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Alcohol freezes at varying temperatures. The higher the alcohol content, the colder it needs to be to freeze. (Cesar Okada/Getty Images)
Anyone who's tried freezing alcohol—whether on purpose, like making watermelon granitas, or by accident, like watching a beer explode after being in the freezer—knows that alcohol doesn't freeze uniformly. It does freeze, but at a wide range of temperatures. For instance, while vodka might survive a night in the freezer, a pack of wine coolers could become a messy slush.
Every alcoholic beverage has its own freezing point, which is influenced by its alcohol concentration and what it’s mixed with. So don't expect a margarita and a gin martini to behave the same when frozen. The freezing point is largely determined by the proof, or alcohol content (which is twice the percentage of alcohol). For example, vodka typically has an 80 proof, or 40% alcohol, while wine hovers around 24 proof, or 12% alcohol, and grain alcohol can reach 190 proof, nearly pure alcohol [source: Alcohol.org].
The freezing point of alcohol lowers as the proof increases, meaning higher alcohol concentration makes it harder to freeze. Most alcohol freezes at temperatures much lower than the standard home freezer, which is typically set to 0°F or -18°C [source: FDA]. For example, 190-proof Everclear freezes at -173.2°F (-114°C), so it would remain liquid even after a full day in the freezer [source: Sauce]. Likewise, 80-proof vodka freezes at -16.5°F (-27°C), so it would stay unfrozen under normal freezer conditions [source: Alcoholic Science].
On the flip side, reducing the alcohol content and raising the freezing point can lead to a freezer mishap—unless you’re making a well-planned frozen cocktail. Wine, which consists of 85-90% water, freezes at around 20°F (-6.7°C), with water freezing first at 32°F (0°C), followed by the alcohol [source: Wine Spectator]. It will turn slushy before freezing solid. However, a warning: never freeze wine in its bottle, as freezing causes water to expand, which could crack the bottle or force the cork out. Similarly, beer, which is about 10-proof and mostly water, can burst its bottle or explode its can if forgotten in the freezer for a day or two.
If you're aiming to make a frozen alcoholic drink or slushy, it's wise to follow a recipe. For example, slushy strawberry margaritas require four hours in a nonmetal container, with stirring halfway through. While understanding freezing points helps, experimenting without guidance could lead to many failures. Sticking to a tested recipe can save you time and ensure a tastier frozen result.
