When it comes to the purposes of kitchen appliances, it doesnt get much more straightforward than the freezer. You put things in there, and they freeze. Well, most things. Certainly most liquids. But alcohol is a different story! You may have noticed that if you put a bottle of vodka in your freezer, you can take it out months later and itll still slosh around. Does vodka freeze? And if not, why not? And does alcohol freeze at all?
Since wine and beer have lower alcohol content, they can freeze more easily. But vodka, rum, whiskey, tequila, brandy, gin, and the like have a much higher alcohol content making it much more difficult for them to freeze. The freezing point for pure ethanol is actually -175°F or -115°C. On the other hand, water freezes at 32°F or 0°C. So the more watered down your alcohol is, the more likely it is to freeze.
The reason the freezing point is so low for liquor is due to the ethanol content. This is also why beer and wine can freeze if they’re left in your freezer long enough. Ethanol is essentially the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. The fermentation process produces ethanol and carbon dioxide and the ethanol is combined with water to create our favorite alcoholic beverages.
We’ve all put alcohol we purchased in the fridge or even the freezer to keep it cold. But unlike other drinks, it doesn’t seem to freeze. This is great for us because it means we can get it super cold without risking the possibility of accidentally creating giant alcoholic ice cubes. But why doesn’t liquor freeze?
The truth is, liquor actually can freeze… if the temperature is low enough. Your average freezer just isn’t cold enough to do the trick. How cold it actually has to be to freeze depends on the proof of the liquor. If your vodka has an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 40%, it will probably freeze at around -16° Fahrenheit or -26° Celsius.
The fact that you can throw a bottle of vodka in the freezer without worrying about it freezing is awesome because it allows you to drink a nice cold shot or mix a delicious cold beverage right out of the freezer. But other liquors like whiskey and rum are less likely to be stored in the freezer because it can diminish the flavor. They won’t freeze, but if you want the full flavorful effects, you’ll probably want to avoid the freezer.
When it comes to the purposes of kitchen appliances, it doesnt get much more straightforward than the freezer. You put things in there, and they freeze. Well, most things. Certainly most liquids. But alcohol is a different story! You may have noticed that if you put a bottle of vodka in your freezer, you can take it out months later and itll still slosh around. Does vodka freeze? And if not, why not? And does alcohol freeze at all?
Why Doesn’t Alcohol Freeze? | Does Wine Freeze | Does Vodka Freeze
What is the freezing point of ethanol?
Ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, is a clear and colorless liquid that is miscible in water. In fact, pure ethanol has a freezing point of -173.5°C (-279.3°F) making it one of the coldest natural substances on Earth. However, when water is introduced into ethanol, the freezing point is lowered.
Can ethanol freeze?
One such use is as a fuel additive to gasoline, which is known as E10, E15, or E85, depending on the amount of ethanol added. Ethanol has a lower freezing point than water, which makes it an ideal alcohol for various applications. However, it is vital to understand whether or not ethanol can freeze to ensure that it remains effective.
Does ethanol freeze in a bar?
However, you won’t be stocking pure ethanol in your bar or home bar, so it gets a bit complicated. In general, the lower the proof or wine alcohol content, the higher the freezing point. To determine what temperature your particular bottle will freeze at, you need to know the amount of pure alcohol in it.
What is the freezing point of methanol?
The freezing point of methanol, or methyl alcohol (CH 3 OH), is around −97.6 C, −143.7 F, or 175.6 K. You’ll find slightly different values for the freezing points depending on the source because the freezing point is affected by atmospheric pressure. If there is any water in the alcohol, the freezing point will be much higher.