Frozen Keg - What should I expect now?

[terrypratt1]

I kegged my latest batch on Thursday and today (Sat) I went to slap on a label and noticed the keg was frozen (I had forgotten to attach Inkbird temp probe when I put keg into freezer post transfer). The freezer would have been on full cooling for 48 hours (so frozen). I don't see any discharge from the posts and nothing swelled on the keg (I suspect i was short of a full 5 gallons - maybe 4.5).

Any ideas what to expect as I let this thaw back to storage temps? Is this ruined? Does it depend on if the seals are impacted (Lid, posts)? Anyone else ever do this by mistake and have any advise.

I suppose I could have put this into the "Don't do that" thread but first wanted to know what to expect. I had planned this batch to take to a family event but don't want to take a failure if I have ruined (NEIPA - full pound of hops in the 5 gallon batch).

Terry

 

[terrypratt1]

I kegged my latest batch on Thursday and today (Sat) I went to slap on a label and noticed the keg was frozen (I had forgotten to attach Inkbird temp probe when I put keg into freezer post transfer). The freezer would have been on full cooling for 48 hours (so frozen). I don't see any discharge from the posts and nothing swelled on the keg (I suspect i was short of a full 5 gallons - maybe 4.5).

Any ideas what to expect as I let this thaw back to storage temps? Is this ruined? Does it depend on if the seals are impacted (Lid, posts)? Anyone else ever do this by mistake and have any advise.

I suppose I could have put this into the "Don't do that" thread but first wanted to know what to expect. I had planned this batch to take to a family event but don't want to take a failure if I have ruined (NEIPA - full pound of hops in the 5 gallon batch).

Terry

Just found and read this thread (2 frozen commercial kegs! Need advice) - seems like I should be OKAY after verifying seals post thaw. Hopeful this is OK as I was really excited with the sample I tasted after kegging.

 

[day_trippr]

I would take the advise of the last post in that thread to remix the contents of your keg once it has fully thawed as I agree with the premise that there will be significant stratification. Otherwise, as that thread indicates, usually these things resolve favorably...

Cheers!

 

[odie]

thaw it and drink it

 

[Cayuga-Brewer]

Did the same thing with my keezer. It holds 5 corny kegs and is a very tight fit. In order to slide the last one in, I had to move the inkbird temp probe out of the way. In this case, I moved it outside the keezer. Forgot to put it back in so it was in the the 80° garage for two days. Now I had 5 frozen corny kegs. I thawed them out over the next 10 days with the inkbird set at 45°. I tried a couple of beers after everything thawed and they both had a really, really sharp alcohol bite. I then pulled each keg out and gently swirled the beer, replaced them in the keezer and let them settle for a few days. Everything seems fine, the beers all taste as expected.

 

[AlexKay]

I've frozen a whole keezer full of kegs before. Fixed the temperature, waited a couple of days, and everything was a-ok. But I agree some gentle agitation to mix things up can't hurt anything.

I'd leave the seals alone, frankly, aside from hooking it up to gas and verifying that it holds pressure.

 

[Cayuga-Brewer]

I left my kegs pressurized the entire time.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Frozen keg - What should I expect now?

Really friggin' cold beer.