If you like chilled tequila, you may have thought about keeping it in the freezer rather than serving it on the rocks. Tequila is unlikely to freeze in most household freezers, although the coldest models have settings that will freeze it. Lower temperatures dull the flavors and alcohol sensation. That can be a good thing if you find the taste overwhelming.
If it does freeze and then thaw it won’t be ruined, and should taste just fine.
Can tequila freeze in the freezer?
Yes, tequila can start to freeze in a home freezer if it gets cold enough. A 40% ABV tequila starts forming ice at about -10°F (-23°C), so it will usually stay liquid at the recommended freezer setting of 0°F (-18°C). A 35% ABV tequila is much closer to freezing at that setting. Some home freezers can reach below -10°F (-23°C).
At what temperature does tequila freeze?
| Alcohol by volume | First ice, °F | First ice, °C |
|---|---|---|
| 35% | About 0 | About -18 |
| 40% | About -10 | About -23 |
| 45% | About -18 | About -28 |
| 50% | About -24 | About -31 |
| 55% | About -30 | About -35 |
Tequila at 40% alcohol by volume starts forming ice at about -10°F (-23°C). Alcohol lowers the freezing point of the water in tequila, and higher-strength tequila needs a lower temperature before ice appears. Sugar and other dissolved ingredients can lower it further. These temperatures mark the first ice crystals; the whole bottle does not turn solid at once.
Most tequila is bottled at 40% alcohol by volume and contains less than 1% sugar if any at all. Some tequila sold in Mexico, and some flavored tequilas sold in the US go down to 35%, and higher proof tequila can be around 50%.
High-proof tequila at 50% ABV starts forming ice at about -24°F (-31°C), well beyond the range of home freezers. Tequila at 35% ABV starts forming ice at roughly 0°F (-18°C), within the range of home freezers. The exact point varies with the bottle’s composition.
How cold can a home freezer get?
The recommended temperature for a home freezer is 0°F (-18°C). Most home freezers get down to around -10°F (-23°C). Some models can go as low as -18°F (-28°C). At -18°F (-28°C), ice can begin forming in an alcohol-water mixture of about 45% ABV (90 US proof).
What happens to the taste of chilled or frozen tequila?
Temperature affects flavor, aroma and viscosity, all of which shape how you experience tequila. Ever held your nose while drinking something nasty-tasting? Reducing the smell also reduces the flavor.
Tequila’s volatile compounds give it its aroma and flavor. They readily turn into gases at room temperature, and those gases carry the aroma to your nose. Lowering the temperature reduces how much escapes from the glass, so you smell and taste less.
The major volatile compounds in tequila are alcohols, esters and organic acids. Minor volatile compounds include aldehydes, furans, lactones, ketones and terpenes. Hundreds of volatiles have been identified in tequila. These volatiles come from the agave plant, the yeasts in the fermentation process and the oak if it is aged tequila.
Chilling dulls these volatiles and reduces the flavor’s complexity. The “sweet” taste is one of the first to be lost at lower temperatures.
Will freezing tequila ruin it?
No. Putting tequila in the freezer, or even freezing it, will not ruin it. Drinking it cold subdues its flavors and aromas, though. Once chilled or frozen tequila returns to room temperature, you shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between it and a bottle that was never frozen.
I tried to freeze this bottle of Espolon in my home freezer on the lowest setting. It got cold and a bit syrupy, but didn’t freeze. And it didn’t taste too bad either.
Beer is different: freezing and thawing it partly ruins it. Frozen beer loses most of its carbonation, leaving a different product when it thaws. Tequila doesn’t have that problem.
Is it ok to put tequila in the freezer?
Yes. If you prefer chilled tequila, go ahead and drink it from the freezer. Its flavors and aromas will be muted. In a frozen margarita, you are unlikely to notice much difference, and the chilled tequila will help keep the drink colder for longer.
If a tequila is low quality and you don’t like its taste, drinking it from the freezer may be preferable: chilling can mellow some of the harsher flavors.
Room-temperature tequila is better if you want to experience its finer flavors and nuances. Sweetness is one of the first flavors to be lost when chilling drinks, so chilling may affect the balance.
Is it better to put ice in tequila or put it in the freezer?
How you chill tequila is a matter of personal preference. There’s nothing wrong with either ice or the freezer; the fridge is another option. All three methods reduce the intensity of the taste compared with drinking tequila at room temperature. Ice also adds water as it melts, lowering the alcohol content over time.
Tequila on the rocks is a very common way to drink it, particularly if you want to dull the overpowering alcohol effect. You may simply feel like a longer drink without losing too much of the agave flavors or adding too many calories by mixing with a soda.
Tequila cools as heat flows from the drink into the ice. Melting ice absorbs a lot of energy, which gives it an advantage over whiskey stones that only warm up. The meltwater also dilutes the drink. Alcohol lowers water’s freezing point, so tequila with ice can cool below 32°F (0°C): a Harvard demonstration takes a 50% alcohol-water mixture to -2°C (28°F) using ice initially at 0°C. If you leave tequila in the freezer long enough, it can approach the freezer’s temperature and you risk really dampening the flavor.
You can experiment however you like. If you are short of time, you can chill tequila in the freezer for up to an hour; it chills faster there than in the fridge. With more time, you could use the fridge to make sure you don’t lose too much flavor. If you’ve chilled it for too long, give it a few minutes in the glass to reach a better drinking temperature.
Why did my tequila freeze?
The most likely explanation is that someone added water to your tequila, lowering the alcohol content enough for it to freeze. Do you have teenagers in the house? One of the oldest tricks in the book is to replace a couple of pours of tequila with water, particularly with blanco tequilas.
If your tequila was purchased outside the US, it may be lower proof and hence more likely to freeze. In Mexico tequila can go as low as 35%; for instance, Don Julio 70 sold in Mexico is bottled at 35%. At this strength, ice can start forming at roughly 0°F (-18°C).
Another explanation is that the bottle contains a tequila liqueur or a lower-alcohol blend. For example, Agavero Original sold in the US is a tequila liqueur at 32% ABV. An alcohol-water mixture at that strength starts forming ice at about 4°F (-16°C), but a liqueur’s sugar and other ingredients can push that temperature lower.
What happens to tequila if it freezes?
Tequila at 40% ABV can start forming ice at about -10°F (-23°C). As it chills, the liquid becomes thicker and syrupy. This is usually the extent of the transformation in home freezers.
If chilled further, tequila becomes slushy as water-rich ice crystals form. The remaining liquid becomes richer in alcohol and needs a still lower temperature to freeze, so forming some ice does not mean the whole bottle will become solid in a home freezer. Frozen liquid expands, so it takes up more space in the bottle. A full glass bottle may crack. The damage may not be obvious until the tequila thaws and leaks. A cork top may pop out.
If brought back to higher temperatures the tequila will thaw out and return to liquid. It will still be fine to drink and the taste should be the same.
More sciency reading about alcohol
pH of alcohol – why it’s important and pH levels of different beverages