In short, it depends. Maximize the shelf life and flavor profile of your bottles with these tips.
Freezer door cocktails are one of our favorite party tricks, especially when hosting a crowd. An easy way to batch cocktails, the trendy technique consists of simply mixing up a full bottle's worth of a cocktail, such as a Martini, and storing it in the freezer door until chilled and ready to pour.
But should you be storing alcohol in the freezer outside of those occasions? We turned to Patrick Gioia, beverage director at STL Barkeep and The Vandy in St. Louis, to tell us everything you need to know about storing alcohol -- whether on your bar cart, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer.
Over the years, many alcohol brands, from vodka brands to Jagermeister, have recommended storing their bottles in the freezer. But is that really a good idea? In general, Gioia says base spirits such as vodka, gin, rum, tequila, or bourbon won't be drastically harmed in the freezer. Clear spirits made with a neutral grain base, such as vodka or gin, will be the least impacted by the subzero temps.
"Clear spirits will have probably the least effect," he says. "But when you get into darker spirits, like aged rums or cognacs or bourbons or whiskeys or tequilas, all of that's going to probably have some effect because of the oil exchange between barrel and spirit."
That said, Gioia doesn't recommend storing most base spirits in the freezer long-term.
"Depending on a lot of spirits, just me personally, I would say no overall," he says. "For something like a bourbon or even a gin, really, in some cases, if you're drinking it at room temperature, you're going to get more of the aromatics out of it. You'll get more of the flavor profile, where the cold might mute some of that."
There are still reasons to utilize the freezer, though, particularly when making composed cocktails like those ever-popular freezer-door Martinis.
"There are definitely reasons to use the freezer from a cocktailing perspective, like the idea of freezer Martinis and stuff like that," Gioia says. "Those are great ways to achieve different viscosities and things of that nature to help push the spirits to a different level and let the vermouth intermingle as well. There are absolutely reasons to do it."
And if you're just looking to cool down some bottles for a perfectly chilled Martini, a little time in the freezer is okay. Gioia says about an hour in the freezer should be enough to chill spirits in the 80 to 100 proof range, but even as short as 15 to 20 minutes can pull the temperature down significantly. In general, though, avoid storing your booze in the freezer beyond that range.
To preserve the flavor profile of your spirits as long as possible, following proper storage guidelines is key. Gioia recommends storing alcohol in a cool environment -- aim for around room temperature, or 72°F -- that won't have any radical temperature shifts.
"I wouldn't recommend storing alcohol in, say, a garage bar that could be 98 degrees," he says. "Stabilizing temperature stabilizes your flavor, so you'll see the least dramatic changes in things if it stays at room temp across the board."
It's also important to keep alcohol out of direct sunlight, whether in a cabinet or on a bar cart away from a window, to prevent changes in flavor and appearance.
"UV light in particular can break down compounds in the liquor," Gioia says. "Sometimes it'll lighten colors and sometimes it'll lose flavor. Dark, cool environments is where I would recommend storing most things."
While Gioia doesn't recommend storing alcohol in the freezer long-term, some alcohol should be stored in the refrigerator rather than on your bar cart. In general, these tend to fall under the category of wine-based spirits, including vermouth, which is a fortified, aromatized wine. Once opened, a bottle of vermouth -- whether the dry white vermouth used in a Martini or the sweet red vermouth you'd add to a Negroni or Manhattan -- will oxidize and eventually turn to vinegar. To keep that bottle of vermouth good for as long as possible, stick it in the fridge after opening.
The same is true for certain types of amaro -- an Italian herbal liqueur -- known as "vino amaro." As the name implies, these amari, such as Pasubio, are made from wine.
"Liqueurs, vermouth, and amari are kind of the three big categories," Gioia says. "You can slow down oxidization by chilling the temperature, so it'll keep a lot longer under refrigeration. Its peak flavor profile will remain longer in refrigeration."
If you're not sure whether or not a bottle of amaro or another spirit should be refrigerated, Gioia recommends conducting a little online research or asking the bartender at your favorite watering hole. "Surprisingly more than you would think should go into refrigeration," he says.
Related: This Retro 3-Ingredient Pink Squirrel Cocktail Doubles as a Drink and Dessert
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