Frozen Pilsner While Lagering

[brendo]

Hey Guys,

So, last weekend I racked a pilsner into a new fermenter and sat it out for 24 hours (as I had seen recommended) to let it build up some CO2, before putting it into a fridege to lager for a few weeks.

I have been checking on it the last few days and the temp has seemed quite good. Long story short - I just went out and had a look and the ******* thing has started freezing - not completely solid, but enough.

So, my question is - what (if anything) can I do to save it? I have it out of the fridge currently to let it warm up again - but will I need to put some new yeast into it - worried that there will be nothing left to carb the bottles when i get around to bottling.

Any and all advice welcome - feeling kinda stupid about now...

Brendo

 

[samhighley]

Hey Brendo,

The venerable John Palmer has been there, so you're in good company.

Have a read of his account.

Looks like it'll be all good.

Sam

 

[edoeven]

I froze a keg of lager once, it didnt appear to suffer and continued to improve with time so I think the yeast probably survived

 

[brendo]

I froze a keg of lager once, it didnt appear to suffer and continued to improve with time so I think the yeast probably survived

Yeah now that I have gotten over my initial panic and it is starting to thaw, I can see that it is really only the top of the fermenter that has frozen and not the entire thing - so I am a little bit less stressed about the yeast - I suspect it may be OK.

I drew off a sample and tasted it, and it actually tastes pretty good - so I think I will just bide my time, not panic to greatly and see how we go.

 

[Hutch]

Yeah now that I have gotten over my initial panic and it is starting to thaw, I can see that it is really only the top of the fermenter that has frozen and not the entire thing - so I am a little bit less stressed about the yeast - I suspect it may be OK.

I drew off a sample and tasted it, and it actually tastes pretty good - so I think I will just bide my time, not panic to greatly and see how we go.

Sounds OK brendo. The yeast sits at the bottom, and the ice floats to the top, so there should be no damage to the yeast.
If you were so inclined, you could in fact remove the block of ice from the top, and leave behind a higher-ABV pils. This is how ze Germans make Eisbier

 

[GMK]

OK - some advice - put it back now and let it freeze....

The frozen part will be 99% water and you can then leave that in the cube and then rack the concentrated Wort off from under neath.
You will be amazed at the flavour (not to mention the higher alcohol %) as water freezers before alcohol.

Just call it an Imperial Pilsner or more appropriately an ICE BOCK - check out the style in the BJCP - bottle some and enter in the state comp.
Personally - I dont like allowing it to thaw once frozen....

Hope this helps

 

[pmolou]

OK - some advice - put it back now and let it freeze....

The frozen part will be 99% water and you can then leave that in the cube and then rack the concentrated Wort off from under neath.
You will be amazed at the flavour (not to mention the higher alcohol %) as water freezers before alcohol.

Just call it an Imperial Pilsner or more appropriately an ICE BOCK - check out the style in the BJCP - bottle some and enter in the state comp.
Personally - I dont like allowing it to thaw once frozen....

Hope this helps

was just about to suggest this, similar to an eisbock which is supposed to be one of the harder styles of beer to brew but obviosly urs is a pilsner not a bock

 

[Hefty]

I had the same thing happen to a dutch lager I'm now drinking.
It still tastes fine to me!
If it wasn't for the fact that it was in a cube, I would have tried removing the ice from the top (it was too large a piece).

Jono.

 

[edoeven]

it is always an option, however without the maltyness in a bock a pils can get pretty crazy strong tasting. Mine froze as a result of having the keg freezer too cold - it got really nice and clear, then started tasting really awesome. Then too strong, then it stopped coming out of the tap At that stage I realised why the taste had been changing... duhhh haha