chilling your keg in outdoor events using an ice bucket

[agisis]

hey everybody

i have a nice technique in which i have used a few times to chill my 5 gallon keg in outdoor gatherings, and i would like to hear what's your opinion regarding a specific wonder i'm not certain about.

i take a high 6-7 gallon bucket, rap it around with 2 layers of insulation sheet, put my 5 gallon keg inside of it, stick plenty of ice cubes in the free side space between the keg and the bucket, and pour cold water between the ice cubes.
water temperature is then 0-1 Celsius (32-33 Fahrenheit) for an hour or two, and when the ice cubes are starting to melt, i simply add more ice.

my wonder is what's the temperature of the beer itself inside the keg.
do you think it is equal to the temperature of the water in the bucket? if it is, how long after the keg in the bucket do you think it reaches same temperature?
if some of you guys as the thermodynamics knowledge to help me and get some kind of basics assumptions, i would love to hear it.

i'm curios about it especially in terms of the liquids carbonation.
i usually carbonate my beer in a 3 Celsius (37.4 Fahrenheit), 13 psi conditions.
then obviously if the temperature of the beer in the keg is completely different, carbonation level is different as well.

(p.s - i also don't transport my beer cold, so it's already goes inside the bucket in a bit higher temperature then the one it was carbonated in)

would like to hear what you think
thank's
Alon

 

[ChelisHubby]

The keg should allow for a good heat or cold transfer, that means the beer should be very close to the water temp that surrounds the keg. Providing the keg is within 4 or 5 degrees to start. The beer will taste good for 3 hrs or so providing it is not Bud light or something similar. Most ales can handle 40 degrees and taste Great.!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

what you're doing is essentially thye same process used to make old fashioned ice cream ( without the cranking) When making Ice Cream they add salt to make the ice colder. Of course, you aren't trying to freeze the beer

 

[gnef]

Given enough time, the temperature will match. Initially the chilling will be stratified, with the liquid closest to the walls of the keg being the coolest. Some agitation or movement of the beer could potentially help with the movement of the cold beer, allowing warmer beer access to the sides of the keg. It also depends on the initial temperature differential.

I tend to think though, if you just leave it in the bucket long enough with ice, you won't need to worry about any of this.

I personally just use a jockey box, and find that fairly easy to manage, especially when I'm pouring 6 or more kegs at a time.