Can You Freeze Vodka? – How To Store Opened & Unopened Vodka? – Shelf Life of Vodka

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Can You Freeze Vodka?: Everyone loves the idea of an iced drink whenever they get back home tired from work. Despite some health concerns and public advisories surrounding consuming alcohol, there is no doubt that vodka is one of the most popular drinks available in bars and parties.

Buying premium quality vodka comes with a multitude of concerns surrounding its storage needs. To help you store your alcohol better, we will be telling you everything you need to know about storing vodka in the freezer and its subsequent shelf life. Let’s dive in!!

Can You Freeze Vodka

Can You Freeze Vodka?

Practically speaking, Yes! It is very much possible to freeze vodka, even to an ice popsicle, depending on the amount of ethanol in that bottle. Unless you have some pure ethanol alcohol, a 40% saturated vodka will completely freeze at -16 degree celsius. However, there is a high chance that you would want to drink vodka rather than lick its frozen popsicles. So, rest assured, your drink will stay chilled in between 0 to 4 degrees Celsius.

How Long Does Frozen Vodka Last?

The exact shelf life of vodka can vary depending on several factors like the preparation conditions in the brewery where it was manufactured, the storage conditions in your cellar wherein you store it, and the optimum room temperature there.

Although almost all the vodkas have a similar shelf life, you might notice a slight difference in the taste over time in premium quality vodkas as compared to cheap ones. Given that you have kept that cherished bottle of yours in a good condition in either your cellar or the freezer, you can expect it to last up to these terms.

Type of Vodka In The Cellar In The Refrigerator In the Freezer
Unopened Bottle of Vodka At least a year Up to a year 2-3 years
Opened Bottle of Vodka – Up to 6 months Up to 2 years

‘-’ means that it is not suitable to store your vodka there.

How To Freeze Vodka?

Now that we have extensively talked about the pros and cons of storing vodka in the freezer, it is time that we discuss some methods to freeze vodka as well. Making a perfect vodka martini might be difficult, but freezing it is as easy as it can get. If you have bought a few bottles of premium vodka for that upcoming housewarming party, then you can freeze all of them like this.

  • If the bottles are still unopened, then they can last for a very long time in the wine cellars. Moreover, you can leave them in the kitchen pantry or in your refrigerator. This will chill your vodka enough.
  • As mentioned before, freezing premium vodka isn’t a good option, as it alters its aroma. So, avoid doing so.
  • In contrast, if you have mediocre quality vodka, then you can put it away in the freezer without giving it a thought. Leaving it in the cellar will be equally okay as well.
  • Lastly, if you have already popped open that bottle, then try to put it away in the refrigerator only. Make sure that the cork has been put back in place properly.

To know more exciting articles about drinks do refer to our blogs on Can you Freeze Eggnog and study how to freeze the drink eggnog effectively to use it long time.

Tips To Remember While Freezing Vodka

Despite undertaking all the steps that were mentioned before, you may still end up with a spoiled bottle of vodka that has lost a considerable amount of taste and smell. To avoid such circumstances, you must try to religiously incorporate these tips whenever you are putting away that leftover vodka for the next party.

  1. Make sure that the bottle is kept straight up instead of being tilted. If the bottle is in a slant position, the vodka inside it may get in contact with the cork and get spoiled. So, keep it up straight in the cellar.
  2. If you are using 40% concentrated ethanol-based vodka, then avoid freezing it below -16 degree celsius as it will absolutely freeze to a solid.
  3. Whenever you open the bottle, make sure to close it back again with cork immediately. Now, you may put it away in the freezer.
  4. Lastly, as it has been reiterated before, never freeze a premium quality vodka as it will lose its distinct taste and aroma.

Does Vodka Freeze Well?

Absolutely! Vodka freezes as well as any other ethanol-based drink in the freezer. However, if you have premium quality vodka, then it is advisable that you don’t even try to freeze it. Freezing an expensive vodka will spoil its complex taste and aroma as it practically kills those compounds that give vodka its unique flavor.

On the other hand, freezing a vodka of mediocre quality won’t affect it in any way. So, go ahead and do that. Lastly, if you are looking to impress your guests with some fun frozen vodka desserts, then also you can resort to freezing it.

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Can You Refreeze Vodka?

Sure! You can definitely refreeze vodka for as long as you want. That is precisely what we all like about ethanol-based drinks. If they aren’t opened, then they can practically last indefinitely, However, if you have opened them, then you can freeze, use, and refreeze it multiple times without affecting much of their taste and aroma profiles. Thus, you have free reign when it comes to vodka and related drinks.

How To Unfreeze Vodka?

Although you would love to serve your guests a glass of chilled and recently opened vodka, it would be terrible to give them something right off Antarctica. Thus, you may have to ‘unfreeze’ or warm up your vodka a little bit before directly serving it from the freezer. A small procedure that you can follow before serving that vodka is

  • Take out the wine bottle from wherever you stored it earlier, be it your refrigerator or freezer, and leave it on the kitchen counter for just an hour. Now, you may serve it with snacks.
  • If the bottle was in the cellar for a very long time, then you can serve vodka directly with ice.

FAQs On Can You Freeze Vodka

1. Can you freeze vodka in ice cubes?

Technically speaking, Yes! It is quite easy to freeze your vodka into ice cubes if you put it away in the freezer at a very low temperature. It will also depend on the amount of ethanol in that alcohol. A 40% concentration will freeze at -16 degree celsius while a 100% ethanol-based alcohol will freeze at a temperature below -170 degrees celsius.

2. Can you freeze vodka jelly shots?

Yes, absolutely! Freezing vodka jelly shots is equivalent to freezing vodka into ice cubes themselves. Since it has been turned into jelly, it will freeze easily as compared to normal liquid vodka. All you need to do is grab an airtight container, fill it with vodka jelly shots, and place it in your freezer at a temperature range of 0-4 degree Celsius.

3. Does vodka taste better in the freezer? 

It completely depends on your taste and preferences. Usually, it is a norm that people like their vodka chilled only. If that’s not the case, then they even add ice cubes to it. Even most of the brands advertise that their alcohol tastes the best when served chilled. However, if you like it otherwise, then you should give it a shot too.

Final Thoughts

Vodka is visibly the most important part of any bar. It is used for martinis, jelly shots, and alcoholic desserts, and sometimes can be taken on the rocks too. No matter how you consume your vodka, it is important that you preserve its taste and aroma profiles for as long as possible.

After all, when you pay a premium price, you expect to extract every drop of flavor from it. We hope that this article tells you everything you need to know about the shelf life and storage needs of vodka in the freezer. For more exciting articles like Can you Freeze Orange Juice and about your favorite food items and beverages, check out the website.

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