Freezing finished beer to up ABV

[Ki-ri-n]

So, I have a finished beer that I want to see if I can up the ABV on. Beer SG 1.062, FG 1.008 so about 7% ABV currently.

If I transfer the finished beer into a 2 liter bottle, freeze it then transfer the unfrozen liquid to another bottle, will that essentially work?
Any way to predict what the change in ABV would be (even worth it)?
How would you measure the "new" ABV? need a distillers hydrometer?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Eisbock.

 

[Agent]

Your method would certainly work - the more frozen it is, the longer it takes to separate, but the higher the concentration.

Generally, I figure on +25-40% since I use mother nature as my freezer.

A distillers hydrometer is calibrated for an ethanol/water solution that has a gravity <1.0, so will not help with a bunch of sugars present.

Though not perfect, the increase in gravity should be proportionate to the alcohol increase.

 

[fluketamer]

do you mean intentionally?

two weeks ago i cold crashed my FV and a small chunk of ice formed in it. i removed it after racking and melted it and it came to about 1 cup of water. i was more concerned with it messing with the flavor than upping the ABV.

the beer came out fine

anyway here is a lnik to predict the abv for freeze distilling beer

https://brewingcalculators.com/freeze-distiling-abv/

 

[Ki-ri-n]

The portion that freezes will be at the top, with liquid at the bottom? Or is it the other way around?

 

[Agent]

It'll freeze from the outside inward. But not as a hard cube (unless you go too long), rather a porous ice like a sno-cone.

 

[Ki-ri-n]

I was going to use the kegland attachment in a 2L to put the beer in AND to get it out after freezing. Will that still work?

 

[firerat]

Id guess you'd likely get around 15-20%.

I used to do this with whiskey washes as a first run. I froze it in a bucket with a spout on the bottom and would let it thaw a bit and drain. Id generally get 25-30% off a12% wash if i timed it right. I made apple jack a few times the same way.

BTW this is technically not legal in the US as it is still considered distillation.

 

[ClaudiusB]

It'll freeze from the outside inward. But not as a hard cube (unless you go too long), rather a porous ice like a sno-cone.