Whether you've accidentally forgotten some beers in the freezer or you intentionally put them there to reserve for those days when it's so good to have a bottle of beer with your pizza, you might stop and wonder if the quality of this beverage is affected when frozen. After all, you don't want your beer to go to waste. Well, we've asked beer enthusiasts regarding this, and here's what they say.
Freezing beer will not affect its quality as long as it doesn't stay in cold storage for too long. It is not really recommended to keep your beers in the freezer for more than 30 minutes. But as long as the seal is not ruptured and there are no cracks or damages on its container, then your beer is still good to drink once it has been thawed completely.
Hang on to know more about how freezing affects the quality of beer. We'll also share some tips on how to get your beer ice-cold quickly, how to make beer ice cubes, and how to defrost and save your frozen beer.
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Is beer still good if it freezes?
Beer is a well-loved drink all over the world. It is a part of celebrations and simple gatherings with family and friends. There's also a social aspect to beer drinking that's also good for health and wellbeing. Aside from this, beer just simply tastes so good and refreshing that drinking it makes you feel good in an instant.
Beer is best served cold. But there are times when we store them in the freezer longer than the recommended time until they are completely frozen. The good news is you can save your frozen beer!
Always check if the seal is broken. If the beer bottle or can is still intact and hasn't been damaged while in cold storage, then your beer should still be good once you've thawed it back to liquid form later on. Freezing causes the beer to expand. The added volume and pressure on the container sometimes lead to the bursting of the seal or crown. If this happens, then your beer won't taste right anymore. It'll be flat because there's no more carbonation.
Does frozen beer lose its alcohol content?
Freezing beer will not make it lose its alcohol content. The percentage of alcohol is determined during the fermentation process. More sugar, more alcohol produced. After this, the alcohol content won't change anymore. You can freeze then thaw it and its proof will still be the same.
At What temperature does beer freeze?
Beer's freezing temperature would depend on its alcohol content. Since not all beers have the same alcohol percentage, their freezing temperature would vary. For your reference, a beer that contains 5% alcohol freezes at 27 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the alcohol content, the lower the freezing temperature. Consequently, those with a low percentage of alcohol freeze at a higher temperature.
Will frozen beer explode?
Water makes up 90% of your beer and science tells us that water expands when frozen. The expansion increases the drink's volume and this causes added pressure on the container. When left in the freezer or cold storage for too long, the pressure may be more than what the beer can or bottle can tolerate and it would eventually break. It would not be an explosion in the truest sense of the word but it could be messy when the glass cracks or the bottle cap bursts open because of the high pressure.
Why did my beer freeze when I opened it?
You might have experienced taking your beer out of the freezer and seeing that it's still in liquid form but when you remove the cap, that's when it suddenly freezes. You have to remember that your beer is mostly water. When you open the bottle, the pressure is released. With lower pressure, water's freezing point is also lower. You now have a container that's colder than the freezing point of water that's why your beer, which has lots of water in it, froze solid.
Can you freeze beer into ice cubes?
Beer ice cubes are a good idea so that you can enjoy your drink from the first sip to the last. It will definitely enhance your drinking experience so go ahead and make some. Some members of a food community have tried making it and they say that the beer won't be completely solid but it would be enough to keep your beverage cold all throughout.
They're super easy to make. Just pour beer carefully over your ice cube tray. One bottle or can of beer is just enough for one tray. Put the tray in the freezer. That's it! You won't have to deal with the watered-down taste of beer anymore. You can also put some beer ice cubes in your blended lime juice or other cocktails to spice them up.
How to freeze beers really fast
There's no other way to drink beer but ice cold, right? But if your friends suddenly come over and you only have warm beers, don't worry because you can make them cold really quickly.
Here are some ways for you to cool them in less than 20 minutes. Of course, your best friend during a beer emergency is your freezer!
- Use copper foil. Just cover your beer with copper foil before putting them in the freezer. Copper is a good thermal conductor and will quicken the cooling process.
- Aside from wrapping your drink with foil, you can also cover them with a wet towel. Sprinkle some cold water on your beer bottles before wrapping them with the soaked towel. When you put them in the freezer, the towel will soak up the warmth of the beer.
- You can also put your beer cans in the freezer then add some dry ice. It'll help speed up cooling as dry ice absorbs the heat coming from the beer.
- There's also some instant beverage coolers and beer chiller sticks that'll let you enjoy cold drinks after just a couple of minutes. It wouldn't hurt to have them on hand, right?
Check out these beer chillers from Letit.Beer on Amazon.
How do you defrost a beer quickly?
Unfortunately, there's no quick way to thaw a frozen beer. You can put it in the fridge or in a cool area in your house and wait for it to thaw completely. It may take 12 to 24 hours to defrost but it's going to be worth it because you'll be able to save your frozen beer. You might also want to put your beers in a plastic bag to avoid any mess in case it leaks while thawing.
It is not recommended that you run warm or hot water over your beer cans or bottles. The sudden high temperature can cause the containers to expand and break. That would just be wasting good beer.
Final Thoughts
While it is not recommended to keep these beverages in the freezer for a long time, you can still save and enjoy your frozen beers. Just make sure that the bottle or can doesn't have any damages and the seal isn't ruptured and you're good to go after defrosting it properly. Cheers!
