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Author Topic: Partially froze my beer  (Read 1656 times)

Offline HopDen

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Partially froze my beer
« on: December 24, 2019, 11:03:01 am »
So, I set the temp on glycol chiller a little too low. I always set the temp the day before and then add my gelatin the next day. I went to add the liquid to the fermenter and there was ice built up on my cooling coil and I could feel ice in the beer. I don't think it will hurt anything but wanted to get some feed back from the community.

Thanks!


Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2019, 01:59:10 pm »
It will be fine, just let it warm up a bit.  Of course if you racked it while frozen you'd be performing a completely different process that we don't discuss here.   ;D

Paul
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2019, 02:17:29 pm »
That's how they make eisbock and the "ice" beer. you freeze part of the beer and remove the ice (mostly water) and it makes a stronger beer, since lcohol has a lower freeze temp than water. I'm not really sure it's all that illegal so I think it is fine to talk about it here, unlike actual distillation.

Let it warm up you didn't ruin the beer (or remove the ice ;) )

Offline Robert

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2019, 02:33:20 pm »
Don't have a link handy, but there are multiple threads on freezing various beverages over on HBT.  There, there are references giving assurances that the government (Federal at least) considers home freeze concentration of fermented beverages legal.  TIFWIW.
Rob Stein
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Offline Thirsty_Monk

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2019, 02:41:49 pm »
That's how they make eisbock and the "ice" beer. you freeze part of the beer and remove the ice (mostly water) and it makes a stronger beer, since lcohol has a lower freeze temp than water. I'm not really sure it's all that illegal so I think it is fine to talk about it here, unlike actual distillation.

Let it warm up you didn't ruin the beer (or remove the ice ;) )
And what to do when i freeze solid the whole keg?

I was making Eised Peanut Butter Milk Stout and i forgot keg in the freezer.

From legality point of view. Freezing is NOT distilling.

Distilling is evaporation and condensation.

Freezing is concentration.
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Offline MNWayne

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2019, 03:01:57 pm »
I once froze a keg solid.  Soaked it in a hot bathtub overnight.
Far better to dare mighty things....

Offline HopDen

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2019, 05:11:21 pm »
WELL WELL WELL, now you have my gears turning. What to do? This beer was/is my first attempt at a Bohemian Pils but not my first lager.
Would a Pils be a good candidate for a Eisbock type beverage? I haven't yet looked into what makes a Eisbock but will after tonights dinner.


Offline Robert

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2019, 05:42:28 pm »
I would think it might be a bit too hoppy in the balance for Eisbock treatment?  But there's only one way to decide, and you know what that is... have a taste and let us know!
Rob Stein
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Offline grambo

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Re: Partially froze my beer
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2019, 01:48:35 pm »
I've read several posts by people who accidentally froze their entire wort prior to pitching, and didn't seem to suffer any ill effects. One guy had a keezer malfunction freeze an entire lager batch, mid-fermentation, and upon thawing the yeast continued to ferment down to the predicted FG without a problem.  :o