What is the coldest you can keep beer?

[Elfmaze]

I keep getting the question of what temperature do i run my kegerator. the answer is currently 35*. But i have on occasion wondered about how cold i can accually run it. SO beer is pressurized and has a bit of alcohol to it. can you run sub freezing temps without breaking parts?

I figure it might over carbonate, and some people dont like there beer that cold but interesting question with these "coldest draft in town" pitches out there

 

[Elfmaze]

Ok scratch the pressure part. spent some time with the water phase chart. need to be in the 10 Mpa range to effect freezing temps much. sea level pressure is around 100 Kpa and if I did my math right pressure in my kegerator is around 169 Kpa.

Not enough to effect freeze temp i believe

 

[Dynachrome]

Breaking stuff is bad. Some people freeze beer to distill it. hey pour the alcohol out of the slushy. Tactical Nuclear Penguin for example. Google it.

A few of us like to drink beer considerably warmer than that. Root cellar temp.

Really cold tends to subdue the flavor in my humble opinion.

...all that said, mid-twenties? How accurate are your controls?

 

[Elfmaze]

consensus online agrees around 28* F. i think i would be worried trying to approach that, lol

 

[IffyG]

If you are running a keezer you also have to be careful with temperature gradients. I have mine set at 35, but if the temp probe pulls up towards the top for some reason, I can get ice forming on the bottom.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I know you weren't asking "what temp should I served my beers", but I'm gonna answer that anyways.

For ales, I prefer to serve mine at 7-8C (46-48F). I was serving at 42F before and I was missing out on flavor. I'm happier with 46-48F.

M_C