Help! I froze my first kegged beer

[kuenro02]

I finished my kegerator and was waiting for my beer to finish fermenting. I put the beer in the keg and then turned the fridge on with the beer in it. I went down yesterday and tried to get some beer out the tap and nothing happened. I thought well maybe the fridge is to cold and it froze in the line. I turned it down a little. Today went down to get some... same thing. I thought that's weird so I opened the corny and guess what. I have a beer popsicle. Is my beer ruined? I unplugged the fridge to let it thaw out.

 

[paparker21]

I've never had luck with beer that had become frozen. It never tastes just the same for some reason. Good luck though~!

 

[badbrew]

That's what thermometers are for.

 

[kuenro02]

There's some good advise badbrew! Haha. I should have started the fridge prior with a thermometer. That's not the question I'm asking. Is my beer ruined or do I thaw it and put it back under CO2?

 

[LKABrewer]

Thaw it out and try it. What the worst that can happen?

 

[badbrew]

I bet it will be drinkable once carbed up right. Let it warm up over night then test the line. Then blast it. But seriously, this $5 amazon fridge thermo was a great investment. I stare at it every day to make sure the cooler is working right.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPE88E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[kuenro02]

I just ordered it!!!Thanks

 

[fletchsj]

it will be fine. let it thaw an d give it some time to let the co2 reabsorb. i've done it before...

 

[LMGK]

I recently accidentally froze the back 2inches of a chinook ipa carboy i was cold crashing because I didn't realize it was touching my refrigerator back plate. I racked the remaining beer and two weeks later was drinking the best beer I ever made. crystal clear, stronger than expected and delicious.

 

[fletchsj]

^ a little ice distillation Yum! I do that on purpose with apfelwein

 

[LMGK]

^ a little ice distillation Yum! I do that on purpose with apfelwein

I wish I could do this every time. I didn't,t even know there was ice until after I started racking and wasn't watching and about half the Carboy was empty.

 

[Nickeldeposit]

I finished my kegerator and was waiting for my beer to finish fermenting. I put the beer in the keg and then turned the fridge on with the beer in it. I went down yesterday and tried to get some beer out the tap and nothing happened. I thought well maybe the fridge is to cold and it froze in the line. I turned it down a little. Today went down to get some... same thing. I thought that's weird so I opened the corny and guess what. I have a beer popsicle. Is my beer ruined? I unplugged the fridge to let it thaw out.

No its far from ruined. I made a venna lager into a large ice cube once and it ended up being one of the best beers I've ever made. Just let it thaw slowly.

 

[mugzz819]

I've accidentally frozen both a keg and a carboy I was cold crashing due to just throwing then in new fridges (2 separate times lol). Both were absolutely fine after I took them out and let thaw at room temperature. I wouldn't worry, just may need to give it extra time to carb now as you possibly lost whatever you had before it froze.