<p>Ice beer is brewed using a technique known as fractional freezing, or freeze distillation.  It's rooted in the tradition of German Eisbock style, though in an Eisbock the technique is used to considerably concentrate the alcohol (alcohol percentages in the final product can range from 10%, to over 50%) whereas when a modern mild lager-based Ice beer probably doesn't gets only a small increase in ABV.  The one you link to in the question, for instance, is only 5.2% alcohol.  </p>

<p>The process involves bringing the beer down to a temperature below the freezing point of water so that ice crystal form, and then drawing those crystals out.  This process is repeated until the beer reaches the desired strength, and in the case of Ice beer, that's probably not many times.  The goal is that when you remove the crystals, the remaining drink is both more alcoholic and has more pronounced flavors, and you can allegedly remove impurities, as I suppose they may serve as nucleation sites for the crystal formation.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-21T12:37:08.767Z
Great answer thanks, would you say this process is purely to increase the ABV or does it effect the overall taste of the beer too ?
Jamie Eltringham
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-21T12:52:20.430Z
@JamieEltringham It will affect the overall taste as water is removed.  I suspect it is changed to a relatively small degree in an Ice beer, but it will certainly change significantly in a high-alcohol Eisbock.
Xander
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-21T12:54:07.470Z
Thanks for all the information defiantly one to add to the list to try
Jamie Eltringham
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-25T12:32:07.423Z
If you are gluten intolerant be careful of what type of ice Beer you buy.  [Unlike distillation, freeze distillation concentrates poisonous congeners rather than removing them.  Also, distillation by evaporation can separate these since they have different boiling points.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distillation) Thus gluten is more concentrated in Ice Beer than regular brewed beer.
Ken Graham
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-21T12:33:21.237Z
2016-06-21T12:33:21.237Z
Xander
<p>Whilst on my search for new beers I found a beer called</p>

<p><strong>Niugini Ice Beer</strong></p>

<p>This is a Ice beer and I'm not to sure about what an ice beer is. </p>

<p>Can somebody give my a explanation to what an Ice beer is?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-21T13:26:02.563Z
Possible duplicate of [How do they get beer so strong?](http://alcohol.stackexchange.com/questions/5026/how-do-they-get-beer-so-strong)
paparazzo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-21T13:30:20.930Z
@Paparazzi I wouldn't  that this is a duplicate as in that question I asked in general how do they make strong beers while freeze distillation was an answer it was not focus on that and there are other ways to get beer strong such as adding ethanol as pointed out in the answers of the other question this question however asks specifically what Ice beer is
Jamie Eltringham
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-21T13:42:12.490Z
Clearly I don't agree. The answer is a duplicate. A user can navigate and get the answer. On tech sites like SE the common practice (as I have observed) is to use duplicates to link to an answer even if the question is different if that is the proper answer.   For sure if it is my answer I mark as duplicate rather than repeat my answer.
paparazzo
<specialty-beers>
What is Ice Beer?
Jamie Eltringham
# What is Ice Beer?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-21)

Whilst on my search for new beers I found a beer called

**Niugini Ice Beer**

This is a Ice beer and I'm not to sure about what an ice beer is.

Can somebody give my a explanation to what an Ice beer is?

**Tags:** specialty-beers

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Possible duplicate of [How do they get beer so strong?](http://alcohol.stackexchange.com/questions/5026/how-do-they-get-beer-so-strong)  
> **username_0**: @Paparazzi I wouldn't  that this is a duplicate as in that question I asked in general how do they make strong beers while freeze distillation was an answer it was not focus on that and there are other ways to get beer strong such as adding ethanol as pointed out in the answers of the other question this question however asks specifically what Ice beer is  
> **username_1**: Clearly I don't agree. The answer is a duplicate. A user can navigate and get the answer. On tech sites like SE the common practice (as I have observed) is to use duplicates to link to an answer even if the question is different if that is the proper answer.   For sure if it is my answer I mark as duplicate rather than repeat my answer.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-06-21. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Ice beer is brewed using a technique known as fractional freezing, or freeze distillation. It's rooted in the tradition of German Eisbock style, though in an Eisbock the technique is used to considerably concentrate the alcohol (alcohol percentages in the final product can range from 10%, to over 50%) whereas when a modern mild lager-based Ice beer probably doesn't gets only a small increase in ABV. The one you link to in the question, for instance, is only 5.2% alcohol.

The process involves bringing the beer down to a temperature below the freezing point of water so that ice crystal form, and then drawing those crystals out. This process is repeated until the beer reaches the desired strength, and in the case of Ice beer, that's probably not many times. The goal is that when you remove the crystals, the remaining drink is both more alcoholic and has more pronounced flavors, and you can allegedly remove impurities, as I suppose they may serve as nucleation sites for the crystal formation.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Great answer thanks, would you say this process is purely to increase the ABV or does it effect the overall taste of the beer too ?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 It will affect the overall taste as water is removed.  I suspect it is changed to a relatively small degree in an Ice beer, but it will certainly change significantly in a high-alcohol Eisbock.  
> **username_0**: Thanks for all the information defiantly one to add to the list to try  
> **username_3**: If you are gluten intolerant be careful of what type of ice Beer you buy.  [Unlike distillation, freeze distillation concentrates poisonous congeners rather than removing them.  Also, distillation by evaporation can separate these since they have different boiling points.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distillation) Thus gluten is more concentrated in Ice Beer than regular brewed beer.  

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