You’ve spent the time picking out your favourite beers. The ones that really get your taste buds tingling the minute you crack open the top and the last thing you want when you take that first sip is for it to be luke warm and taste, well, just wrong! There is a real art to storing tipples. Why do you think a cold glass of beer from your local bar tastes so much better than the one you pour yourself sitting at home – storing beer is more than just putting it into any old beer fridge and leaving it. We mean you can do just that but if you mean for your beer to taste the best it possibly can do then there are a couple of things you can do to guarantee a refreshing experience.
We have four little tips that don’t require much leg work from you that will have you lying back, enjoying the sun and loving every sip.
1. Choosing a beer fridge
I know, we’ve already said ‘it’s so much more than just a beer fridge’ but really, it’s the best place for you to start. If you are serious about the flavour of your drinks being amazing, choosing a beer fridge that does that job reliably is where it all begins. You want it to keep those beers cool and fresh and you do not want it to break down on you right in the middle of a barbie. What better way to ruin the vibe than to find out the drink’s fridge has only gone and died on you.
There’s such a variety out there but we have you covered. From smaller under counter fridges to larger statement coolers, you are sure to find one that fits the bill.
Now one other small detail you might want to consider when choosing a beer fridge, that has nothing to do with the taste of your beer, is its efficiency. You don’t want to pick a beer fridge and install it only to discover your electricity bill has shot through the roof and now that fridge is costing more to run than your kitchen light.
2. Getting the temperature just right
This is the real insider’s trick. This is the difference between good beer and great beer. ‘Cellar Temperature’, as it’s referred to by those in the know, is roughly between 10 and 13 degrees Celsius. Now do you see why we said a reliable beer fridge is your biggest necessity? A good beer fridge will keep your bottles at the perfect temperature for the best taste without too much wavering from your desired coolness.
Different beverages will have different recommended temperatures so it’s best to have a good look at what you’re storing and pick the correct temperature. For example, your IPAs will be a lot happier in the 10-12 Celsius range whereas your lighter beers like Pilsners and Lagers will need to be kept from anywhere between 7 and 10 Celsius.
3. Avoiding UV ray damage
This tip is especially for those who love the ease of an alfresco beer fridge. Exposure to sunlight for prolonged periods of time can really affect the taste of your beer and not in a good way. It can drastically alter the smell, a term used for this reaction is ‘Skunked’. One guess as to why? That’s right, some liken the smell of sun exposed beer to that of skunk spray. That’s not what you envisage when enjoying a cold one. It also alters the flavour of your beer. If prolonged sun exposure can make your beer smell like a skunk, can you imagine what it would taste like? So yes, we want to avoid that.
A good beer fridge will help avoid destroying your drink in the heat and light of the sun.
4. Keep those bottles up
Now this is one of those tips that not all agree with. Some say storing your bottles on their side can lead to a larger surface area of the beer coming into contact with the air trapped in the bottle resulting in oxidation which can alter the flavour profile of your beer. Then there are those who say ‘who leaves their beer lying around long enough to oxidise’. Whichever group you fall into we say err on the side of caution and keep those bottles heads up.
Now you have a few new tips when it comes to storing your beer the right way at your fingertips. Check out our range of beer fridges like this one to get you on your way to the best at home beer experience.