Check the temperature of your beer/wine

There are some "rules" about wine (or other beverages) serving temperature. Generally, on the label you'll find the information about the temperature that the beverage's creator identifies like the perfect one. I added in this post two tables with ideal wine and beer serving temperatures according to classical school, however as for those and other alcohol stuff, that's all relative.

For me, what works better is to find mine perfect serving temperature for each beverage, by tasting in different ones (around: 6℃; 11℃; 15℃; and 18℃). Then, it's possible to perceive distinct flavors in each temperature, so I can choose my favorites.


For example, in Brazil, there is a delicious beer called "Funky & Sour" from Tupiniquim brewery, the label says: serving temperature between 2˚C and 5˚C. However, "by rule" you should serve a sour beer between 4˚C and 10˚C. In fact, everything below 4˚C has no flavor at all, you drink just to cool off. And the lower the temperature the less the funky  flavors (the Brett ones!!) will appear. So of course, for those who doesn't like brettanomyces flavors (that delicious sourness!!) it's preferable to have a Funky & Sour at the label suggested temperature, for those who like brett flavors, perhaps should have it's by the rule, on a conservative way, try around 6˚C, but for those who absolutely LOVES brett like I do, I suggest to try around 9˚C.

Many weeks ago I posted a text about pairing food with beverages and how this subject  has been changed by years, concluding that in despite of the told "rules" of classical school of sommelierie, the preferences of the client are more important. And so, this works for serving temperature too. The job is to know which flavors will rise at each temperature and for different beverages. Then just adapt to the clients favorite tastes.

Another good example concerning to pleased the person who is drinking: a merlot is a wine to have between 15˚C and 18˚C, by rule, because is a red wine whose body is medium plus; this week I drank one from Carmen vineyard (Chile) at around 11˚C. The red plum flavor was lighter, as the alcohol sensation too, the tannins and acidity was a little bit higher and the cedar flavor was gone, but a leather taste has come up. That was a very hot day so that temperature of the wine was great to cool off and the new flavors of that wine wasn't bad, they were just different, this experience just made me know some other characteristics from an "old friend". And was perfect pairing with some homemade phyllo squares stuffed with goat cheese and black olives from Atacama Desert.


Sources: The Oxford Companion to Beer by Garrett Oliver; Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink by Randy Mosher; Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette; WSET books content.