defrost beer

What is the best way to safely thaw out bottles of homebrew? I had almost 2 cases of beer in my soda machine, and when I walked by it tonight, I smelled watermelon.. I opened the machine, and saw ice and slush inside the machine. Apparently, the thermostat stuck and kept getting colder and colder. Now I have beercicles. I have no idea if they will be salvageable, but none of the bottles broke - yet. I removed them from the cabinet and put in a big storage bin with a lid just in case they decide to leak, pop, explode, whatever.

I know, pics or it didn't happen... Here you go.. I started to clean up before I took them so its not as bad looking now...

You have a soda machine, thats too cool.

Sorry about your luck.

Thanks.. I've got a few machines... Nothing cold like soda machine cold. This particular machine is normally a slant shelf and the bottles are supposed to lay down. I took out the original shelves and made 2 shelves to fit the bottles standing up. Its been working great like this since I started brewing. I converted another machine into a fermentation chiller.. Soda machines are better than normal fridges because they have a circulator fan running all the time, even when the compressor turns off.

Not sure what I should do with the bottles as they defrost. It appears that most if not all have blown the crown seal. Not sure if I should recap them, let them warm up then cool again, put into fridge and hope for the best. I am going to a party on Fri night, so we could consume all these if there is a chance they will go bad. I really don't want to do that as I don't know if these people are homebrew worthy.. Most are Bud Light in a can drinkers...

I was wondering if you stored the botles laying down.
Can't find anything like that around here but if I could I probabily wouldnt be able to afford it

I've frozen beer in the freezer before and just thrown them in the fridge to thaw, and they tasted fine on the other side.

After 24hrs of being unrefrigerated, there were still some that were cold.. I tried one and it was flat as a board. I put the rest back in the fridge and I'll try one today.

So far, it seems like the batch that was chilling for a week or 2 before the big freeze didn't get that affected. The few bottles that I put in about 48hrs before the freeze have no carbonation at all.