Any tips for moving with beer?

[JaySchafer]

Gents,

This isn't official, but I figured I'd ask early...

There's a very solid chance that I'll be moving to Cincinnati the week after next, roughly 1000 miles and at least 4 days in freezing temps by the time I find housing and move in. Looks like I'll probably rent a big truck.

Are there any good ways to keep my beer from freezing, or is my only real option to bring some of it in the heated cab with me? In the unheated cargo compartment of a 24' truck, would the beer stay above freezing for the day if I brought it into the hotel room at night?

If anyone else has tips for moving with beer, let me know.

Also, I'll probably wind up bringing a lot of homebrew to the brewday Saturday to give away. Look for the post in the Classifieds for more info on that.

[JaySchafer]

Also, will it damage my kegs if beer freezes in them? How much would the beer expand? Would I want to put 3 gallons of beer in a keg to be safe, or would 4 work?

Thanks!

[Dave Warner]

Are you also moving a fridge/freezer? If so, you could transport some in it. Just pack them in tight and make sure the door is strapped closed. It's basically an insulated box, so it should work like a thermos to keep your beer at a steady temp, at least for a few days. Beyond that, you've got me... bring them in where ever you're staying (motel)?

[Guerra]

Also, will it damage my kegs if beer freezes in them? How much would the beer expand? Would I want to put 3 gallons of beer in a keg to be safe, or would 4 work?
Thanks!

I have frozen beer in a keg a few times by accident, and once on purpose. You just let them fully defrost. I experienced no perceived ill effects. I do however understand that sometimes it will cause a HAZE in the beer that can not be removed.

When a keg freezes, the water freezes first making ice, which concentrates the flavor and alcohol content of the remaining beer. If you are tempted to drink from a frozen keg, go ahead. But be aware you are drinking off the "goodness" aka alcohol & flavor. So depending upon how much you drink, the resulting beer once fully defrosted, may taste like a weaker version of the original beer. But well worth the experience IMO.

Most likely the kegs will not "Freeze Solid" in that amount of time it would take to move so I would not be too worried about.

If you are really worried about it, I would remove the kegs from your fridge and move them inside your home and hold them there until moving day. That way at least the beer has to go from 70 deg to frezing vs. from serving temp to frezzing.. That may buy you a little more time.

[JaySchafer]

Thanks for the info guys.

Yeah, I think the moving truck is going to get loaded up around Friday morning, and I'll be lucky to get the beer of it by Wednesday night, maybe not until Thursday, as I need to find an apartment and wait for the background/credit check to go through.

On another forum I was told that a 5%ABV beer freezes at ~30 degrees, and a 10%ABV beer freezes at ~20degrees.

On the fridges, I'm moving an upright fridge and a 6-foot long chest freezer. I've learned the hard way that it's best to prop them open a crack when moving (mold), but I guess in near freezing temps mold will be the least of my worries. I'll probably try to wrap a few carboys or kegs in padding and put them in the chest freezer, along with any low-priority bottled beer. If the bottles explode, the mess will be contained in the freezer and should be somewhat easy to clean up.

And yeah, good idea Orlando about letting the beer and fridge warm up to room temp in the few days before moving. So even freezing a pretty much full keg won't burst any thing?

An accidental eisbrown beer may well be just the ticket on a cold Cincinnati day...

I plan to try to bring at least a few cases/boxes of bottled beer into the hotel at night, probably my barleywine and Flemish Brown. We'll see how much room I have in my car.

[Dave Warner]

If you have time, unplugging the fridge a day or more in advance can help defrost it and that combined with room temp kegs Orlando suggested (e.g. no condensation) should keep your fridge from getting any growths/odors.

Luckily you're not going through many altitude changes. I hope all your beers (and you!) make it safely.

[Mike Grover]

Just hold your glass steady.

[kingsbrew]

Jay, first of all I'm sorry to see you go. Cincinnati, the land of Chili Spaghetti. Never could bring myself to try that. Have fun. Get together with the club there. There is an ex-NTHBA member that moved there several years ago that always enters a lot of beer in the Bluebonnet.