

How To Store Beer

Beer is fine at room temperature for quite a while - months even. (Though you probably don't want to drink it that way.) For best results, outside the fridge, keep your brew in a cool, dark place where the temperature is fairly constant.

Refrigerated beer is best because the lower the temp, the slower the beer's chemical changes which is what screws up the flavor. IPA's are the most sensitive to temperature changes. Light beers are next and beer with high alcohol content, (stouts, Belgians, etc.), are the most stable. In fact, they're often kept cool as opposed to cold to bring out more flavor.

Beer Can Warm Without Hurting The Flavor

Bottom line - From fridge to room temperature is not a big deal at all. Beer can sit at room temp for awhile too. Just watch the hot, cold; hot, cold exchanges. (Especially if I'm coming over.) Keep them to a minimum and your beer as cold as possible over all for a tasty summer.