Storing drinks and beverages 101

When storing drinks and beverages for a longer period, it is important to do it correctly. Stored in the wrong way, beverages can easily get spoiled. For example, storage is a crucial factor in the process of wine aging. Overall, the help of Spyder Moving and Storage can be useful with both the quality of moving and storage services and the knowledge we have about the matter. Wine has to stay stored for five to 10 years to age to best effect. The same goes for aging brandy and whiskey. However, while wine has to be bottled, the latter two have to be kept in oak barrels. Or, maybe you’ve bought the spirits already bottled. In that case, you have to know how to keep them. Storing drinks and beverages is not an easy task but can be very helpful to know some crucial information like the following one.

Types of drinks and beverages

Drinks and beverages can be divided into two larger groups:

• alcoholic beverages
• non-alcoholic beverages (soft drinks)

Some of the soft drinks have to be stored, too. But, these drinks are not usually stored for long periods. For example, soda, juice, or bottled water that is kept in shops, restaurants, or wholesale warehouses. And you just need to cool them in a fridge before use. The other type of soft drink like tea or coffee is best when freshly brewed.  And we’ll talk about them too, but want to put an emphasis on the beverages that are kept in storage for a longer period of time. So, talking about beverage collections, people usually refer to alcoholic beverages.

However, even when you store them in shops and restaurants, you have to do it properly. So, in case you are storing wines with less than 16% of alcohol, the bottles have to lay on their sides. And, the bottles of fortified wines, spirits, and vintage ports you will store upright. The same goes for soft drinks. The main condition for such storage is a moderate temperature. And, the moisture level has to be normal.

Alcoholic beverages that you will mostly find in private collections

Different people like different beverages. A group of people will prefer wine. The other will like spirits more. Thus, they usually have different collections of drinks. However, this is not always the case. Some collectors will have different types of drinks. Here are some drinks and beverages that people can keep in their collection for a longer period of time:

• Wine
• Brandy
• Whisky
• Beer

Regardless of the type, proper storing of drinks and beverages is important. Of the same importance is finding the proper moving companies Jackson MS as they will have the necessary equipment, tools, and materials to know how to safely transport your collections. Overall, such beverages can be very costly and fragile, so it’s necessary to know how to treat them. Be it that you want to keep them in your home and store them away, or want movers to take them to a new location.

Guide to storing drinks and beverages

The way of storing beverages depends on their type. Thus, you will store wine differently than storing spirits. In case you are a beer fan, you will probably have an interesting choice of beers from various countries. And different types, from light to dark. You may even have some barrels of craft beer in your possession. With packing services Memphis TN you can be sure that every bottle is prepared for moving to your location or inside storage space. Let us see how to properly store those various beverage types. 

Wine

Traditionally, people were keeping their wine collections in cellars. Those cellars were usually dug in the ground and walled with bricks. They are, actually, the best places for keeping wine. The temperature inside the cellars is always steady. The sunlight and vibrations are rarely affecting bottles and barrels. That is important, as involuntary shaking can lead to spoiled wine and brown invaluable bottles. Also, such cellars have the right level of moisture. Of course, if they are properly built and taken care of.

Even today many wine cellars are organized in the same way. And, they are also very handy for wine producers. The really big collectors, as well as producers, are getting the young wine. That one, they are keeping in the barrels. When it matures, they pour it into bottles. After sealing bottles, they are placing them on the racks in the same cellar. This process is like a big cycle and it will continue on as it has shown the best results when it comes to storing wines.

The modern vaults for storing your drinks and beverages

Nowadays, many collectors prefer modern wine vaults. Such vaults can be placed in cellars. Or you can have them upstairs, in a specially designed room. Such a room is always light and temperature-controlled. So, you can always have the right conditions for your collection. However, in such vaults, you can keep only smaller collections. That’s why it’s not an option that the bigger producers or collectors choose for their wine. But if you want to start off or want to be a small collector such vaults can be very useful and a great start.

Best temperatures to keep your wine

The temperature in the wine storage has to be consistent. You have to prevent the storage from cooling too much. The freezing temperatures will cause the wine to freeze too. And, as the ice has more volume than liquid, it would break the bottles. Even if the bottles survive, the melted wine will lose its quality. On the other hand, the temperature shouldn’t pass over 70° F at any time. Such a high temperature will easily spoil any wine: red, white, or sparkling. The ideal temperatures for stored wine are:

• red wine – 50 – 60°F
• white, and sparkling wines – 40 – 50°F
• fortified wines (wine mixed with some spirit beverage) – 60 – 65 °F

Also, the storage must have consistent moisture. In a place that is too dry, the corks can shrink. This will allow the air to enter the bottle. And thus spoil the wine. For that reason, when you think about moving from Mississippi to Tennessee, you have to keep all this in mind. And, to successfully transport your wine collection, you must find the right movers. Ideally, they will have temperature-controlled moving trucks or pods. Or some other way to keep the inside temperature consistent.

Spirits

As we already mentioned, the spirits like whisky or brandy have to be kept in oak barrels for aging. However, the collectors usually purchase already bottled, aged spirits. But, you want them to continue aging. In such a case, keep them in the cellars or vaults. Like wine, protect them from sunlight or shaking. The difference is that those bottles you have to keep in the upright position. Overall, it’s pretty similar to the process we already described.

The ideal humidity for keeping your spirit beverages

Like wine, spirits (especially barrel-aged spirits) benefit from being kept out of sunlight.  So, it is best to keep them in cool conditions. That will also prevent any possible evaporation. The ideal humidity of the storage is 50–70%. But, it must be consistent. This humidity, like for wine, ensures that the cork will not shrink. But, a humidity of close to 80% can easily damage the bottle label. And the cork as well.

Building and storing a beer collection

You don’t see the beer collections too often. Still, they do exist. Some beer lovers simply like to have samples from all over the world. Besides collecting beer in bottles and canned beer, some are also having barrels with craft beer. However, beer collectors know that only some beers can age. This further means that they will have to regularly drink and replace samples from their collection. Luckily, the beers are inexpensive. So, it is easy to renew the collection. On average, the beer shouldn’t be kept for longer than three years. And, in case you have to move, you can always count on the residential movers as they will safely bring your collection to your new home. Of course, they will use all the necessary protection to ensure that all your precious beer arrives at your new location.

When getting ready to move, don’t forget to build the beverage cellar in your new home

Being in a rush of organizing so many things, the beverage collectors may forget about the new storage. So, when getting a new house, check if it has a suitable place for your collection. If not, you should make one. Otherwise, all the efforts of proper packing and transporting will be in vain. Generally, as soon as you reach the new home, you should be able to move your beverage collection to storage. Of course, you can count on the Memphis moving helpers to assist you with taking all the beverages where you need them to be. But it’s up to you to locate a room or place in your home that can be perfect for all of the drinks you have a collection of.

When storing drinks and beverages, always take care of the optimal temperatures

When storing drinks and beverages, always keep in mind the optimal temperature for various drinks. That way, you will save them from getting spoiled. Moreover, they will age properly. Thus, they will get a better and better taste the longer you keep them in storage. Besides, one more thing is important to achieve the right taste when consuming beverages. The fact is that each beverage tastes differently cooled or heated to different temperatures. When you reach the right temperature, your drink will not only be delicious. It will also be refreshing. And in that way, you will be able to truly enjoy it.

Storing other drinks and beverages that are popular

Until now, we completely focused on alcoholic drinks. And with good reason, as they require the most work and attention when they are stored away. However, we can’t talk about storing drinks and beverages without mentioning non-alcoholic beverages. For most of them, you won’t need the help of Memphis moving services to get them from point A to point B. However, they have a temperature where they are best consumed and kept fresh. So let’s take a look at some of them.

Soda needs to have its own special conditions

One of the most advertised drinks is sodas. And it’s one of the most popular drinks among kids, but you can say among adults too. They give a refreshing feeling and the bubbles are something that can give you that great feeling of enjoying a refreshing soda. When it comes to the best temperature to keep a soda it will be between 35 and 40° F. Of course, depending on the soda of your preference. But that will be a temperature where the beverage won’t be too cold or warm and where you can truly enjoy it as it was meant to be. 

There’s not too much to do to keep juice safe and sound

Juices are similar to sodas, but have different components and will need different ways to keep them fresh. As they are made out of fresh fruits you need to keep them at a low temperature to ensure the freshness of a juice. After any of the local moving companies Memphis finish a move, there’s nothing sweeter than the movers getting a fresh and cold glass of juice. Especially during the summer. But what are the necessary temperatures to keep everything in perfect condition? Well, the best temperature for drinking juice ranges from 45 to 50°F. 

Storing drinks and beverages can’t be talked about without dairy

We can’t overlook dairy as an important part of everyone’s diet. But besides that, if not kept in the right storage it can spoil and create big health problems. Especially a beverage like milk. However, there are also different varieties of milk. Most types of fresh milk are best kept at around 35° F. And thankfully, you will be able to see the optical storage temperature on the package itself. Other beverages include yogurt which is best kept under 54°F. Of course, here you really can’t talk about preferences as bad storing conditions can fully strip away the nutrients from the dairy.

Do functional beverages need special care?

One of the biggest misconceptions is the belief that functional beverages and other energy drinks need to be kept refrigerated. Of course, being cooler can mean a better taste and make the drink more refreshing. However, there’s nothing that such beverages get from being kept at a certain colder temperature. Or on the other hand, they lose because they are not cold. It’s more of a marketing ploy to make sure that certain products are in certain refrigerators. Overall, it’s all about advertising.

How to approach storing other popular drinks and beverages

Of course, there are other popular beverages that a lot of people drink that we didn’t really mention. Two of them are coffee and tea. The plants and seeds are of course kept in bags and can withstand different conditions. However, what’s the best temperature to drink these beverages? Depending on the tea you drink, the temperature can vary from 165° F for green tea to 185° F for the majority of other teas. Iced coffee is best taken at around 43°F, while your morning coffee can vary from 185°F to 190°F. And let’s not forget about water. Its ideal temperature for drinking is between 53 and 59°F.

Storing drinks and beverages will never be an easy task. Especially as bad conditions can create big problems for you and your beverages. That’s why we hope that our advice can end up very helpful in both keeping and drinking your favorite beverages. Of course, there are a lot of facts that you want to keep your eye on and make sure that your collection is always in pristine condition. Good luck!