Froze my carboy, am I screwed?

[Houseoffubar]

I was planning to bottle tonight, but my free refrigerator, that has been working great, and holding a good consistent temperature while I have been cold crashing for a few days.
Well, today, I opened the fridge, and it was 15 degrees inside, and my carboy is half frozen!?! WTF, now!?!

Is there any chance my yeast will still be healthy enough to prime, get carbonation, and condition this beloved IPA?
Thanks for any info!

 

[LandoLincoln]

Uh...well...it's a possibility, but I wouldn't lay odds on it.

 

[Vman]

Question, was the bottom half where the yeast cake is, frozen solid?

 

[Houseoffubar]

I don't think so, it seems to be a ring frozen around the outside inch of the carboy, but it still is 75 percent liquid'ish

 

[ChandlerBang]

Sounds like it'll prolly be ok. You could warm it up, rouse the yeast a bit and rack really dirty (meaning take a lot of trub and yeast when you rack). The beer might come out cloudy and have excess sediment in the bottle, but I'd put money on it having enough yeast to carb.
The second option is warm up, rack clean and add a bit of fresh yeast at bottling.

 

[Houseoffubar]

Another option?!? I could possibly keg it, and force carb it!?!

would it condition OK?

Thanks again for the help with my idiotic questions! I am learning, and will pass the wisdom down, once acquired

 

[Channel66]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/holy-hops-i-froze-my-brews-321315/

 

[Vman]

Two days ago, I walked into the garage and found the top quarter of my carbon frozen solid. The bottom was liquid. I brought it in, warmed it up a d now it's back to fermenting like crazy. Your likely okay.

 

[Houseoffubar]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/holy-hops-i-froze-my-brews-321315/

Wow, thanks for that! Mine is a firm slush, no where near this situation. My buddy is bringing me a keg, and I can pick up the bottle, and reg. nearby, I may try that, as I need to buy a bunch of bottles for my brown ale too. perhaps keg the IPA, and bottle the nut brown?!?

 

[Houseoffubar]

Two days ago, I walked into the garage and found the top quarter of my carbon frozen solid. The bottom was liquid. I brought it in, warmed it up a d now it's back to fermenting like crazy. Your likely okay.

It's starting to look like I may be OK. Thank for the help!

 

[zacster]

You'll be fine in the keg. You may or may not be fine with bottling as the yeast may be dead, or maybe not. So given that you have a choice you should keg.

 

[Channel66]

Wow, thanks for that! Mine is a firm slush, no where near this situation. My buddy is bringing me a keg, and I can pick up the bottle, and reg. nearby, I may try that, as I need to buy a bunch of bottles for my brown ale too. perhaps keg the IPA, and bottle the nut brown?!?

Sounds like a plan!

I remembered that thread from awhile ago. One of my favorite mistake threads those pictures are awesome.

 

[chickypad]

You'll be fine in the keg. You may or may not be fine with bottling as the yeast may be dead, or maybe not. So given that you have a choice you should keg.

Yep, with the keg no worries. I've done exactly what was shown in that thread Channel66 linked, luckily after I started kegging. So despite the name not FUBAR in this case!

 

[Houseoffubar]

I cant complain, the fridge was free, but I was so careful, that I ran it for a week with a thermometer inside, just to make sure it works well, and everyday was perfect, then I go to pull the carboy out today, and....CRAP!
Oh well, Thanks again everyone! I will raise a pint to you all in about ten days!

Hopefully I wont spit it out!

 

[lumpher]

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10-6.html

 

[Houseoffubar]

So $200 later, I kegged my IPA. The good news is...I now have two kegs. The one my friend gave me, and the one I got from the LHBS.
The REALLY good news....My beer turned out great!
I am drinking it much too fast, I have to get going again on my next batch to keep the fridge full!

Thanks again for all your help, Cheers!!!