Wine Writing Team on July 22, 2020 0 Comments Regular refrigerators are often subject to constant activity, which means temperature fluctuations. This may not be appropriate for wine and other beverages, which should be stored at a constant temperature. Outdoor beverage refrigerators allow you to have all the beverages you need in your outdoor entertaining space kept at the perfect temperature. Benefits of an Outdoor Beverage Refrigerator There are a number of benefits of an outdoor beverage refrigerator to think about when purchasing. Easy to Grab a Beverage: With an outdoor refrigerator, it’s easy to grab a beverage for your event. You know your favorite drink will come out at just the right temperature. Great for Big Families: Larger families like to buy in bulk, which means refrigerator space is tight. A beverage fridge allows you to keep all the beverages you like cool. Restrict Unauthorized Use: Some beverage refrigerators come with security features that can help limit access to drinks inside the fridge. This is going to be especially important if you are using your outdoor beverage refrigerator to store wine since you want to restrict access for minors. Parties Can Stay Outside: With an outdoor beverage refrigerator, you can limit the party space to just the outside area. This way, the party can keep going without the disruption of having to go inside to grab drinks. Tips for Storing Wine While it’s best to store your wine in a refrigerator that is specially designed for wine, you can definitely store wine in an outdoor beverage refrigerator. There are some things you must keep in mind to help you enjoy your collection and make sure that your wine doesn’t age prematurely. Single-Zone Refrigerator If you are using a single-zone beverage refrigerator for storing wine, then a temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit is the best option to store both red and white wines. Each version has an ideal temperature setting but this temperature won’t negatively affect the wine and will slow down the aging process. Dual-Zone Refrigerator If you are using a dual-zone beverage refrigerator then you can store different types of wine that require different temperatures. Set one compartment between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit for your red wine varietals, and set the other between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit for any white wine. You can store white wines for up to three years and red wines for up to 10 years at these temperatures. You can store open bottles of white wine in the refrigerator and can preserve them for up to five days. You don’t need to refrigerate open bottles of red wine, but you should drink those within two days. A dual-zone refrigerator will also allow you to store wine in addition to other beverages you may need for your gathering and allow each beverage to be stored at the right temperature. Adjust the Temperature Gradually When Necessary Fluctuations in your refrigerator can cause premature aging in your wine. A sudden increase in the temperature can force the wine to go through the cork. A sudden decrease in temperature can mean air gets forced into the bottle. Keep the Refrigerator Closed Make sure the drawer and doors of the refrigerator are closed and are airtight. If you don’t take this step then the temperature will get higher than what is ideal for the wines. Avoid Oxidation Be sure to store any corked wine bottles on their sides in order to keep the corks moist. You may have to adjust the racks in the beverage refrigerator in order to store the wine bottle on its side. If the bottles are left standing then the corks can dry out and let air in. When air gets into the wine, it spoils. Avoid Vibration and Moving the Bottles No matter where you store your outdoor beverage refrigerator, you want to make sure you keep the area free from vibrations as much as possible. Vibrations will agitate the wine and this affects the quality. You also want to avoid moving the bottles as much as possible. Constant motion speeds up the aging process. If you have a large beverage refrigerator and are storing a lot of wine bottles, come up with a system that allows you to locate what you need without having to move the bottles. Protect Wine from UV Light You want to keep your wine in the dark as much as you can. UV rays from direct sunlight can damage the aromas and flavors. You should already be keeping your outdoor beverage refrigerator in a shaded spot since this can help you maintain the right temperature away from the heat. Doing this will also help you protect your wine. If you’re not ready to purchase a wine cooler, but want to make sure your wine stays safe and drinkable then storing it in an outdoor beverage refrigerator is a great option.
