How to Chill Beer

Using Paper Towels or Rags

Wet paper towels or rags. You will need to make sure you have enough for each bottle or can. Once you’ve gathered enough, douse each in water. They should be completely wet, but not dripping. Too much water will cause them to stick to the beer completely and removing them will be difficult.

Wrap the paper towels or rags around the beer. Make sure the middle of each can or bottle is completely covered, as those portions are what will chill faster. If you're using paper towels, try using two instead of one for a thicker covering.

Put the beer in the freezer. Make sure to place the beers slightly apart as they’re likely to stick together if they’re touching. Once in the freezer, each beer should take 8-15 minutes to chill. Also, remember to watch the time, because leaving the beers in the freezer for too long may cause them to explode. To avoid any possible injury, try putting each beer in a Ziploc bag in case they crack or break open. This will make removal both safer and easier.

Using Salt, Ice, and Water

Fill a cooler, bucket, or sink with ice. How much ice you use will depend on the size of your cooler, bucket, or sink. Try to make sure you have enough ice to bury the bottles or cans underneath it. If you have a lot of beer you may need to use more than one cooler or bucket or chill the beer in shifts.

Add water to the ice. Make sure that you add enough water that the mixture is soupy. As a liquid, water can cover a can or bottle at more points than ice can, which will allow it to cool faster. However, water will also warm at a faster speed, so make sure you add more ice as it melts. This will require you to dump some of the water out each time you add ice. Since you'll need to dump water periodically, it's best to cool your beer in a cooler that has a drain at the bottom or in a sink that can easily be drained.

Add rock or granulated salt to your ice and water mixture. Salt will help cool your beer faster because it allows water to drop to a temperature below freezing without becoming a solid. This means that you get the benefit of the cold temperature of the ice while still having the surface exposure of the water. You should try to have 1 cup of salt for every 3 lbs of ice. Ice will melt faster because of the salt, so be sure to replenish the ice frequently.

Put your beer into the ice, salt, and water mixture. Since the water is “super cool” be careful of touching it too much with your hands. Instead, try gently dropping the beer into your cooler, sink, or bucket. You should also make sure that each can or bottle has enough space to be moved around.

Jiggle the beer every couple of minutes to cool it faster. Moving the beer around will help ensure that all the liquid inside gets equal exposure to the surrounding ice, which will, in turn, help it cool faster. You should make sure you move the bottles or cans every couple of minutes. It's okay to skip this step. It may take the beer a few extra minutes to chill, but you won't have to worry about checking on it. Once you’ve added the beer it should cool in 2-5 minutes.

Using Unconventional Methods

Try using a compressed air can or computer duster. While simple, this method gets time-consuming if you’re trying to chill multiple beers. Simply turn the compressed air can upside down and spray the beer until frost forms. Holding the compressed air can upside down will help ensure that it’s at its coolest. For safety, try putting your can or bottle into a Tupperware container and making a hole to spray the compressed air through. You should also use a pair of gloves to prevent any potential frostbite or injury to your hands. Also make sure to pour your beer into a clean glass after attempting this method, as some compressed air cans contain a bittering agent that is dangerous to ingest.

Place the beer on your AC unit and turn it up. If you don’t have central air, you can place your beer on top of or in front of your AC unit and turn down the temperature. It should take about 15 minutes for your beer to cool. Make sure you watch the beers as they may cool faster than you anticipate and you don’t want them to explode. Use gloves or an oven mitt to remove the beer to prevent any potential injury to your hands due to the cold.

Put your beer in the snow. If you live somewhere with a winter season or a place with easy access to snow, you can utilize the frozen water for your benefit. Simply open a door or window and place your cans or bottles outside. If possible, try to bury them as deep in the snow as you can. Just make sure you don’t forget them outdoors!