How cool is too cool?

[jezbrews]

Last autumn I had a problem in that I kept my barrel in the kitchen and the house is always warm. I can't afford to get a fridge just for the barrel nor do I have anywhere to put it anyway. As a result, what came out was mostly foam when I turned the tap. Not good. I put it outside and as December temperatures dropped, I was able to have a chilled beer in the single digits, sometimes going into the low teens. It was great because now it was mostly beer and just a bit of head. Just what I wanted. However all that time trying to get beer in the house meant there was no longer any pressure.

I now learn that when it's cold it will absorb co2 and this results in a drop in pressure. So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. What is the optimum temperature for an ale or bitter to be kept? December never went below 5 or 4 maybe, so it wasn't ridiculously cold, so maybe this wasn't even a problem? I just don't want a repeat of last time.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

This will in part depend on your own preference but as a rough guide you won’t go far wrong with these ranges, darker beers toward the higher end of each range, lighter beers toward the lower end.

Lagers 2-6
Cask ales 10-14
Everything else 6-10

 

[smcc]

for an ale based beer approx 12 degrees for serving would be ok. I am assuming you are priming the barrel and letting secondary fermentation carbonate. the issue is once you start drinking from it this will leave more head space which means more of the CO2 forced into it will leave the beer and you have no means to keep head pressure and the CO2 in solution. Is bottling not an option? until such time you can upgrade

 

[jezbrews]

for an ale based beer approx 12 degrees for serving would be ok. I am assuming you are priming the barrel and letting secondary fermentation carbonate. the issue is once you start drinking from it this will leave more head space which means more of the CO2 forced into it will leave the beer and you have no means to keep head pressure and the CO2 in solution. Is bottling not an option? until such time you can upgrade

Not yet, I need to buy a capper and this is only a kit, I want to save the bottles for when I do my first biab.

Keeping it outdoors means it should be cool enough in the evening, thanks!

 

[MickDundee]

If you are talking English style ales I think the CAMRA guidelines are 10-14C. My personal preference is 10C for pale English ales and 12C for amber/bitter, warmer for stouts and porters.

 

[jezbrews]

This is a relief.

I will put my barrel outside and build a little "house" for it to keep cool, although it will be shaded by the house next door anyway.

 

[Buffers brewery]

Not yet, I need to buy a capper and this is only a kit, I want to save the bottles for when I do my first biab.

Keeping it outdoors means it should be cool enough in the evening, thanks!

Although I keep my beer in pressure barrels mostly I do bottle half-a-dozen bottles per brew. I started with glass but now I prefer brown PET bottles as you don't need a capper and you can squeeze the bottle to get all the air out before screwing the cap down tight. Gives a good indication of carbonation too.