Between ice cubes in wine and beer as cold as the Rockies, it’s clear that our cravings for highly chilled drinks are practically insatiable. Whether you’re an experienced at-home mixologist or imbibe only occasionally, knowing when to head to the freezer or the bar cart can make your drinks exponentially tastier (and potentially save you from ruining them).
To get to the bottom of this conundrum, VinePair chatted with Drew Record, managing partner and sommelier at San Francisco’s Chezchez and Bon Vivants Hospitality, for his take on freezing drinks.
40-proof liquor. These spirits will freeze around 22 °F and are the most likely alcohol to suffer issues in a freezer. If left for too long, these liquors can develop a slushy-like texture and the chemical makeup will forever be altered. This means the liquor will still taste off when thawed.
No, You Don’t Have to Steer Totally Clear of Dark Spirits
Record says that, contrary to common belief, the spirits you freeze need not only be clear. Though vodka is the liquor most commonly found in ice boxes, you can technically freeze any spirit you like.
But there’s a caveat: Though low temperatures won’t harm a spirit, “the cold certainly bothers it,” says Record. That’s because spirits that have not undergone chill filtering often end up with a murky appearance once frozen — the result of a separation of acids and lipids in the liquid. Though this is a perfectly natural process that won’t affect the flavor of a spirit, it may result in whiskies and other darker spirits developing an unwanted cloudy appearance.
Ask Yourself Why You Want to Freeze That Bottle
Before touching that freezer door, it’s important to consider why you want a spirit or cocktail to be frozen in the first place — a question to which there are two common answers. The first is to avoid over-dilution of a spirit-forward cocktail like a Martini. The second is to hide impurities in a bottom-shelf or lower-quality spirit. “When it’s really cold, you miss out on some of the things that might be a flaw at a warmer temperature,” Record says. “The colder that OK vodka is, the more it tastes just like the really nice vodka.” That’s why, at spirits competitions, judges taste everything at room temperature.
With all of that in mind, it’s not typically ideal to freeze top-shelf spirits, as doing so could hide the full range of aromas and tastes they have to offer, even though the cold can highlight certain flavors by muting others in a few cases. “Some of the more earthy notes can be downplayed when gin is frozen in favor of some of the citrus notes,” Record explains.
Why Doesn’t Alcohol Freeze? | Does Wine Freeze | Does Vodka Freeze
FAQ
Why shouldn’t you freeze alcohol?
Does freezing vodka ruin it?
Is it better to freeze or refrigerate alcohol?
Does alcohol freeze?
In general, liquor will not freeze though beer and wine will, though it’s not always guaranteed. What Is the Freezing Point of Alcohol? Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero degrees Celsius), and the freezing point of pure ethanol alcohol is -173 degrees Fahrenheit (-114 degrees Celsius).
Does alcohol cause acid reflux?
It can affect the digestive tract with gastroesophageal reflux disease, and it is common when drinking too much, leading to acid reflux. This action can injure one’s health. Repeated reflux can cause gastric cancer and esophagus cancer.
What happens if you leave alcohol in a freezer?
These spirits will freeze around 22 °F and are the most likely alcohol to suffer issues in a freezer. If left for too long, these liquors can develop a slushy-like texture and the chemical makeup will forever be altered. This means the liquor will still taste off when thawed. 64-proof liquor.
Does alcohol affect freezing point?
The lower the alcohol content, the warmer the freezing point and the quicker it will freeze. The higher the alcohol content, the colder the freezing point and the longer it can stay in the freezer. Not recommended for the freezer beyond a quick chill.