For most people, tequila is inextricably linked with Mexico – and if there’s one thing that Mexico is known for (besides tequila, of course), it’s being hot! Many people consider keeping their tequila in the freezer to cool it down quickly in the warm weather. But if you’re considering doing this, you’ll want to know the answer to this simple question: does tequila freeze? Well thankfully we’ve got the answer – just read on…
Does tequila freeze?
The answer to this question is: no, tequila does not freeze. Because tequila is typically 40% alcohol by volume (“abv”), it is incredibly difficult to freeze, and you don’t need to worry about your domestic fridge getting to a temperature that will affect the viscosity of the liquid.
Other alcoholic drinks that have a higher water content, such as beer or wine, can freeze if left in the freezer for a while. This is due to the lower freezing point of zero degrees Celsius of the water that makes up a significant part of the beverage.
However, this isn’t the case for tequila, which is primarily made of fermented agave, and so has a much lower freezing point.
Why doesn’t tequila freeze?
Quite simply, because of the alcohol content.
Tequila’s quite alcohol dense at 40 percent by volume. This means the freezer that’s in your kitchen is simply unable to get cold enough to negate the alcohol, and freeze it.
But if you have access to a science lab with ‘absolute zero’ capabilities? That might be a different story. Read on to find out more…
What temperature does tequila freeze?
If you were to freeze tequila, you would need to reduce its temperature to the region of minus 100 to minus 170 degrees Fahrenheit (or between minus 70 and minus 110 degrees Celsius).
As noted above, this is way in excess of the lowest temperature of a domestic freezer you may find in your house. For example, the freezer in my house is set to minus 12 degrees Celsius, or approximately 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even a commercial walk-in ‘deep freeze’ will usually be set at a temperature range of between -18C to -22C, or somewhere below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
So unless you are submitting your tequila to laboratory condition freezing, you’re exceedingly unlikely to manage to freeze it by popping it in your freezer at home.
What happens if you put tequila in the freezer?
The main thing that will happen to tequila if you put it in the freezer is that the taste will be affected.
According to tequila expert Antonio Rodriguez, Patrón Tequila’s director of production, storing tequila in the freezer can affect the aromas of the drink, and so you won’t get the full flavor experience when drinking. Of course, if you have cheap, low-quality tequila, this might actually be a benefit!
This means that the tequila is likely to be easier to drink. However, please be sure not to drink it directly from the bottle when removed from the freezer.
Please ensure it is served from a room temperature glass for safety reasons, as it’s possible to get your lips stuck to an ice cold glass bottle.
There is also a very limited risk that the glass bottle will be damaged by being stored in the freezer. This is unlikely, as tequila has a low water content, and so the liquid shouldn’t expand when frozen.
But there is still a slight chance, and therefore we don’t recommend keeping tequila in the freezer for an extended period of time.
Can I put tequila in the freezer?
If you want to put your bottle of tequila in the freezer, I have good news for you. You absolutely can.
As we’ve noted above, the director of production at Patrón says it’s fine. That may well be the bottle you’re looking at right now, wondering whether to put it in the freezer! But be aware that it might affect the taste.
Please be careful when you do though. The liquid might expand slightly, so it’s best to have drunk a couple of shots before you send it below zero.
If you want to follow Senor Rodriguez’s advice, serve your tequila at room temperature. If anyone would know, it’s him!
But feel free to disregard his advice if you don’t like the taste of tequila, and want to chill it to numb your mouth. It’ll be perfectly fine.
Will tequila freeze in a popsicle?
Yes, tequila will freeze in a popsicle, provided you follow one of the many recipes available that dilute the tequila with other drinks and fruit juices, such as lime.
Because the juice has a lower freezing point than the tequila, and the concentration of tequila is reduced by the recipe, the popsicle will freeze. You can then enjoy a lovely, cooling, boozy freeze pop!
Here at DrinkPirate.com we like to keep things simple. That means our favorite tequila popsicle recipe contains just four ingredients. Read on to get our recipe to make your very own…
Tequila freeze pop recipe
To make your own tequila popsicles, you’ll need the following.
The quantities listed are to make six popsicles, but if you want more, simply increase the quantities accordingly.
- Tequila: half a cup (or more if you want to make them a bit more alcoholic)
- Limeade or similar (such as 7Up or Sprite): one and a half cups
- Lime juice: two and a half ounces
- Triple sec: two and a half ounces
Simply: 1) mix the ingredients, 2) pour them into the popsicle mould – this is one of our favorites and is very affordable – and 3) leave them until they are frozen.
To give them time to freeze, it’s best to prepare them the day before you want them, but quite how quickly they freeze will depend on the temperature of your freezer.
Conclusion
I suspect we have all seen a question like this on the web, with an obvious “no, it doesn’t” answer, but the answer isn’t obvious to everyone, and moreover isn’t clear on the web. So, the only thing I can do is dispel the myth. Tequila doesn’t freeze.
However, I highly recommend making tequila freeze pops using the recipe above if you fancy something tasty and tequila flavored to cool you down on a hot summer’s day!
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