Freezing Kegs?

OK here goes a stupid question but sorry, I got to ask. I kinda jumped the gun on Kegging. I don't yet have a Kegerator or Keezer. Not sure which way I'll go. But it is winter here in Iowa and the garage will stay cold till spring. I never have freezing water in the garage. Cars melt snow and water on floor don't freeze. So I Keg my Haus Pale Ale, and let it sit in the garage to Carb and condition. Trouble is it is especially cold right now and I'm concerned that my keg has frozen. Worried about my baby.
Will Beer in a keg, under pressure freeze before standing water? There is still water on the floor and in a couple kegs of Oxyclean.

I don't know how insulated your garage is, but here in Indiana it was in the teens for the last week or so. I had two kegs out in the garage filled with beer, and they're fine. I have a thermometer that shows in the low 40's most of the time, dropping into the 30's when the garage door is open for awhile. I even had the garage door open for 5 hours last Saturday while brewing.

I'd take a thermometer out there and check the temp. I have no idea the temperature that beer might freeze, but if puddles of water on the floor aren't freeezing, I can't see how a full keg of beer would.

Shallow standing water freezes more quickly than a keg. But, since snow melts in your garage, your kegs will be fine.

Yep your water will freeze before the beer, which probably freezes below 30 degrees due to the alcohol, higher the alcohol lower temp you can have. Seems like you are fine.

Now I wish I would have waited. At least till after lunch! First pull of my first keg. I gave the keg a little shake and it was liquid. Figured it would either flow through the pickup tube or not if frozen. I've seen kegerator kegs freeze on the bottom where the cold drops. Looked Damn Good, I'll taste test this afternoon. Still green I know, but WTF it's a required test. Ain't it?

conpewter said:

Yep your water will freeze before the beer, which probably freezes below 30 degrees due to the alcohol, higher the alcohol lower temp you can have. Seems like you are fine.

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Good point. I know that. Dah! My garage generally stays around 40*F but this AM it showed 31*F. Now I can relax, and wait.

Good help guys,

Thanks

Gotta love Iowa weather.

I'm especially looking forward to tomorrow.

No chit. And it looks like it is gonna get worse as the week goes on. 26 years on the Fire Dept. and these winters only get worse. Who wants to go out in the middle of the freezing night and put out the only heat you have. Only to get wet before the fire goes out. One thing about it though, after your Turnout Gear is wet it freezes and insulates well, until you thaw out.

I will admit I love it though. Fire Fighting never gets old. Just so Damn cold this time of year. But hey, in July and August it'll be too Hot. That's when a good Attic Fire will really put you down.

End of Whining now.
Sorry

Dude…if you were looking for an excuse to tap and test your keg…you could have just said so.