Quickest way to chill a keg

Ok here's the deal...

I currently have a chest freezer that I use as a kegerator and a fermenter. I have a dilemma, I have a batch fermenting now (about a week) but I have friends coming over tomorrow night and they want to drink the ESB we brewed about a month ago (kegged and sitting at room temp).

I have 20 pounds of ice in my kitchen freezer. What would be the best plan of action...

A. Leave the batch in the fermenter and let it keep fermenting, and put the keg on ice and water and hope it will be cold enough for tomorrow night.

B. Pull the carboy out and stick in a bin of ice water and let it finish there, then crank the freezer down to serving temp and hope the keg gets cold enough.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

BTw way... how long would it take to bring a room temp (78 degrees) keg to serving temp(45 degrees) using either methods?

I would leave everything as it is, then about two hours before your friends come over completely submerge the keg in a solution of water, salt, and ice. That puppy will cool down in no time, I promise.

How much water, ice and salt would you use?

Of the to of my head, I don't know. I would completely cover the keg in ice, however much that takes. Then add water till it is completely submerged (make sure the water is cold). Then take some cheap salt and pour it in and mix till the ice starts melting. This will allow it to be completely covered in 32F (or colder?) water. The SS on the keg will cool very rapidly.

You can cool a 12oz bottle of beer down in this same manner in under 2 min!

Cool... thanks

You don't even need the salt. I did this last weekend when I needed to cool a keg from room temp quickly. I submerged it in ice water for 3 hours and it was at about 40 degrees when I served it.

I'm way lazy. I'd put the keg in the kegerator, and pull the fermenter out. It'd be cold by tomorrow, and no ice/water/salt work involved.

i'd go with ideah A. but no salt is needed with enough time. only need salt if you want to cool the keg real quik or real cold (freezing). 1-2 hours is plenty time in ice and water alone to get it cold.

If you were up near yooper you could probably just put it outside overnight

Ice bath with salt & if you're really trying to chill that puppy down, throw in some dry ice! Plus you get bonus fog!

Is the kegged beer carbonated? If it is then an ice bath will work pretty well, if not then you better start force carbing it pretty soon for Saturday night.

Though it may be odd, I've had a friend quick-chill quarters for parties with a propane heater and propane grill tank. (The Mr. Heater line comes to mind) Stick the keg in one of those 'party tubs' that are used for ice and cans, fill half with water, and put the propane tank with heater attached as well, placed vertically. Water should be about half covering the tank. Just fire up the heater, crank it to high, and watch out. As long as you maintain the burn carefully, the endothermic reaction of the propane expansion will act as a giant instant heat sink. As long as your careful, works like a charm.

Two words: Liquid Nitrogen

Seriously, the ice and water will work just fine, the salt will leave a mess when it drys.

I just place a keg in a primary plastic bucket surround the keg with ice and add water to the top of the ice. Some of the ice will melt so stop pouring water when it reaches the ice level. Add more ice then top off with water.

The entire keg does not have to be submerged as the brew is drawn from the bottom.

A few days late, but that's how I do it. :rockin:

vent a full 20# co2 tank directly at it. Cool that F'er in seconds!

B