If youve had any experience with alcohol and freezers — either of the intentional variety (watermelon granitas for a summer barbecue) or the unintentional (exploding cans of half-frozen beer) — you know that not all alcohols freeze in the same manner. Alcohol does freeze, but at a very wide range of temperatures. A bottle of vodka might emerge unharmed from a night in the freezer, for example, but a pack of wine coolers might wind up a sticky, slushy mess.
Every type of alcohol has its own freezing point, and that can change based on what its mixed with and what kind of container its in. You cant stick a margarita and gin martini both into the freezer and expect them to come out the same way. The freezing point depends on the spirits proof, or alcoholic concentration, which is double its alcohol percentage. Vodka is usually about 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol. Wine is usually around 24 proof, or 12 percent alcohol and grain alcohol is 190 proof — pretty darn close to pure alcohol [source: Alcohol.org].
The higher the proof of a given alcohol, the lower the freezing point — in other words, higher alcoholic concentration makes a spirit harder to freeze. The freezing point of most alcohol is far below what our puny home freezers can handle (theyre generally set at zero degrees Fahrenheit or -18 Celsius) [source: FDA]). A bottle of 190-proof Everclear has a freezing point of -173.2 F (-114 C), so it would come out well-chilled but still 100 percent liquid after a day in the freezer [source: Sauce]. Eighty-proof vodka freezes at -16.5 F (-27 C), so itd also survive unfrozen [source: Alcoholic Science].
But if you lower the alcohol content and raise the freezing point, you could end up with a freezer disaster if you dont play your cards right (or a tasty frozen cocktail if you do). Wine is 85 to 90 percent water, so it freezes at about 20 F (-6.7 C) — the water freezes first at 32 F (zero C) and then the alcohol after that [source: Wine Spectator]. Itll be slushy for a while before it becomes solid. A word to the wise: Dont freeze wine in the bottle. Water expands when it freezes, so the pressure could cause the bottle to crack and the cork to be pushed out. Beer, which is only about 10 proof and also mostly water, can cause a similar catastrophe. If you forget about a can or bottle in the freezer for a day or two, the water could expand enough to pop the bottle tops or explode the cans.
If youre looking to use the freezer to create an alcoholic slushy or frozen drink, do yourself a favor and consult a recipe. (For instance, a recipe for slushy strawberry margaritas calls for four hours of freezing in a nonmetal freezer container, stirring the mixture halfway through). Knowing a little about freezing points will definitely help, but a blind experiment could involve a lot of trial and error. Finding a tried-and-true recipe could save you time and give you better frozen results.
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.
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 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.
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 higher the proof of a given alcohol, the lower the freezing point — in other words, higher alcoholic concentration makes a spirit harder to freeze. The freezing point of most alcohol is far below what our puny home freezers can handle (theyre generally set at zero degrees Fahrenheit or -18 Celsius) [source: FDA]). A bottle of 190-proof Everclear has a freezing point of -173.2 F (-114 C), so it would come out well-chilled but still 100 percent liquid after a day in the freezer [source: Sauce]. Eighty-proof vodka freezes at -16.5 F (-27 C), so itd also survive unfrozen [source: Alcoholic Science].
If youre looking to use the freezer to create an alcoholic slushy or frozen drink, do yourself a favor and consult a recipe. (For instance, a recipe for slushy strawberry margaritas calls for four hours of freezing in a nonmetal freezer container, stirring the mixture halfway through). Knowing a little about freezing points will definitely help, but a blind experiment could involve a lot of trial and error. Finding a tried-and-true recipe could save you time and give you better frozen results.
But if you lower the alcohol content and raise the freezing point, you could end up with a freezer disaster if you dont play your cards right (or a tasty frozen cocktail if you do). Wine is 85 to 90 percent water, so it freezes at about 20 F (-6.7 C) — the water freezes first at 32 F (zero C) and then the alcohol after that [source: Wine Spectator]. Itll be slushy for a while before it becomes solid. A word to the wise: Dont freeze wine in the bottle. Water expands when it freezes, so the pressure could cause the bottle to crack and the cork to be pushed out. Beer, which is only about 10 proof and also mostly water, can cause a similar catastrophe. If you forget about a can or bottle in the freezer for a day or two, the water could expand enough to pop the bottle tops or explode the cans.
If youve had any experience with alcohol and freezers — either of the intentional variety (watermelon granitas for a summer barbecue) or the unintentional (exploding cans of half-frozen beer) — you know that not all alcohols freeze in the same manner. Alcohol does freeze, but at a very wide range of temperatures. A bottle of vodka might emerge unharmed from a night in the freezer, for example, but a pack of wine coolers might wind up a sticky, slushy mess.
Every type of alcohol has its own freezing point, and that can change based on what its mixed with and what kind of container its in. You cant stick a margarita and gin martini both into the freezer and expect them to come out the same way. The freezing point depends on the spirits proof, or alcoholic concentration, which is double its alcohol percentage. Vodka is usually about 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol. Wine is usually around 24 proof, or 12 percent alcohol and grain alcohol is 190 proof — pretty darn close to pure alcohol [source: Alcohol.org].
Why Doesn’t Alcohol Freeze? | Does Wine Freeze | Does Vodka Freeze
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).
What is the difference between alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks?
The difference is that alcoholic drinks are made with alcohol, and are not good for health as they can cause illness and mental damage.
Can you put alcohol in the freezer?
Can be placed in the freezer. Beverage examples include gin, whiskey, vodka, etc. Since alcoholic beverages contain both water and alcohol, the temperature at which each drink freezes will also vary. Pure alcohol, for instance, freezes at -173°F, whereas beer freezes at just 23°F. Here’s why this happens:
Can you freeze ethanol alcohol?
Pure ethanol alcohol needs to be -173 degrees Fahrenheit to freeze. At around 40 percent alcohol (80 proof), vodka has a freezing point that hovers at around -16 degrees Fahrenheit. And while putting it in the freezer will affect it somewhat, it won’t freeze solid in your traditional freezer.