# Rapidly cooling a beer in the freezer. Does this work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214 "2015-05-30T19:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/1 "2015-05-30T19:19:26Z")
A guy on my FB page claims this is the best way to rapidly cool a warm bottle of beer: 1. Wet a paper towel using tap water. 2. Wrap the wet paper towel around the bottle of beer. 3. Stick beer in freezer for four minutes. 4. Remove. Beer is now cold. Now numerous times I have used my freezer to rapidly cool beer (and a couple times have left them in there too long), but the “wrap the beer with a wet paper towel” is a new twist. Does the wet paper towel improve the heat transfer? If so, how? He claims it is due to the “increased surface area of the bottle” and “cooling effects due to water evaporating from the towel.” But I am skeptical. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/2 "2015-05-30T19:25:58Z")
I’m skeptical but why not let us know in four minutes?😛 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/3 "2015-05-30T19:45:31Z")
I don’t know how much evaporation there will be in the freezer, the air is very dry but it’s still pretty cold. The wet paper towel will increase surface area but it’s also insulating the beer can. If the towel is wet with cold water it might draw heat from the can faster than the dry air in the freezer. I don’t have a can of any kind of drink around but it should be easy to test, and I’m betting 4 minutes won’t make much difference. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/4 "2015-05-30T20:00:01Z")
Used a 12 oz. plastic bottle of Coke Zero™ since that was all I had on at hand at room temperature. Put in freezer (0 degrees F) wrapped in wet paper towel for 4 to 5 minutes. Paper towel got nice and cold. Not so the bottle. This theory is nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/5 "2015-05-30T20:01:19Z")
We do this all the time for white wine. Works like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/6 "2015-05-30T20:01:27Z")
> [@I.Dunno](#): > > Used a 12 oz. plastic bottle of Coke Zero™ since that was all I had on at hand at room temperature. Put in freezer (0 degrees F) wrapped in wet paper towel for 4 to 5 minutes. Paper towel got nice and cold. Not so the bottle. This theory is nonsense. An aluminum can will transfer heat much more efficiently than a plastic bottle, but I don’t think it will make much difference. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/7 "2015-05-30T20:03:35Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > We do this all the time for white wine. Works like a charm. In FOUR minutes? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/8 "2015-05-30T20:06:40Z")
> [@I.Dunno](#): > > In FOUR minutes? No, a bottle of wine takes about TEN minutes. Still much faster than sticking the bottle in without the wet paper towel. A can or glass bottle of beer or soda takes about four or five. As scientists, my husband and I did the side by side comparasions and we’re both impressed. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/9 "2015-05-30T20:18:19Z")
Okay, good to know. Will definitely do this the next time. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/10 "2015-05-30T20:24:16Z")
Best I can do right now is with a 5.5 oz. can of tomato juice. The can was at 78.4F, the freezer at 24.5F, after 4 minutes the tomato juice read 73.2F on the top, after shaking 74.3F. Impressive but not gonna cool a whole can of beer in 4 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/11 "2015-05-30T21:32:42Z")
If you want to cool a bottle or can quickly you want it in contact with something very cold. In theory a wet paper towel would chill very fast but it has no significant thermal mass to act as a good heat sink. submerging in ice water is going to probably be the fastest way for typical home situations and yes aluminum would be much faster than glass since glass is an insulator ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/12 "2015-05-30T21:33:19Z")
You need a control group. You need one container with the towel, one without. Otherwise your results are garbage. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/13 "2015-05-30T21:36:38Z")
That’s what we did. With and without. Worked for us. ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/14 "2015-05-31T00:41:31Z")
I’ve done this with both plastic bottles and cans of pop and it really does work…if you wait 10 or 15 minutes instead of four. I’ve actually had ice start to form in that amount of time. Pretty cool trick, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/15 "2015-05-31T00:47:02Z")
Just don’t bury it in your freezer, pour gasoline over it, and set it on fire! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/16 "2015-05-31T01:00:33Z")
I’m skeptical. But I do know a better method - salt water and ice, bottles in the water. Stir for a few minutes. e.g. [http://howto.yellow.co.nz/food-drink/wine-and-beer/how-to-chill-a-beer-fast/](http://howto.yellow.co.nz/food-drink/wine-and-beer/how-to-chill-a-beer-fast/) ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/17 "2015-05-31T03:57:04Z")
Water (wet towel or ice bucket) aids heat transfer faster than cold air. That’s all there is to it. It’s why we make ice cream in a double freezer with the outer component consisting of ice water and salt, instead of just stirring the custard in a cold room (freezer compartment). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/18 "2015-05-31T04:34:07Z")
Man, this place’s standards of scientific inquiry are slipping. Nobody’s done a properly notated experiment yet? Well then, let me be the first. Two 12 oz glass bottles of room temp beer. Opened. Temperature of 1 registers as 71.6F. Temperature of 2 registers as 71.8F. 1 is wrapped in wet paper twoel 2 is unwrapped Freezer was cycling on. Both were placed in freezer. Bottle 1 (wet) was directly in front of cooling fan. Bottle 2 was next to it, not touching. Timer set for 5 minutes. (One more than in the OP, just to give it a little extra fudge room.) Wet towel bottle is 65.1, difference of -6.5 F. Dry bottle is 65.5, difference of -6.3F. Temperatures for initial and final readings were taken twice. If there’s a difference, it’s not significant, and there’s no way in hell 4 minutes will bring a warm, room temp beer to what most people consider “cold” for beer. ETA: Oh, in case anyone is wondering how I took the temps and put it back in the freezer, I have a bottle capper. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/19 "2015-05-31T04:36:53Z")
It seems to me that just pouring the beer into a glass of ice cubes, and leaving it to set for a few minutes will do more to cool it. The heat transfer takes place at the intersection between the warm beer and the frozen ice cube, and In a glass of ice, much more of the beer is in contact with ice. In the wet-towel-in-freezer method, seems like the beer at the edge of the container will cool (or even freeze), but the beer in the middle of the can will still be near room temperature. Do you have to counteract this by shaking the can vigorously before opening it? I don’t think that would work well. Or you could just pretend to be British, and drink your beer warm! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214/20 "2015-05-31T04:42:02Z")
Oh, good point. Let me redo the experiment filling the bottles with water, pour the water in a glass (thus making sure the “hot” and “cold” parts of the liquid are mixed) and I’ll get back to you. Gimme 10 minutes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rapidly-cooling-a-beer-in-the-freezer-does-this-work/721214.md?page=2)