Ice Beer

[Mr.Moonshine]

yeah i did a google search and saw some stuff saying that it was illegal but couldnt find an actual source. inteesting none the less.

From what I could garner of the law, it's illegal to distill spirits, but there's nothing against brewing up to 20% ('cause brewcraft sell those turbo yeasts which will do just that), and i'm almost certain that you would not get arrested for freeze distilling anything. Also, to get arrested you'd have to get either caught distilling, or have your home searched and the cops find the equipment. Anyway, back to the topic....

Eisbock is something that interests me as well, but you've gotta be really talented with a certain style before you "eis" it. The freezing concentrates all the byproducts and flaws from fermentation/mashing as well, so unless you brew a really clean, flawless beer it's going to end up a bit on the average side. About a month ago I tried to make a little eisbeer by sticking an extract dark ale I brewed in the freezer, and collecting the run off. It was incredibly rich, incredibly dark and very very syrupy. Also, the odd fruityness was off the charts as I used coopers kit yeast to ferment (it was a fairly basic quaffer). Suffice to say I found it hard to drink, and all my mates pretty much wouldn't touch it.
Check out "brewing classic styles" if you haven't already, it's got alot of super useful information in it.

Cheers and beers

 

[t2000kw]

yeah i did a google search and saw some stuff saying that it was illegal but couldnt find an actual source. inteesting none the less.

This doesn't have anything to do with Australian laws, but in the US, making an ice beer by freezing and separating the water from the alcohol is considered distilling. I think it's a matter that the courts have considered (or might sometime in the future) and since it's deliberately concentrating the alcohol by removing the water from it, then it is so similar that it's considered to be the same. Again, very little information to be found on this.

While I doubt that anyone would get into trouble doing it that way, you would be in a serious situation if you were actually distilling and got caught. Having the equipment for distilling is what would be the real problem, and there are ways to do it without a cooling coil, using plain old kitchen equipment, that some people have used. It's quickly taken apart and is just plain kitchen stuff so there's no "evidence" of making the stuff. Some of the methods are in the "The Lore of Still Building" book. It's an interesting read, but I'll stick with buying my distilled spirits but making my beer and wine.

 

[phonos]

t2000kw,

There was a Basic Brewing video show (http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=video) in February this year where the host James Spencer actually contacted the relevant authorities in his state (Arkansas) and found that ice beer is concentration rather than distilling and is actually legal. He made a video of how he made an Ice Barleywine, which shows the confidence he has in its legality where he is.

But as you say, this isn't particularly relevant to Australia. I find it difficult to believe the police will be knocking on the door of anyone with a little frozen beer in the fridge though...

 

[Swinging Beef]

Im pretty sure you will find that eising beer falls under the general provisions of the Excise Act 1901, 77FJ (B) as they relate to denaturing of spirits, defined in the Act.
But I wouldnt be worried about it, particularly.
This post does not constitute legal advice.

 

[t2000kw]

t2000kw,

There was a Basic Brewing video show (http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=video) in February this year where the host James Spencer actually contacted the relevant authorities in his state (Arkansas) and found that ice beer is concentration rather than distilling and is actually legal. He made a video of how he made an Ice Barleywine, which shows the confidence he has in its legality where he is.

That's great!!!

I haven't kept up with the subject, but the last I read (a few years ago), it was still up in the air about the legality of it. I could understand it both ways. I would think that if the state authorities look at it that way, the federal government would also. Let's hops so, anyway, since I might try that sometime this year.

It also sounds like it's not all that hard to do. As someone suggested earlier here, I would brew with a view to making an ice beer to start with, and not try to take an imperial stout and make an ice beer out of it.

I like ice wine and think I would appreciate an ice beer. Not the mass produced stuff called ice beer, but an Eisbock or maybe another type if there are others.

Tried, tested, and GOOD recipes, anyone??? :beer:

 

[benno1973]

I made an APA earlier in the year - was very disappointed that I fell short on my target gravities and the beer tasted thin and watery out of the fermenter. Funnily after I chilled it the beer just seemed to get better and better, awesome hop flavour and aroma. Was disappointed to find the keg run out so soon, until I found about 6L of ice in the bottom of the keg. I'd unintentionally 'eised' a bad beer good. Probably not a recommended method though...

 

[Maple]

I made an APA earlier in the year - was very disappointed that I fell short on my target gravities and the beer tasted thin and watery out of the fermenter. Funnily after I chilled it the beer just seemed to get better and better, awesome hop flavour and aroma. Was disappointed to find the keg run out so soon, until I found about 6L of ice in the bottom of the keg. I'd unintentionally 'eised' a bad beer good. Probably not a recommended method though...

Similar thing happened to me, although the Gravity was not far off, still didn't quite like it. left it for a few weeks before I came back to it (out of necessity - other kegs all empty), and found it was better than I remembered. but after a few days of not bad, it started turning very jet-fuelish and hot. few pints later it was done. but still a heap of weight to it. pulled her out, opened it up - yep Iced up.

2 days later I was given a Fridge Thermometer by SWMBO in exchange for nicer language

 

[Fourstar]

2 days later I was given a Fridge Thermometer by SWMBO in exchange for nicer language

ha, my folks did the same for me, i use their spare fridge to lager my beers in their garage. It easily fits 4 kegs. When they are out of sight/reach they are out of mind. Turns out on my 1st rotation out of the fridge, all 4 kegs where frozen solid. Had to defrost my keg of Smoked maple brown in a bucket for 4 days before she was ready to drink! Atleast i didnt disturb the keg trub during transportation!

 

[muckanic]

Having the equipment for distilling is what would be the real problem, and there are ways to do it without a cooling coil, using plain old kitchen equipment, that some people have used.

It's illegal to distill potable alcohol, but not necessarily essential oils, petrol and the zillion other things that chemists distill every day. It's not illegal to own a still, although I believe there is some size restriction on imports (around 5L IIRC). The most essential (and incriminating) part of a still is arguably the condenser, as otherwise it's just a boiler with a hole in the lid. Funnily enough, a counterflow wort chiller behaves almost exactly the same as and could even be interchangeable with a Liebig condenser. :icon_cheers:

 

[Bizier]

I'd unintentionally 'eised' a bad beer good.

Eiser Soze

 

[Bizier]

I was thinking last night about "Eising" a IIPA for a seriously flavourful beverage.

 

[brando]

I was thinking last night about "Eising" a IIPA for a seriously flavourful beverage.

Bizer, that's what I was thinking too. Try an IIPA once, and then "eis" it the next time around.