The Exact Temperature Texas Roadhouse Serves Its Draft Beer

Beer gets poured at an exact angle, served up in specific glassware, and even refrigerated to a certain temperature. It seems like a lot of rules to follow, while when at home, we snag one out of the fridge and sip it straight out of the can. It tends to taste pretty good too. Some restaurants and bars, including Texas Roadhouse, are insistent on serving up beer at a cool 36 degrees Fahrenheit, and maintain this in all of their restaurants — why?

Temperature does matter when it comes to beer. For starters, the temperature of a beer contributes to the drinking experience. A super cold beer is something we associate with being good and desirable, while a room-temperature beer is likely to be dumped down the sink. We can break down the temperature with science too. How cold or warm beer is served affects the taste — at a slightly warmer temperature, the aroma molecules open up and more flavor is available to experience. Lighter and cheaper beers have less complex flavors, so there isn't a need to serve it up slightly warmer. In fact, when served up too warm, these beers may have unenjoyable, off-putting skunky flavors that arise. 

Can beer be too cold? Yes — beers with stronger, more complex flavors deserve to be served up slightly warmer to allow their flavor and aroma to shine. For example, stouts and wheat beers should be served up between 40-45 degrees, while extra-strong Belgian dubbels are best at 50-55 degrees. 

As Texas Roadhouse is adamant about serving its beer at 36 degrees, it begs the question: "Are they right?" Well, yes, actually, they are. While different styles of beer are suggested to be served at different temperatures, the standard recommended temperature for draft beer is 36-40 degrees, with 38 degrees being considered ideal. The steakhouse chain serves up mostly light beers and lagers, such as Coors Light, Heineken, and Michelob; 33-40 degrees is the recommended temperature range for these styles. 

While 36 degrees is technically 2 degrees away from the "ideal temperature," there could be a logical reason for this. As you drink beer, your hand is wrapped around the glass and naturally heats up the glass and liquid. The first few sips will be ice cold, and then the beer will gradually heat up to that ideal temperature. 

When we choose to eat out at a restaurant such as Texas Roadhouse, we're, of course, paying for the food and drink, but also for the experience. We expect our food to be hot and our beer to be cold, and that's why seemingly small things, like the correct temperature or the right type of beer glass, matter in the end.