Ice beer
Encyclopedia
Ice beer is a marketing term for pale lager
beer brands which have undergone some degree of fractional freezing
similar to the German Eisbock, which increases the alcohol content.
form. Since alcohol has a lower freezing point than water and doesn't form crystals, when the ice is filtered off, the alcohol concentration increases. The process is known as "fractional freezing
."
during Oktoberfest
celebrations with bock beers
which are strong lagers. A particularly cold year froze the beers and a new taste was noticed by the drinkers. However, in its current form, ice beer was developed from the fruit-juice industry which used to freeze orange juice
concentrate
in order to reduce shipping costs.
Ice beer (in name) originated in Canada. The first ice beer marketed in North America was Molson Ice which was introduced in April 1993, although the process was patented earlier by Labatt, instigating the so-called "Ice Beer Wars" of the 1990s. Labatt patented a process where beer is pumped through a tank of ice crystals before filtration. The freezing of beer allowed the removal of protein-polyphenol compounds, creating a smoother, more colloidally stable beer, and avoiding long aging time.
Ice beer gained popularity in the United States during the 1990s. Miller
introduced Icehouse under the Plank Road Brewery brand name at that time, which is still sold nationwide; Molson
introduced Molson Ice; Budweiser
introduced Bud Ice (5.5% abv) in 1994 and it remains one of the country's top-selling ice beers, Bud Ice has a slightly lower alcohol content than Natural Ice and other competitors and it is claimed to retain more of the character/flavor.
Brands such as Busch Ice (5.9% abv) and Natural Ice (5.9% abv) also use the freezing process. Natural Ice is the No. 1 selling ice beer brand in the United States, its low price makes it very popular on college campuses all over the country. The ice beers are typically known for their high alcohol-to-dollar ratio.
Although "icing" increases alcohol content, most of the United States breweries simply add water back into their beer after the icing process to bring the alcohol content back down to nearly the same levels. Otherwise the beer would qualify as a "beer concentrate," which is illegal under ATF rules governing beer production.
27 CFR 7.24: CLASS AND TYPE
(the definition of the term "concentrate" does not include a beer from which a small quantity of water has been removed)
(also sec. 25.11, 25.261, 25.263)
Pale lager
Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. The brewing process for this beer developed in the mid 19th century when Gabriel Sedlmayr took pale ale brewing techniques back to the Spaten Brewery in Germany and applied it...
beer brands which have undergone some degree of fractional freezing
Fractional freezing
Fractional freezing is a process used in process engineering and chemistry to separate two liquids with different melting points. It can be done by partial melting of a solid, for example in zone refining of silicon or metals, or by partial crystallization of a liquid, for example "freeze...
similar to the German Eisbock, which increases the alcohol content.
Process
The process of "icing" beer involves lowering the temperature of a batch of beer until ice crystalsIce
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
form. Since alcohol has a lower freezing point than water and doesn't form crystals, when the ice is filtered off, the alcohol concentration increases. The process is known as "fractional freezing
Fractional freezing
Fractional freezing is a process used in process engineering and chemistry to separate two liquids with different melting points. It can be done by partial melting of a solid, for example in zone refining of silicon or metals, or by partial crystallization of a liquid, for example "freeze...
."
History
Eisbock was developed in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
celebrations with bock beers
Bock
Bock is a strong lager of German origin. Several substyles exist, including maibock or helles bock, a paler, more hopped version generally made for consumption at spring festivals; doppelbock, a stronger and maltier version; and eisbock, a much stronger version made by partially freezing the beer...
which are strong lagers. A particularly cold year froze the beers and a new taste was noticed by the drinkers. However, in its current form, ice beer was developed from the fruit-juice industry which used to freeze orange juice
Orange juice
Orange juice is a popular beverage made from oranges. It is made by extraction from the fresh fruit, by desiccation and subsequent reconstitution of dried juice, or by concentration of the juice and the subsequent addition of water to the concentrate...
concentrate
Concentrate
A concentrate is a form of substance which has had the majority of its base component removed. Typically this will be the removal of water from a solution or suspension such as the removal of water from fruit juice...
in order to reduce shipping costs.
Ice beer (in name) originated in Canada. The first ice beer marketed in North America was Molson Ice which was introduced in April 1993, although the process was patented earlier by Labatt, instigating the so-called "Ice Beer Wars" of the 1990s. Labatt patented a process where beer is pumped through a tank of ice crystals before filtration. The freezing of beer allowed the removal of protein-polyphenol compounds, creating a smoother, more colloidally stable beer, and avoiding long aging time.
Ice beer gained popularity in the United States during the 1990s. Miller
Miller Brewing
The Miller Brewing Company is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the company has brewing facilities in Albany, Georgia; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Eden, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas;...
introduced Icehouse under the Plank Road Brewery brand name at that time, which is still sold nationwide; Molson
Molson
Molson-Coors Canada Inc. is the Canadian division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Molson Coors Brewing Company. It is the second oldest company in Canada after the Hudson's Bay Company. Molson's first brewery was located on the St...
introduced Molson Ice; Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
introduced Bud Ice (5.5% abv) in 1994 and it remains one of the country's top-selling ice beers, Bud Ice has a slightly lower alcohol content than Natural Ice and other competitors and it is claimed to retain more of the character/flavor.
Brands such as Busch Ice (5.9% abv) and Natural Ice (5.9% abv) also use the freezing process. Natural Ice is the No. 1 selling ice beer brand in the United States, its low price makes it very popular on college campuses all over the country. The ice beers are typically known for their high alcohol-to-dollar ratio.
Although "icing" increases alcohol content, most of the United States breweries simply add water back into their beer after the icing process to bring the alcohol content back down to nearly the same levels. Otherwise the beer would qualify as a "beer concentrate," which is illegal under ATF rules governing beer production.
27 CFR 7.24: CLASS AND TYPE
(the definition of the term "concentrate" does not include a beer from which a small quantity of water has been removed)
(also sec. 25.11, 25.261, 25.263)