Long term storage

[fowlintent]

Once a beer has been bottled and conditioned is it best to store it for long term (several months at most) at room temp or refrigerated? I have been refrigerating my beer after 2 weeks of bottle conditioning, and wondered if that could have adverse effect on the beer in the long haul.

 

[twistr25]

You may not be reaching the full carbonation level if you cool after 2 weeks. It is ok to store them for long periods at room temp, but it is probably better to do it in cellar like temps, upper 60s low 70s, maybe not so much mid 70s. But at several months you are likely to be ok either way.

 

[duboman]

The cooler and darker the storage, the better. There is nothing wrong with keeping in the fridge as long as they are carbonated. I keep all my beer in a basement closet that stays 62 year round and have beer in there for well over a year of some styles that today are amazing!

 

[fowlintent]

You don't realize how lucky you are to have a basement. I would give my left walnut for one. I live in an low elevation area where the water table is maybe 3-5 feet below ground.

 

[JimRausch]

After carbonation is finished, I store all my bottles in sytrofoam insulated boxes out in my garage where it may get down to 30ish in the winter and 75ish in the worse of the summer. The insulated boxes(which I've accumulated for years in my Vet.office) keeps temps fairly even. In the fall-spring I can get a cooled drinkable bottle from there. In the summer I refrigerate what I plan on drinking over the next 3-4 days.
I always bottle 3, 22 ozers for long-term storage(a year or more) and with those I wax the top. Does it help keep out O2? Don't know for sure, but I like to think it does.

 

[NTXBrauer]

I agree with twisted25 in that the only adverse effect in placing your bottles in the fridge early, is that the carbination process may not have completed fully within 2 weeks. Just something to consider.

I live in a warmer climate and have not had an issue storing for longer conditioning periods at 73-75 degrees in a dark area. Oh how I would love to have a cellar or basement though.