TOPIC:

does anyone know of a website which gives recommended serving temperatures for individual beers? maybe on a beer review site? I moved recently and Sweeneys isnow my local off licence and their selection is fantastic, but I want to sample their beers correctly

thanks

A quote from the Wikipedia entry on beer[/url:6stif4b6]

[quote:6stif4b6]Beer writer Michael Jackson proposed a five-level scale for serving temperatures: well chilled (7 °C/45 °F) for "light" beers (pale lagers), chilled (8 °C/47 °F) for Berliner Weisse and other wheat beers, lightly chilled (9 °C/48 °F) for all dark lagers, altbier and German wheat beers, cellar temperature (13 °C/55 °F) for regular British ale, stout and most Belgian specialities and room temperature (15.5 °C/60 °F) for strong dark ales (especially trappist beer) and barley wine.[/quote:6stif4b6]

I don't have it, but apparently he gives a serving temperature for every beer he lists in his book "Ultimate Beer[/url:6stif4b6]"

I just checked my copy of his Great Beer Guide[/url:6stif4b6], and he does the same there too. Nice little book. A bit coffee-tableish, but it's a bit like beer porn <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D --> But I noticed he follows the form as mentioned in the Wiki quote.

Or, you could use this colourful chart[/url:220uweqi] (pdf) for temp by "style" along with what food they go with.

These beer-food pairings are getting very popular these days.

It's those puritan Americans. Going out just to drink is morally suspect <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

So what I really need is 5 fridges preset to each beers optimum temperature <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->

On a related note my Dad brought me back one of those German ceramic Steins from Austria with a metal lid. You know the sort people put on their mantelpieces and never use. It works very well the lid doesn't get in the way like I expected and it keeps the flys out if you're drinking outside during the summer. But the main point is that the combination of the lid and the ceramic means that the beer stays close to whatever temperature you poured it at right down to the last drink.

Having a cellar for the first time in my life, I'm going or Cellar Temperature for everything <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D --> But I like the idea of a few fridges <!-- s;) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s;) -->

I have to admit, I bought a clay mug, with lid (and very plain, no landscapes with serving wenches present), years ago, but I've only used it a couple of times. Well, what with not having summers and all... <!-- s:roll: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="" title="Rolling Eyes" /><!-- s:roll: -->