Have you found yourself wondering if beer freezes? Maybe you have debated popping your beer in the freezer to chill it quickly and want to know if that is okay?
Or are you simply curious and want to know more? Whatever reason brought you here today, we have the answers for you!
Freezing beer can seem like a fantastic idea. The freezer is sure to chill your beer quickly, leaving you free to enjoy a cold beer whenever you want.
But what happens when you forget that there is beer in the freezer? You can be left with a slush-like mess, or worse, an exploded beer.
We have all heard the horror stories, but never want to believe them, until it happens to us. And there is nothing worse than spoiled beer? But it doesn’t mean that all hope is lost!
Today we are here with a complete guide to freezing beer and how you can salvage any frozen beer. Just keep reading to find out more!
Does Beer Freeze?
Let’s dive straight into it and start by clearing up some myths. The first is that alcohol doesn’t freeze. Now, while this is partly true, it doesn’t apply to beer.
Drinks like vodka or rum need an Ice Age, or at least the -173.2 degrees Fahrenheit needed for pure ethanol alcohol to freeze. But beer isn’t pure ethanol like your favorite vodka is.
Beer is mostly water, and we all know that water can freeze much faster than alcohol! Water will start to freeze at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that it doesn’t need to be that cold for your beer to freeze!
So to answer the question, beer does freeze! The amount of alcohol in the beer will dictate slightly how long it takes your beer to freeze, and we’ve got more on that coming up later!
So while it might be good to know that beer can freeze, it doesn’t mean we want the beer to freeze. Frozen, slush-like beer isn’t high on anyone’s list of favorite things!
So keep reading to find out more about beer freezing and what you can do with a frozen beer today!
What Temperature Does Beer Freeze At?
The temperature beer freezes at can vary from beer to beer depending on the alcohol content. Typically beers with 4 to 6% ABV will freeze at 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
But we all know there are lots of different types of beers and alcohol content out there!
To help you work out what temperature your favorite beer will freeze at, we have created a handy table for you to use below. Check it out now!
| Alcohol Content Percentage | Freezing Temperature (Degrees Fahrenheit) | Freezing Temperature (Degrees Celsius) |
| 3.00% | 30.2 F | -1 C |
| 3.50% | 29.9 F | -1.2 C |
| 4.00% | 29.6 F | -1.3 C |
| 4.50% | 29.3 F | -1.5 C |
| 5.00% | 29 F | -1.6 C |
| 5.50% | 28.7 F | -1.8 C |
| 6.00% | 28.3 F | -2.0 C |
| 6.50% | 28 F | – 2.2 C |
| 7.00% | 27.7 F | -2.4 C |
| 8.00% | 27 F | -2.8 C |
| 9.00% | 26.4 F | -3.1 C |
| 10.00% | 25.7 F | -3.5 C |
| 20.00% | 15 F | -9 C |
As you can see from the table, the higher the alcohol content, the longer it will take a beer to freeze.
If you don’t know what the percentage of your favorite beer is, you can find this information online or by checking the label on the bottle. You can then see how long it would take your beer to freeze!
How Long Does It Take Beer To Freeze?
Now that we have established what temperature is needed for beer to freeze, it’s natural to wonder how long it takes for beer to freeze.
Along with the alcohol content of beer, we also need to consider the sugar content. It is the sugar that prevents beer from freezing as one solid lump like a water ice cube.
Instead, frozen beer is more slushy, flaky, and even grainy! The higher the sugar content and alcohol content, the more slushy the beer will be after you freeze it. But how long does this take?
Well, for low alcohol beer, it will take between two and three hours for it to freeze completely. For higher alcohol beers like an Imperial IPA, it can take twice as long for it to freeze.
What Is The Safest Way To Chill A Beer?
It’s no surprise that a fast way to chill your beer before enjoying it is to put it in the freezer, but is there a way to do this without ruining the consistency?
Well, yes there is! Let’s say you want to chill a Budwiser. If your freezer is set to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing), then the beer will be frozen in 90 minutes.
As we don’t want that, we suggest you do the following. Get yourself a paper towel and wet it. Wrap the wet towel around your beer bottle and place it in the freezer.
In ten minutes, the beer will be chill and at the perfect temperature for drinking! We recommend setting a timer or alarm so you don’t forget about the beer.
You can use the ten-minute timer for most beers, although depending on how warm the bottle was before you put it in the freezer, they might take a little longer to chill.
Can I Put Beer In The Freezer?
Yes, you can put beer in the freezer. Putting beer in the freezer is a quick and easy way to chill it before drinking.
You just need to take care that your beer isn’t in the freezer for too long, as it can freeze and the consistency will be ruined!
While you can pop your beer temporarily in the freezer, we do not recommend storing your beer in the freezer. Instead, it should be kept in a dark and cool place, like a cupboard or your garage.
Can Beer Explode In The Freezer?
Most of us have heard the stories of beers exploding and we are here to tell you that those stories are true! A beer is roughly 95% water, and water expands when it freezes.
As the water expands, the glass bottle or can your beer in will not expand, meaning there is a strong chance the beer will explode! You can expect slushy beer everywhere in your freezer and glass that you have to clean up.
What Happens To Frozen Beer?
If your beer doesn’t explode when it freezes, then you can expect your beer to taste different. Any carbonation will leave the beer as it freezes, leaving you with a flat beer.
Once the beer is frozen and then thawed, the aging process accelerates, leaving you with a reduced flavor and flat beer, who wants that?
Can I Drink Frozen Beer?
If you want to, you can drink a frozen beer, but we don’t think you should. Not only will it be flat, but some of its taste will have been lost too, which is never pleasant.
If you have a frozen beer that hasn’t exploded, we do not recommend drinking it.
Does Freezing Beer Change The ABV?
When a beer freezes, the water content turns to ice. But as alcohol has a higher freezing point, this remains a liquid.
If you removed the ice from your beer, then you could increase the ABV, but often we don’t think it’s worth the hassle of freezing beer!
What Can I Do With Frozen Beer?
You have a few options when it comes to frozen beer. If the beer has exploded, it’s best just to cut your losses and dispose of them.
If only the top has broken, we still recommend chucking it as there could be small glass shards in the beer, and no one wants to drink glass!
If the beer hasn’t fully frozen you can leave it in your refrigerator to thaw. It might taste different, but you should still be able to enjoy the beer.
And if your beer has gone flat, you could turn the beer into a margarita, beer popsicles, or cooking. Beer battered fish is always a winner in our home!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! Beer can freeze at around 28 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the alcohol content.
While you can use your freezer to chill beer, we recommend only doing it briefly as frozen beer does not taste the same.
I want to share with you all of my favorites, as well as share advice on picking certain alcohols and flavors.
I hope you enjoy my articles as much as I enjoyed researching them!
- Why Are Some Alcohols Referred To As Spirits? - February 11, 2023
- The Healthy Benefits Of Drinking Cannonau Wine - January 31, 2023
- All Major Differences Between Prosecco And Moscato (And Which You Should Choose) - January 7, 2023
