How will temp swings between 40 to 70F affect bottled beer? Both homebrew and commercial beer. I have a fridge I use as a fermentation chamber that I like to keep some beer in, if the main fridge is full (and SWMBO is getting pissed there is so much beer in it). I normally keep the fridge in the mid to upper 60’s, but I drop the temps to crash beers once and a while.
I’ve often wondered this too, but I think it has little to no effect. When making a lager, you start around 50F. After some time, you can raise the temp into the 60’s for a d-rest. Then drop it down into the 30’s to lager. Then if you bottle, you need to raise the temp and let the bottles sit at room temp to carb. Then back in the fridge to cool down and drink. This all happens BEFORE you drink the first beer. So, I don’t think temperature swings have a major impact on the flavor of beer (not including during fermentation of course). Light and oxygen are evil, not temperature.
Of course I could be missing something and completely wrong. Just my thinking.
The beer will “age” faster at the warmer temps.
Should there be much of an issue with the temps you mentioned? Probably not over the short term. 6-12 month. Long term, 12+ months, could be an issue.
Get into the upper 70’s and 80’s, more noticeable.
I didn’t think it would be too big a deal, especially not really getting over 70F, but I wanted some backup. Thanks for the responses.
Like others have said, I think within normal temp swings everything should be fine and if you’re not doing an extended aging your good to go. Heck, it might not even matter much for aging, I don’t know. The oldest bottle I have is almost a year now.
