The most important feature of your beverage - a poll

[Rhea]

So this is regarding beer, but if you don't drink beer just answer as if it's a soda or coffee or cocktail or whatever.

What's more important in your beer experience? Temperature or flavor?

We keep our beer in the basement, until it is time to refill the fridge shelf, we keep about 6-8 upstairs at a time. Also my husband tolerates beers that we call "Cheapies" most of the night, but he will start out with one from the category of "Tasties" which is all that I'll drink. (you can see why this can be converted to any drink)

So, sometimes, there are only cheapies left in the fridge, and I need to go to the basement for a tastie. Which is, of course, only barely chilled at about 60°F down there. For me, a warm tastie is far superior to a cold cheapie. But my husband is the opposite and will take a cheapie and wait for the tasties to get cold.

You? Discussion of why?

 

[bigfield]

I didn't read the question properly.

I wouldn't drink my regular beer (a pale ale) warm, but I also wouldn't chill a beer that's supposed to be drunk warm.

Basically, drink the beer the way the brewer intended it to be drunk.

Also: stop buying "cheapies", you bloody alcoholic.

 

[rousseau]

Neither. I only drink good beer at the right temperature. In a bind I'll drink a basic domestic, and won't go discount, but in my home there's usually only high-quality crafts, and I wouldn't waste them by drinking at the wrong temp. A cold Oatmeal Stout, or a warm lighter beer is no 'tasty' at all.

So you can put me down for other - the most important feature of my beverage is that it's not a cheapie.

 

[TSwizzle]

I drink a pretty wide variety of beers. As noted by rousseau, a "tastie" beer, i.e quality crafted beer has to be consumed at the right temperature. I cannot stand room temperature beer of any kind. In California room temperature can be quite warm so all beer has to be stored in the fridge. A craft beer I will take out of the fridge and let stand for 30 minutes before opening to get the chill off. All lagers, cheap or not, have to be chilled. A cold "cheapie" lager on a hot day is preferable to a warm "tastie". In the UK pubs, the cask beers/ales are not chilled but served at the cellar temperature which is pretty good. It's not chilled but it's not warm either. Lager on the other hand is served very chilled. Perfect.

 

[steve_bank]

Don't drink anymore, but for me beer had to be just above freezing regardless. Any warmer just didn't go right. During a football game I kept beer in the freezer.

If you are going to the basement to drink warm beer you may need professional help of some kind.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

My preference is for cold beer but it has to be good beer. Nothing is much worse than those watery, superlight beers that are served very cold, which I have not had for decades.

My beer, when it is around, usually comes straight up from the basement, unrefrigerated, enjoyed with ice. Yums. Gose lately.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

I am not supposed to be drinking alcohol, but occasionally I do drink beer. Usually a quart of Corona Familiar. I used to get the occasional Guinness Stout but no stores near me caries that in 20 ounce bottles any more. Most stores near me carry a very limited quart sized bottle of beer, usually wino crap malt liquor. Sometimes I score a bottle of Cruzan's black strap rum, which I add a shot or two of to iced Cola. I used to drink Modelo Dark Ale, but that has disappeared from my local grocery stores all together. I usually drink my beer chilled but I will drink warm beer if I drink so slowly it gets warm sitting in a glass. But I cannot stand cheap domestic beer like Bud this way. I don't drink that sort of crap.

 

[TV and credit cards]

The thought of warm beer takes me back to the days of my youth, sitting out on my buddy's patio on a warm summer's day, drinking down the final few swallows of a quart of Miller. Gawaaa! That tastes awful.
A warm "tastie" would be preferred to an overly carbonated cold "cheapie", if only by degrees. At least the warmth would bring out the flavors and aroma of a well crafted beer.
These days I just latch on to a good tasting lager and drink it at it's proper temperature, 45°F. Currently it's Brewdog's Lost Lager. It has a low alcohol content which I like. I drink it from the etched side of my half pint glass. Why it has to be spun around to the etching, I don't know.