Homely Scientist

 This is so simple you’ll be amazed it works.  And the chemistry/physics behind this also keep you from falling on your tush in the winter:

1. He took 6 hot beers from my garage and he placed them into a steel pot from the kitchen
2. He tossed in enough ice cubes to completely cover the beer
3. He then filled the pot with water
4. Next, and this is the trick, he tossed in (what must have been) 2 cups of table salt.
5. He took a large wooden spoon and stirred this thing up to be sure the salt dissolved.
6. He placed the concoction into the freezer and in 3 minutes we had ice cold beer.

Frankly, I wish I knew about this little trick years ago. Apparently this works for wine, soda, or anything. The addition of the salt does something that I am admittedly not qualified to explain. If we have any experts that want to weigh in, feel free. I do however know that this works. From: How to Chill a Hot Beer or Soda in 3 Minutes – Dumb Little Man

This works simply because the salt lowers the freezing point of water from about 0C (32F) to like -4C (I think).  Which means the water can be colder and still be liquid and because water is a right awesome conductor of heat (hence why it is used as a coolant for engine, nuclear power plants, etc) it can suck (technically transfer, but suck sounds better) more heat out of the can.  The water isn’t cooling the can as much as the heat is moving into the cold zone.

I think you can skip the whole freezer bit, because three minutes in the freezer isn’t going to do much.  Stirring does help because it circulates our super-chilled water do the colder parts can get nice and cozy with the warm cans.  Try it for your self.

Oh how does this keep you from falling in winter…when the salt hits the ice it again reduces the freezing point, therefore melting it.  Spiffy eh?

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