Beer-cicle

[Matt12398]

I'm sure there's been a few of these threads but today I opened my brew fridge to find a beer-cicle.

After two weeks fermenting in my new brew fridge I decided to crash cool. Because I hadn't worked out how to use my stc properly and because I was in a rush to go out I just thought I know I'll just plug the fridge straight into the wall and like any good fridge will shut off with the thermostat once it gets down to temp. Unfortunately though, the fridge I'd picked up off of ebay had not been tested since I bought it so having taken the stc out of the equation it was free to run continuously with what seems to be a faulty thermostat. Because I've been busy and not gotten round to kegging it it all froze solid.

Now the question is, if I leave it to thaw will it be horrible?

[scuppeteer]

Simply try and see. No point chucking it unless you sample it first.

[jaroporter]

it will be crystal clear and wonderfully refreshing.

..probably..

i've actually had good experiences with accidently freezing beers. even as to consider employing it as a technique when making pale beers in future..

[fego]

Happened to me when I set the controller to 0 degrees and left the FV touching the plate. It will be ok if you let it thaw then rack it before bottling (no need if kegging). It will need mixing again most probably because the alcohol floats.

Takes ages to thaw.

[orlando]

If you have John Palmer's How To Brew (you can read it on-line too) he talks about the same thing happening to him, think the beer turned out to be a prize winner.

[Matt12398]

Thanks guys.

I did read that Orlando. I think his was only partially frozen though not 5 gallons of ice. Sounds promising though and I'll see what it turns out like.

[Belter]

Hahahahaha.

Perhaps you could drill into it and extract the alcohol.