Americans and their iced cold beer?

Question

I was just reading a English beer question, which made me wonder. When I was in Tahiti, which has a large French population, I noticed on most occassions the beer was served at room temperature and even the blended drinks were only cold at the very bottom and the top was warm. At one place in town I asked for a glass of ice and the waiter jokingly commented "Oh you Americans and your bloody ice, haha". Why is that the Europeans like there cocktails room temperatures and Americans want their beer "as cold as the Rockys?" Just curious.

Answer 1

Those people who say Americans like ice cold beer because their beer is so lame are ignoring something:

The rest of the world thinks only a barbarian who spends his spare time sticking feathers in himself, baying at the moon, and painting himself blue would drink a fine single malt scotch with an ice cube.  So, the quality of the drink has nothing to do with it (although I'm now doubting the quality of the intellect of those who answered so.)

So, the correct answer would be: "Mister Waiter, sir, I like my drink that way, and it's none of your business.  You have my order; see to it.  And if you make unwelcome comments about my order again, I'll place that ice cube somewhere you'll find unpleasant with the aid of a jackhammer."

Answer 2

Don't generalize about europeans. That might be true about the UK and scandinavian countries but Europe has 47 countries not just 2 or 3...

If you go to southern europe, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, all beers are cold and there's ice in all drinks.

Answer 3

Good question. The reason that American beers suggest that you drink it ice cold and straight from the bottle is because they taste badly and the cold zaps the taste buds meaning you dont get the full flavor! Slighty cooler than room temperature is the ideal temperature to drink a beer.

Answer 4

american beer needs to be ice cold as it is usually low in alchohol and taste so the temperature fools tastebuds

Answer 5

it's all in the mind and what your used to

Answer 6

I'm American, and find this question insulting.  Yes, I like my beer and beverages cold.  What business is it of yours?  Like you, I have a right to an opinion.  I have a right to live my life as I like, and I don't have to conform to your rules.

Answer 7

I have to agree with the sentiment of "it's what you're used to".

I asked a friend of mine in England about how they serve wines. He said the reds are room temp and the whites are chilled. He cringed when I said I like all my wines chilled.... it's just a personal choice.

Europe also has a whole list of differences. Candy bars may have the same names, but they're not the same candy bars. Lemonade here is flat, there it's fizzy. Iced tea is a real treat to us on a hot summer day, and to them it's an abomination.

It really is amazing how the world is vastly different. Personally, I think it's some of those differences that make this crazy world a great place to live.

Answer 8

American beer is not that good to begin with. So it needs to be cold.

Plus Europeans probably are trying to save energy by not refrigerating beer since everything in Europe is so expensive.

Answer 9

Cold. WE like beers cold because it is hot here. And nothing is better than a cold beverage on a hot day. Perhaps because of the long history of beer drinking in Europe with warm beer it has become not only preffered but tradtional to serve and consume beer at cellar temperatures.

And although it may be true that American beer from 1940-1975 was really weak in flavor it is not true today. In fact those mass produced beers such as Bud and Coors are not bad they just lack much flavor. But then I have had horrible beers in England, Belgium, and Germany so you Europeans should not be so uppity (I know you cannot help yourselves). English why to you have CAMRA? Because the quality of beers brewed in England for years sucked. The people needed a beer revolution to get quality beers brewed again. The same is true in the USA.

But since about the early 1970's we Americans have a great many beers that are wonderfully full of flavor. In fact, we have a greater range of beer styles than any European nation. So do some research and educate yourself about our beers and prepare to be envious.

Signed:

A beer expert.

Answer 10

*sigh*

It has nothing to do with the quality of beer or whatever it is that some think it is on here, except for those who stated that it's just what you're used to.  

Most mass produced beer in America (Budweiser, Miller, etc...) are crappy beer.  But we have a lot of micro brews that are delicious and are considered by many, even those outside of the U.S., to be respectable beers.  And those are served cold too.  

How about if you put down the Budweiser, and have a beer from the New Belgian Brewing Company out of Colorado, or a Sierra Nevada beer, or Sonora, or Oak Creek, or Bells out of the Great Lakes Area, or even a Samuel Adams, which isn't bad, or any number of micro brews in this country.

And then you can speculate as to why all of those beers are served ice cold as well.

Answer 11

Most of the beer consumed in America are pale lagers and  are best when served at about 43F, where as the English ales and bitters are generally better served slightly warmer at about 53F.  It kinda just boils down to different styles, man.  Also, often, the warmer a beer or cocktail is, the more you can taste (and possibly enjoy) the ingredients and characteristics.

Plus, yeah.  Restaurants/bars/fast food joints in America usually put WAY more ice in their drinks than their European counterparts. That's probably where the "Oh, you Americans and your bloody ice!" comes from.