Why does beer have to be served cold?

Bike lanes, urban deer, cruise ships, dandelions in lawns: All pretty serious stuff, but in my opinion just piffle when compared to the tragic fact that it seems an impossibility to be served a room temperature ale or beer in any of the dozens of pubs and restaurants in British Columbia.

The great beers and ales of the world were perfected many years before the invention of refrigeration. Brewers honed their art by tasting what was in the vats at “room temperature.” This temperature probably varied considerably according to the geographical location where it was being prepared but my guess is most were in the temperature zones of Europe and Asia. Nowadays, it seems impossible to order any alcoholic beverage, other than a red wine, in a pub or restaurant that isn’t gum-numbing icy cold, no matter what the seasonal outdoor temperature may be.

I fail to understand why someone would enter a pub on a freezing winter day and sit down to sip an ice-cold lager. I have often asked the server if it was possible to be served a beer at room temp. The answer has always been “no.”

A few great adventurers such as

Captain James Cook mandated that his ship Endeavour be loaded with unrefrigerated beer, which aided measurably to the good health and mental outlook of his crew.

This suggests to me that most modern drinkers really can’t stand the taste of beer and find that if it is cold enough, they can force it past their benumbed taste buds and only drink it because it has proven to be a great way to gather with one’s peers.

Should I be wrong about not being able to find a room-temp beer in a commercial outlet (other than a liquor store), maybe someone could let me know.

David Smith Victoria