Okay so you’ve recently gotten into frozen wine cocktails—your sangria slushies are the talk of the town—and now, to level up your game your mind has turned to the party drink to end all party drinks.
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Champagne!
But can Champagne freeze?
Does Champagne Freeze?
The simple response to will champagne freeze is yes!
Champagne can be frozen, Champagne’s freezing point is between -9 and -6°C or 15 – 25°F.
But, as with all things Champagne, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to frozen Champagne.
What Temperature Does Champagne Freeze?
Okay, first things first, yes, Champagne does freeze!
Champagne is magic but it is also a liquid and as with all things liquid if it gets cold enough Champagne does freeze in the freezer.
Water freezes at 0°C but Champagne freezes at a slightly lower temperature because it contains alcohol.
It’s why drinks with a high alcohol content, such as gin, can live in our domestic freezers without becoming solid.
So at what temperature will Champagne freeze?
Well, Champagne will freeze between -9 and -6 °C if left in the freezer long enough, although this temperature may vary depending on the abv (alcohol %) of your particular bottle!
How Long Does it take Champagne to Freeze?
So you’ve placed your Champagne in the freezer to help cool it down quickly, how long do you have before it’s too late and you have frozen Champagne?
The process of freezing Champagne isn’t an instant one:
- It takes a little while for the liquid molecules to become completely solid but after 1 hour or so this transformation should begin to be noticeable.
- At the 3 hour mark you can expect your Champagne to resemble something in between solid and liquid, like frozen snow beginning to melt or the dregs of half formed ice left at the bottom of your gin and tonic.
- After about 5 hours your Champagne will have become frozen in the freezer, although, as with the temperature required to freeze Champagne, this time may vary!
Does Freezing Champagne Ruin It?
We’ve answered the burning question of “does Champagne freeze in the freezer” so what about whether you should freeze Champagne in the freezer? Will freezing Champagne ruin it?
Effect of Putting Champagne in The Freezer
Drastically changing the temperature of something—freezing Champagne, for example—will also change its properties. Think about what happens when you apply heat to garlic and onions.
That change of temperature creates aromas so inviting you can’t help but walk into a kitchen exclaiming “something smells good!”
The reverse happens when it comes to freezing Champagne.
Taste of Frozen Champagne
A lot of those rich, wonderful aromas that make Champagne such a deliciously seductive drink for every occasion can be altered and sometimes lost completely when Champagne becomes frozen.
And then there’s Champagne’s infamous sparkle.
When Champagne freezes in the freezer it’s not just its tasting notes that may become altered, but it’s fizz too!
The process of freezing Champagne is likely to reduce its level of carbonation and what's the fun in a glass of Champagne after it loses its fizz?
When Should You Freeze Champagne?
So when can you freeze Champagne?
Well, you’re an adult so in theory whenever you want!
But as we’ve mentioned, frozen Champagne may not always be the best tasting, so freeze Champagne at your peril. The taste of Champagne is a delicate mix of flavours and freezing it can disrupt these tasting notes.
However there are some instances when freezing Champagne is the best port of call. Perhaps you want to level up your ice cube game by creating cubes of frozen Champagne instead.
Or on the rare occasion you find yourself with leftover Champagne, freezing it can help to preserve it for a use later on in life, like a fun addition to a breakfast cocktail or to add some depth to a dish you’re planning on cooking.
Leftover Champagne should never go to waste and this is where knowing the best methods in freezing Champagne comes in very handy!
Here at Expert Wine Storage we're specialists in all thing wine refrigeration (we prefer refrigerating wine over freezing it!).We offer a range of luxury wine fridges to suit every need including freestanding, built in and integrated wine coolers. Get in touch with our experts today!
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What are the best methods to freeze Champagne?
Just because Champagne will freeze doesn’t mean it will always freeze safely.
Champagne is a highly pressurised drink and care should always be taken when opening a bottle and the same can be applied to handling frozen Champagne, too.
When Champagne freezes it expands. Now this process can cause a bottle to explode in still wines, but when you add Champagne’s carbonation into the mix freezing Champagne in the freezer can become quite the extreme sport.
Whether you are putting Champagne in the freezer to upgrade your cocktails or to preserve leftovers you should always decant the Champagne out of the bottle before it freezes.
This saves you from having to clear up any potential damage from the bottle breaking as the frozen Champagne expands.
Any freezer friendly container will do here, just as long as it’s not glass and there’s room for the frozen Champagne to expand!
And there we have it, everything you’ll ever need to know about whether Champagne will freeze in the freezer and what can be done about it. You’re now an expert in frozen Champagne!
May this knowledge serve you well, your adventures in freezing Champagne awaits.
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Summary of Can You Freeze Champagne
We hope you enjoyed our article on the question of whether Champagne freezes.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk
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