Getting Kegs To Pour Really Cold

[new2kegbrew]

Has anyone had the problem of pouring from a keg & just not coming out cold enough? Over summer my kegs weren't cold enough. Inside my fridge was about 3 degrees, I turned it down & turned it down.. until it got to just over 0 and froze the contents of the keg!! How do I get a really REALLY cold beer without freezing my keg( or the lines overnight!)

 

[sah]

What was the temperature of the beer in the glass after pouring. I don't think it should warm up too much?

Scott

 

[new2kegbrew]

I've never taken the temperature after pouring - just by taste! It's cold, but not cold enough. My fridge is outside & on hot days I guess the tap could get pretty warm, but I woudn't think it would have time to affect it, especially after a few glasses to bring the tap temp down... should i lengthen the tap line inside the fridge & chill that somehow?

 

[Wortgames]

I think it is more likely that you weren't giving it time to cool the kegs down properly.

Assuming you have just 2 kegs, thats 36L of liquid which is going to take at least a couple of days to chill just from the air around them being a degree or two cooler, depending on how good your fridge is and its working conditions.

You obviously got the fridge cold enough as the beer froze, presumably in the lines. If you left it long enough then the beer would have frozen inside the kegs too, and if that isn't cold enough for you then you've got problems!

Most problems in draught systems are caused by impatience. Restrict your tweaking to once a week and you'll generally have much better results. If your fridge is at 3C and you don't keep opening it, then your beer should ultimately end up at about the same temp.

 

[pint of lager]

3 degrees means absolutely no flavour to your beer. This is the temperature I will drink VB at. The beer shows head, carbonation, colour and nothing else. It is carbonated coloured water with alcohol. No flavour or aroma.

If you are in Darwin with an air temperature of 35 deg plus, after five minutes of pouring a beer at 3 deg, it has risen to 5-10 degrees. Time to pour another.

Anywhere else in the country, you are still drinking a very cold liquid.

Cold kills flavour and aroma. Wine drinkers know that a wine should be served at the correct temperature. The same with any self respecting beer drinker. 0-5 degrees for commercial swill. 5-10 degrees for a reasonable beer. 8-12 degrees for a good beer. Depending on the style, 5-12 degrees allows the real flavours of a good beer to shine through. At this range, the malt, hops and yeast flavours shine through showing the true balance of a beer.

If it is stinking hot and you have been doing any sort of activity, drink icy cold (lawn mower) water. Then enjoy a beer served at the correct temperature.

With any draught serving setup, you need to balance your serving pressure, carbonation levels and your cal temp.

Here in the central tabelands of NSW, it is 25 deg air temp, the glasses are at the same temp, the keg is a third full of Oktoberfest at about 6 degrees and the beer is pouring nectar. Off to grab another.

 

[Trough Lolly]

Snap PoL!
Well said...

 

[peas_and_corn]

that's what I was going to say POL!

I have my keg fridge at pretty much its warmest setting (although it is a pretty hyper fridge). Pour a really cold craft beer and taste it at different intervals as it gets warmer- it'll taste better as it gets warmer.

 

[Barramundi]

what you guys say is no doubt true , but there are some people who dont like drinking warm beer , regardless...

 

[Beerpig]

40 deg C plus days are normal here

I don't care how good a beer is .................................... it's getting well chilled

I have some Chimay in the fridge that will be served very cold as usual ............... it warms as I drink it, difference is only slight & beats having the last quarter at 20 deg

Cheers

 

[fixa]

You guys need to drink quicker.. here in the tropics we don't have that luxury.. cold out of the fridge, 2 mins later piss warm.

 

[Paleman]

3 degrees means absolutely no flavour to your beer. This is the temperature I will drink VB at. The beer shows head, carbonation, colour and nothing else. It is carbonated coloured water with alcohol. No flavour or aroma.

If you are in Darwin with an air temperature of 35 deg plus, after five minutes of pouring a beer at 3 deg, it has risen to 5-10 degrees. Time to pour another.

Anywhere else in the country, you are still drinking a very cold liquid.

Cold kills flavour and aroma. Wine drinkers know that a wine should be served at the correct temperature. The same with any self respecting beer drinker. 0-5 degrees for commercial swill. 5-10 degrees for a reasonable beer. 8-12 degrees for a good beer. Depending on the style, 5-12 degrees allows the real flavours of a good beer to shine through. At this range, the malt, hops and yeast flavours shine through showing the true balance of a beer.

If it is stinking hot and you have been doing any sort of activity, drink icy cold (lawn mower) water. Then enjoy a beer served at the correct temperature.

With any draught serving setup, you need to balance your serving pressure, carbonation levels and your cal temp.

Here in the central tabelands of NSW, it is 25 deg air temp, the glasses are at the same temp, the keg is a third full of Oktoberfest at about 6 degrees and the beer is pouring nectar. Off to grab another.

Top post. B)

The better quality the beer, the higher temperature it can be served. Within reason of course.

Thus the reason to serve VB at nearly freezing point......to kill off those twangy chemical tastes.

At the other end of the scale, a really well made lager ( MicroBrewed/Homebrewed )........can be served quite comfortably at around 6 degrees, to bring out the subtle hop and malt taste. But still enjoy a crisp clean beer.

As for a good Ale or Stout, i can sometimes sip one at around 15 degrees in winter. To really enjoy the massive flavours.

With a dozen fresh Oyster Kilpatricks......mmmmmm thats flavour. Sorry its off topic, but had to have a say !

 

[QldKev]

Beer temp is all about personal taste. Some want stonger traditional flavours, some milder refreshing drinks.

It's funny thou, most ppl to the south want warmer, but ppl towards the north prefer colder.

QldKev