18 replies to this topic

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I've got about 4 cases of beer in my basement. 2 cases of old ale and 2 cases of dunkelweizen. Right now temps are perfect (about 57F). If I remember correctly my basement stays below 70F in the summer but I can remember for sure. I'll be monitoring temperatures over the summer - is there some point where I should at least temporarily throw the beer in the fridge until the basement cools off again?

[HVB]

I've got about 4 cases of beer in my basement. 2 cases of old ale and 2 cases of dunkelweizen. Right now temps are perfect (about 57F). If I remember correctly my basement stays below 70F in the summer but I can remember for sure. I'll be monitoring temperatures over the summer - is there some point where I should at least temporarily throw the beer in the fridge until the basement cools off again?

We live in a similar climate and I also have a lot (if you ask my wife, too much) beer in my cellar and I do not worry about putting any in the fridge if the temps increase down there. For me I just make sure they are in a relatively cool dark place. Some of these are some pretty expensive commercial beers. Recently I had a couple bottles from 2002 and I did not notice any indications that they should have been treated differently.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

We live in a similar climate and I also have a lot (if you ask my wife, too much) beer in my cellar and I do not worry about putting any in the fridge if the temps increase down there. For me I just make sure they are in a relatively cool dark place. Some of these are some pretty expensive commercial beers. Recently I had a couple bottles from 2002 and I did not notice any indications that they should have been treated differently.

right, but at what point do you decide to temporarily stick them in the fridge?

[gumballhead]

right, but at what point do you decide to temporarily stick them in the fridge?

I used to keep a small Temp scale in the room where I stored my bottle cases.if above 70-72 I would rotate them into fridge and Drink like Fish. If you've never had Imperial Stout Bottle Bombs out of Grolsh bottles you will not want to... The Cooler the Better.

[HVB]

right, but at what point do you decide to temporarily stick them in the fridge?

For me I do not but I think it would depend on style of the beer. Something light, low abv or hoppyI would be more inclined to cool down. Big stout or Belgian I would not touch.I guess I would use 80 as my cut off. Once I hit that temp I would start to worry.Have you thought about making a "box" out of foam board to store them in. But in a frozen soda bottle or 2 and that should keep the temps in the right rangeedit: this engineer cannot spell to save his life!

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

For me I do not but I think it would depend on style of the beer. Something light, low abv or hoppyI would be more inclined to cool down. Big stout or Belgian I would not touch.I guess I would use 80 as my cut off. Once I hit that temp I would start to worry.Have you thought about making a "box" out of foam board to store them in. But in a frozen soda bottle or 2 and that should keep the temps in the right rangeedit: this engineer cannot spell to save his life!

i don't think it will ever approach 80 in my basement. I guess when it starts to get warmer I'll fridge the weizen since that doesn't really need age anyway. the old ale on the other hand should be left to age.

[HVB]

I will have to pay more attention to how warm my cellar actualy gets this year. Winter brewing is great, rock solid at 55 down there. Can you say steam beer.

[MtnBrewer]

i don't think it will ever approach 80 in my basement. I guess when it starts to get warmer I'll fridge the weizen since that doesn't really need age anyway. the old ale on the other hand should be left to age.

I think you're fine. I have a closet right in the center of my basement and that's where I age all of my beer. Temp stays as constant there as anywhere else in the basement. In the dead of summer it might reach 70 or slightly higher. Long-term seasonal fluctuations are not near as damaging as daily swings in temperature. You need to avoid those at all costs.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I think you're fine. I have a closet right in the center of my basement and that's where I age all of my beer. Temp stays as constant there as anywhere else in the basement. In the dead of summer it might reach 70 or slightly higher. Long-term seasonal fluctuations are not near as damaging as daily swings in temperature. You need to avoid those at all costs.

that's the nice thing about my (and most people's) basement. day to day the fluctuations are generally only +/-1F if that.

[MtnBrewer]

that's the nice thing about my (and most people's) basement. day to day the fluctuations are generally only +/-1F if that.

Exactly. You want the temperature of something to remain constant? Put it in the ground.

[ScottS]

My basement stays at 65-68 in the summer. I don't think I've ever seen it above 70.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So the basement is around 68F right now (damn heat wave!!). I'm hoping that with the drop in temperatures this weekend it will put me back closer to 64F so I could also maybe ferment some typical ales down there.

[harryfrog]

This thread makes me sad. With no basement and our hot weather, I have to put everything under refrigeration. I guess that's the price you pay for living in California...

[3rd party JKor]

68F? My basement was 85 yesterday.Pop a hole in your central air duct, it'll cool down real fast.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

68F? My basement was 85 yesterday.Pop a hole in your central air duct, it'll cool down real fast.

dddaaammmnnnn

[BarelyBrews]

Exactly. You want the temperature of something to remain constant? Put it in the ground.

I was thinking this just as i read it,there can be around 6 degrees difference in my basement from top to bottom .And directly on the floor(concrete)its like an additional cold water bath on the bottles.I would say i would not worry about the temp unless it got above 72 degrees. Which is unlikely in most basements.

[ChefLamont]

68F? My basement was 85 yesterday.Pop a hole in your central air duct, it'll cool down real fast.

my basement/garage gets this warm too. I aged an imp stout for two solid years that took a lot of awards in that very same basement. I know there were times it hit 90F in there.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

my basement/garage gets this warm too. I aged an imp stout for two solid years that took a lot of awards in that very same basement. I know there were times it hit 90F in there.

damn! I guess I'm not as worried about the old ale but the dunkelweizen I might throw in the fridge if it gets warm enough.

[3rd party JKor]

Yeah, I don't consider 68F to be even close to the limit, especially if it's only for a few days.