Does Beer Skunk if It Gets Warm?
It’s a fair question, “does beer skunk if it gets warm?” No one wants skunk-y smelling or tasting beer. But what actually causes skunk beer, and how can you avoid it?
What Causes Skunk Beer?
In short, no, warm beer does not go skunky. Heat and warmth don’t actually change the chemical makeup of beer.
It is exposure to UV light that causes beer to get skunky, which is why most bottled beer is now bottled in darker glass; think of all those green and dark brown bottles out there.
Yes, if you leave your Corona in its clear glass bottles out in the sun for even an hour or two, the UV light from the sun will interact with a chemical compound in the hops used in the beer, and when you do open your beverage, even if it has been refrigerated back down to a cool temperature, you will get an instant whiff of skunk.
Don’t even bother trying to drink it at that point.
So, to avoid skunk beer, keep your beer out of the sunlight. Even if you are simply traveling from the store to your home, tuck it into a dark corner of your car, even in your trunk.
What Heat Does to Beer
The fact that heat does not skunk beer does not mean you should heat it up necessarily.
What heat will do is increase oxidation in your beer. The warmer beer gets, the more dissolved oxygen is generated in your beer as the carbon dioxide dissolves and ceases to protect your beer from oxygen.
Oxygen will decrease the shelf life of your beer and speed up the potential for your beer to go flat and lose its sharp, crisp flavors.
Some beers will develop a stale, cardboard flavor with hints of sherry.
Other brews will adopt a bready, sweet, toffee-like flavor.
The floral and citrusy notes from the hops will also be subdued in your beer.
Basically, your beer won’t be your beer anymore.
It is interesting to think of heat having this effect on beer because, once upon a time, refrigeration was not a thing.
Think about it, for thousands of years, brewers worked at room temperature.
But the reality is that room temperature thousands of years ago, particularly in Europe, was actually quite chilly compared to what we think of as room temperature today.
Furthermore, brewers learned quickly to store their products in cellars and other dark rooms away from the sun and the heat.
Also remember that most beer was drunk within a week or two of being brewed.
Storage was not usually an issue.
Do I Have to Keep My Beer Cold?
In short, you do not have to keep your beer cold all the time.
Room temperature is just fine and will preserve your beer for a few months, as long as room temperature for you means out of the sun and in a cool, dark space.
If you have a basement or cellar, you’ll be fine.
But do keep in mind that the cooler you can keep your beer, the longer its shelf life will remain intact.
So, if you have been thinking about investing in a beer fridge, we’re here to tell you, it’s not a bad idea.
Cheers!
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