Beer will generally freeze at 28°F (-2.2°C). This will vary due to the alcohol level of the beer.
The stronger the beer (ie. higher level of alcohol) the lower the temperature it will freeze at. This variation is because of Ethanol.
Beer Freezing Reference (For All Alcohol Levels)
We’ve created a reference table to you’ll know exactly what temperature a beer will freeze for just about every alcohol level.
| Alcohol % Level | Freeze Temperature (Degrees Fahrenheit) | Freeze Temperature (Degrees Celsius) |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0% | 30.2 °F | -1 °C |
| 3.1% | 30.2 °F | -1 °C |
| 3.2% | 30.1 °F | -1.1 °C |
| 3.3% | 30.0 °F | -1.1 °C |
| 3.4% | 30.0 °F | -1.1 °C |
| 3.5% | 29.9 °F | -1.2 °C |
| 3.6% | 29.8 °F | -1.2 °C |
| 3.7% | 29.8 °F | -1.2 °C |
| 3.8% | 29.7 °F | -1.3 °C |
| 3.9% | 29.7 °F | -1.3 °C |
| 4.0% | 29.6 °F | -1.3 °C |
| 4.1% | 29.5 °F | -1.3 °C |
| 4.2% | 29.5 °F | -1.4 °C |
| 4.3% | 29.4 °F | -1.4 °C |
| 4.4% | 29.3 °F | -1.5 °C |
| 4.5% | 29.3 °F | -1.5 °C |
| 4.6% | 29.2 °F | -1.5 °C |
| 4.7% | 29.2 °F | -1.5 °C |
| 4.8% | 29.1 °F | -1.6 °C |
| 4.9% | 29.0 °F | -1.6 °C |
| 5.0% | 29.0 °F | -1.6 °C |
| 5.5% | 28.7 °F | -1.8 °C |
| 6.0% | 28.3 °F | -2.0 °C |
| 6.5% | 28.0 °F | -2.2 °C |
| 7.0% | 27.7 °F | -2.4 °C |
| 8.0% | 27.0 °F | -2.8 °C |
| 9.0% | 26.4 °F | -3.1 °C |
| 10.0% | 25.7 °F | -3.5 °C |
What Happens to Beer after it’s been Frozen?
Beer that freezes all the way through will lose a lot of it’s carbonation, so it’ll taste flat when you drink it. The carbonation actually gets squeezed out of the bottle, which is usually the cause of your bottle exploding. Sometimes you may be lucky and find that it tastes ok.
The freeze-thaw cycle will accelerate the aging of beer so it’s advisable not to freeze and thaw beer too many times.
Can you Drink Beer after it’s been frozen?
If you find that you have a beer that has frozen (and somehow not exploded in the freezer) then you can thaw it and drink it. Be sure to taste it first.
Put you beer in the fridge if it has been frozen. Allow it to thaw slowly before drinking.
Why can Beer be Stored at a Lower Temperature in a Keg than a Bottle?
The amount of energy required to freeze a bottle of beer is far less than that of a keg. A keg contains far more liquid than a small bottle so is takes more effect to freeze more liquid. This is why keg owners can get away with setting their kegerators to lower settings like 24° F (-4° C).
How Long does a Bottle of Beer take to Freeze in a Standard Freezer?
Most freezers are set to 0° F (-18° C) so a bottle of beer will take approximately 90 minutes to freeze.
If all you want to do is chill a warm beer, then you can usually put it in the freezer for 45-60 minutes without it freezing or damaging the bottle.
Keep in mind too that a larger bottle of beer will take longer to freeze in the freezer because of the volume of liquid.
Does Freezing Beer Change the Alcohol Level?
When beer is frozen, the ethanol remains in a liquid state. All of the water around it freezes. Remember, ethanol freezes at -173° F (-113.9 °C). The ethanol gets suspended among all of the ice crystals.
The alcohol level of beer can be raised by removing some of these ice crystals, leaving more of the ethanol behind.
Why does Frozen Beer Overflow?
When beer is frozen, it expands in volume. This is simply because water in solid form uses more volume than water in liquid form.
Freezing Reference
The guide below shows general freezing temperatures.
Water freezes at 32° F (0° C)
Beer freezes at 28° F (-2.2° C)
Vodka (80 Proof) freezes at -16.5° F (-27° C)
Ethanol freezes at -173° F (-113.9 °C)
Conclusion
Whatever temperature you like to drink your beer. It’s not a good idea to freeze it. Besides potentially making a huge mess in your freezer from exploding bottles or cans, there’s no real benefit to drinking beer that’s been frozen.
You may be in a situation where your beers have been left out in the freezing cold, so read the info above to get an idea of whether your beer can be salvaged.
All things said, nothing beats tasting a beer to work out if it has gone bad from freezing. Don’t forget to pop your beer glasses in the freezer too!