Day after a BBQ. Which beverages can I take out of the cooler?

[Pencil Pusher]

When I was in college, people told me that you if you buy beer from the refrigerated section of the grocery store, you need to keep it cold or else it will get "skunked."

Well, its now the day after a BBQ and I have:
- several brands of beer
- Mike's hard lemonade
- Softdrinks (both diet and regular) and
- bottled water

There is no way it is all fitting in my refrigerator (I also have excess food). What can I put into my cupboard and what needs to find its way into the refrigerator? For extra credit, how can a sealed bottle go bad by changing its temperature? Now that I think about the whole thing, it sorta seems like an urban legend.

Thanks.

[Number]

Skunking is caused by light, not heat. Ultraviolet breaks down the hop oils in beer to form unpleasant-tasting compounds. Most beverages will last longer if stored cold, but you should be fine keeping them in the cupboard for a while.

[postcards]

You can, however, feel free to pout the Mike's Hard Lemonade down the drain.

[postcards]

I mean pour.

[Gary T]

Light may be a greater factor than heat, but my understanding is that beer will suffer from heat as well. I've never heard of water or soft drinks being affected, I don't know about the hard lemonade.

[kanicbird]

Even if beer is effected by heat it should be no worse off then having it warm all that time (never being in the cooler).

[Ringo]

I've heard the same as you, but I don't really know. Supposedly, Coors beer was not pasteurized and had to be kept refrigerated, thus limiting its distribution in olden times.

My experience has been that if you re-chill any beer, somebody will be willing to drink it.

[Qwisp]

It will all be fine. Trust me I know these things. The soda, Mikes lemonade and the water will have no noticiable taste difference. The beer should be fine if you only refrigerate it one more time, and don't let it get warm a second time. I would refrigerate it a soon as you have the room for it though.