What would happen if I froze my home brew?

[Brew_Meister_General]

Would it cause a severe case of autolysis or would it actually have no repercussions at all?

This is just because I'm making a trip and thought I might freeze my 5 litre Easy Keg and some bottles so that they're cold for when I arrive.

Thanks!

 

[flars]

Double post delete.

 

[flars]

Might be a delay in drinking the beer if it was still slushy when you arrived. Any sediment would be stirred up. Carbonation may come out of the beer.

Is there a freezer where you are going. 15 minutes would get it to drinking temperature. May still have the sediment problem, if there is any in the containers.

 

[madscientist451]

Would it cause a severe case of autolysis or would it actually have no repercussions at all?

This is just because I'm making a trip and thought I might freeze my 5 litre Easy Keg and some bottles so that they're cold for when I arrive.

Thanks!

If the bottles are glass, they'll break when you freeze the beer. I think its a worthwhile experiment to bottle some beer in a 1 liter plastic bottle and try to freeze that, then thaw and do a taste comparison next to the same beer unfrozen. Its probably better to just use the standard cooler w/ice on the trip.

 

[Pantherjon]

I wouldn't freeze..If in bottles they will explode or burst(depending on glass or plastic)..Also, you would lose ALL carb and have a bunch of flat beer- ecch! I know..I left a store bought bottle in the freezer by accident(stuck it in there to quickly chill it and then I quickly forgot about it) until I heard it explode...Made a fine mess in the freezer!...Keg should 'keep' til your back from where ever...

 

[Rhumbline]

Can't you just use a cooler and some ice?

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

Well I'm travelling on foot so I was planning on sticking them in my backpack just to manage the weight. I think what I'll do now is make it them as cold as I can without freezing and then just add a bunch of ice packs to go with it.

Cheeers guuuys, thats one more disaster avoided

 

[Rhumbline]

You could freeze water bottles, have ice and fresh, cold water when they melt?

 

[wilserbrewer]

If you are concerned about weight, plastic bottles are the way to go....glass is heavy as hell and fragile. Recycled soda bottles work great for travel / hiking / skiing type expeditions.

 

[m00ps]

FWIW, ive frozen several of my individual bottles accidently, as well as a half full keg and once I let them fully thaw, I didnt notice much difference in terms of flavor or carbonation. As long as they were fully ready to drink before you froze them, and you left enough headspace in the container for the expansion when frozen, I might try it

But also, there will be A LOT of condensation, better put a towel under all of it