Does Beer Freeze?

Alcohols like rum or vodka aren’t going to freeze on a normal day. Pure ethanol alcohol freezes at around -114°C (-173.2°F). But beer isn’t pure ethanol. It's made up mostly of water; and water freezes at 0°C or 32°F.

The temperature beer turns to slush or to ice depends on the alcohol content. Typically, 4-6% ABV beer is going to freeze at -2°C (28°F), but different styles of beer contain varying levels of alcohol.

Low alcohol beer will take about 2-3 hours to freeze completely, while high alcohol beers, like an Imperial IPA, may take twice as long.

If you want to chill your beer quickly without the wait—and danger of freezing—take a wet paper towel. Wrap the towel around the bottle then stick it in the freezer. You should have chilled beer in 10 minutes.

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