You walk past a bar and see their beer kegs placed out in the sun. This scene wasn’t so unusual until a few years ago. Even today, some restaurateurs still stack full kegs outdoors, under the scorching sun, in the backyard. But what’s wrong with that, you might ask? Although poor beer storage has no health consequences, it does completely degrade the product. Otherwise, ask yourself what happens if you leave cheese or a can of preserves in the sun. The product’s quality spoils, and there’s no turning back.
Sudden temperature changes greatly affect beer. Not only because they speed up decomposition (which generates undesirable compounds and high astringency), but also because in the case of unpasteurized beer it’s very easy for them to cause refermentation. Even if the beer is filtered, that doesn’t prevent some yeast from slipping through. A rise in temperature is enough to activate it and make it start consuming the remaining sugars still in the liquid. Keep in mind that beer is extremely sensitive to temperature.
Also, in very hoppy beers (IPA, APA, NEIPA, etc.), heat will quickly spoil your beer. It will lose the freshness and the sensations that hops provide. Instead, you’ll encounter a series of unpleasant aromas that can be identified as skunk or barnyard smells. It’s a shame to buy kegs of hoppy beers, which tend to be more expensive due to the extra addition of this ingredient, only to let them degrade and be unable to serve the beer at its full glory.
But don’t panic: storing beer kegs properly is very simple. To make sure you maintain the cold chain, you can ask your supplier (whether producer or distributor) if they keep the kegs in a cold room and if they use refrigerated transport. This is especially relevant when we talk about craft beer, which due to its properties is usually more sensitive than pasteurized industrial beer. If the keg is delivered to you with the cold chain respected, or at least you are assured it hasn’t spent the day (or weeks) in a van under the sun, it would be great if you could continue that cold chain and store it at a cool temperature when you receive it. This will make all the difference.
