The Best Way to Frost a Beer Mug

Sure, you can enjoy a great mug of beer on a sweltering day, but that brew will taste a hundred times better if you chill it first in your freezer. This chilling refers to the beer mug and not the drink itself, of course. It doesn't take long and is well worth the minimal effort. What is the best way to do this, though?

The first thing to know about frosted beer mugs is that they differ from frozen ones. Beer experts do not approve of the latter since a frozen mug takes away from the flavor. Besides that, you won't be able to see the beer from the outside of the glass, and it will be too cold to hold. If the glass or mug comes out of the freezer with a thick layer of very white ice, it was in there for too long.

The goal is to have a thin layer of ice or a pale white film on the outer surface of the glass. You should be able to see the beer and taste the full flavor. Even though you want it to be frosted and not frozen, it still gets placed right inside your freezer. Doing it correctly requires the knowledge and finesse to ensure your beer mug isn't too cold.

There are a few choices for frosting a beer mug; some take longer than others. For whichever route you choose, you'll want to be sure to use a mug or glass that is completely clean and at room temperature because a warm or hot one will most likely crack. For best results, wet the outside of it first and then place it in the freezer. It should take 30 to 60 minutes to frost up, and you can open the freezer door a few times during the process to let warm air in to build up the crystal layers. Sticking a dry glass in the freezer increases the likelihood of it freezing.

A faster method is to use damp paper towels. Wrap a few around the outside of the glass, covering it completely and then set your timer for three minutes. Remove the mug and towels and pour your beer into the newly frosted mug. You can even speed up this process by filling the mug with ice cubes and some cold water. This method shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes.

You won't want to use a fragile, small glass or mug for this purpose, and there are some guidelines for choosing ones that will hold up to the task. You'll want to look for glasses that are large enough to hold a full beer, with the average size being 12 to 16 ounces. Remember that the mug will warm up once you take it out, and it takes longer to drink than those amounts (unless you chug it).

Glass mugs will be heavier, and some have handles that increase the actual weight. You'll want one that feels good in your hand to add to the overall experience, so look for ones weighing about 1 to 3 pounds. Reinforced glass holds up better to cold temperatures and resists cracking, but there are also some very good plastic and acrylic mugs. You can also find durable freezer beer mugs made for this very purpose, and some have cool designs.