Frozen kegs, beer tastes odd

[bdnoona]

My Johnson Controls thermostat failed and my kegs froze. I thawed them out and all kegs seem to be OK and holding pressure. However, the beer tastes awful. It's only been about one day chilling since getting the new thermo. Do I need to shake the kegs up to re-mix the beer or something? Suggestions? I can't think of any reason why freezing the beer would hurt it, besides separating the water from everything else. Thoughts or help?

 

[JesseRC]

Mine froze. It sucks. Just make sure they really did completely defrost. Mixing them up, sure why not. You will probably have some over carbonation , I did. Bleed them well, recarb.

 

[bdnoona]

I had them at room temp for a few days so they should be completely defrosted. Did your beer taste the same afterwards? One of these kegs is Pliny, so I'm going to be very pissed if I ruined it.

 

[JesseRC]

No not different, but they were over carbed and pissed me off, nothing but foam. One of them never did stop foaming.

 

[bdnoona]

I pulled the kegs out last night to see what's what, and they sounded like there was still ice inside them. I guess propping the lid open for a few days didn't let enough warm air in to complete defrost them. I've got them all sitting outside the keezer now, and will let them sit over the weekend. Then shake them to mix everything up (if that even helps?) and chill/carb. This one fail thermo is really turning out to be a pain in the a$$.

 

[JesseRC]

You dont have to pop the lid to get them to defrost, you're just asking for nasties. Let it defrost inside your house for a few days.

I told you to make sure, cuz that's the same boneheaded mistake I made.

 

[bdnoona]

No, no, no. I mean I propped the lid open to my keezer. Not the actual keg lids. I'm not that much off a noob.

 

[JesseRC]

No, no, no. I mean I propped the lid open to my keezer. Not the actual keg lids. I'm not that much off a noob.

Ahh, gotcha!

 

[bdnoona]

Update on this. After pulling the kegs out of the keezer and letting them fully defrost, I shook them up to remix whatever needed that, chilled them back down and carb'd for a few days. First pints had lots of sediment, but after that the beer is 100% back to normal. Whew!

 

[JesseRC]

I told ya so!:rockin:

 

[Headcase]

Glad to hear your brew is saved! Having that much beer get ruined is enough to make any grown man cry!

 

[bdnoona]

Yeah, it would've been five kegs worth. I'm totally relieved, and celebrating.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious JesseRC (fully defrosting). I guess propping the lid to the keezer open didn't allow enough warm air to circulate around the kegs over two days. One day after pulling them out they were completely defrosted.

 

[JesseRC]

You're lucky, one of my kegs never did stop foaming.