Here at The Mighty Mighty Morning Call, we are always looking to see which stories are most popular among our readers. We can check our daily traffic to see which topics are trending and on people’s minds.
This time of year, I usually notice a spike on the radar for a column I wrote years ago about frozen beer and what to do about it.
You saw the headline above. You are reading this. It must be on your mind as well.
Isn’t this fun?
As we head into the holiday party season and the temps drop near or below freezing, I’m thawing out this special seasonal beer story to share some insight into this frigid issue.
Here is the original piece for you to review and share.
Merry Christmas!
This Lehigh Valley Craft Beer column by Craig Larimer was originally published in 2018.
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Someone left their beer out in the cold. Now it’s frozen like a beer popsicle. It happens to all of us.
This time of year, I’ve been known to (forgetfully and regrettably) leave a few bottles/cans outside to glaciate.
I realize this is a serious beer foul. Don’t judge me. But sometimes, when our fridge is packed with holiday leftovers — leaving no room for brews — I’ll move a six-pack or two outdoors to chill.
Then I might forget about them. Sometimes overnight. Then alas, the beers have turned to blocks of ice.
And apparently, if you leave a case of beer in the trunk of your car for too long when temps drop below 32 degrees … it’ll freeze in there, too.
I’ve pulled this stupid move more than a few times. It’s kinda my thing.
I’ve even made the same mistake in the summer when I’ve tried to “force-chill” a few bottles — really fast — by jamming them in the freezer. Then, after a few hours or so, I’ll remember them. But by then, they’re practically permafrost.
This may have happened to you. I see your head shaking. I’m sure we all have questions about this icy issue.
My freezing fascination led to a Q&A with Lehigh Valley brewing authority Jeff Bonner, head brewer and CEO of Cave Brewing. In addition to being an accomplished beer maker, Bonner also holds a nuclear engineering degree from the University of Arizona. Bonner’s wife is a chemical engineer — so, this couple knows their stuff.
After a gentle scolding, Bonner set me straight on the cold, hard facts about my haphazard beer slushies.
Larimer: Is frozen beer safe to drink even when the bottle is a solid block of ice or the can is bulging and hideously deformed?
Bonner: It’s safe to drink. What happens with frozen beer is that what ends up freezing is the water. But it’s safe to drink. It just tastes different. It may taste quite different.
What happens to the beer when it freezes and how does it change the flavor?
Let’s say it is a regular 5 or 6% alcohol beer and it was left outside at 25 degrees. That’s enough to freeze the water in there, but not enough to freeze the alcohol. What you’ll get is something that tastes different. It’s going to taste more boozy. Because what you have, in effect, done is distilled the alcohol.
The contents are physically separated (by freezing.) If you were to cut that can open what you would see inside is a whole lotta ice. But then what you would have is a fair amount of liquid as well. That liquid would be almost pure alcohol. Most likely at the bottom. It wouldn’t breathe, so as the water froze, that alcohol would begin to fall out of that and pull near the bottom.
Is there a smarter way to thaw a frozen beer?
It depends when you want to drink it. Thawing it in the refrigerator is good … like thawing a turkey or a chicken. It’s not going to go bad. Unlike meat, where you may be exposing it to other bacteria in the fridge … because the beer is sealed, it’s safe. So thawing your beer out at room temperature in the basement or in the fridge is fine.
Have you accidentally frozen beer before?
I’ve done it. We’ve all done it. I’ve done it and popped them open and thought, Hey, this tastes even better (laughs). It’s funny. Brewing is mostly science and part art and part magic. If you don’t realize that all these things are involved, you are missing something.
Editor’s note: Obviously, there is a risk to freezing beer, since bottles may break and cans may explode when left in freezing temperatures for too long. I’ve learned that thawing them out in the basement — near a drain — is best, if bottles break or cans burst. In this event, you should toss the beer along with the broken vessel. Also, I’ve had success thawing individual beers in plastic bags, which is a safer way to de-ice them, in case the primary container breaks. The plastic bag will catch the sloppy mess for easy clean-up.
Morning Call Arts & Entertainment Editor and Beer Writer Craig Larimer can be reached at 610-310-6928 or at [email protected]
Follow Craig on Twitter @cklarimer
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