In the final moments of New Year celebrations, it’s common to finish off a bottle of Champagne with friends. But does champagne freeze and do you ever wonder if that fizzy beverage is able to stand frosty temperatures? Even though there are so many different variations of this drink, most people think that all types of Champagne freeze and become un-drinkable.
In this article, we will describe whether champagne freezes. And if so at what temperatures for different types of champagne? Moreover, we will check the effects of freezing the champagne on the taste, aroma, appearance, and carbonation to ensure you make an educated decision on whether to use frozen champagne or not.
If you’re also curious about whether or not your favorite sparkling wine will freeze, continue reading to find out the answer.
Does Champagne freeze?
Just like wines and other liquids, champagne depending on the alcohol content will freeze at 15°F to 20°F (-9°C to -6°C) with higher alcohol content lowering the freezing temperature. Most freezers are set to 0°F thus your champagne will freeze at this temperature. However, frozen champagne is not necessarily ruined since you can thaw it safely when left to thaw slowly. You can use the thawed champagne for drinking or cooking.
Your freezer is one of the great places to put champagne if you want to chill them quickly. However, if you forget it in the freezer, it may get frozen. The challenge with freezing champagne is that in extreme cases, the champagne bottle may explode.
The good thing is that you can defrost the wine and it is safe to drink. However, care should be taken not to defrost the champagne bottle very fast by heating it since it can spoil the integrity, color, and flavor of your champagne.
The defrosted champagne will likely have a marked reduction in carbonation. Carbon dioxide is released from the solution in the form of small bubbles with reduced pressure due to freezing, making the drink froth or fizz regardless of the temperature.
Champagne and sparkling wine have an average of 70-75% water content. This means it tends to freeze at a higher temperature as compared to others with higher alcohol content.
Can All Types of Champagne Freeze?
All types of Champagne will freeze. Champagne depending on the alcohol content will freeze at 15°F to 20°F (-9°C to -6°C) with higher alcohol content lowering the freezing temperature. Most freezers are set to 0°F thus your champagne will freeze at this temperature.
However, frozen champagne is not necessarily ruined since you can thaw it safely when left to thaw slowly. You can use the thawed champagne for drinking or cooking.
However, frozen Champagne will be less bubbly and fizzier once it has been placed back inside a refrigerator. This happens because the bubbles in Champagne are mostly carbon dioxide and will be less likely to form in a frozen bottle.
While you can expect a lower-quality wine to freeze completely, it’s likely that a premium bottle can survive the freezing process without losing its integrity.
A frozen Champagne is likely to be cloudy and has a thicker consistency as opposed to a bottle that has never been frozen before. When thawed, frozen Champagne can be expected to taste less effervescent and have a thicker texture as well as a lower alcohol content.
Champagne is a sparkling wine (also known as “sparkling wine”, “sparkler”, “bubbly” or “Wine with bubbles”), produced most notably in the Champagne region of France. Champagne is made from grapes fermented with yeast, with some added sugar and extra carbon dioxide.
Related: What Temperature Does Wine Freeze?
Why Does Champagne Freeze?
Champagne will freeze when the temperature is lower than the freezing point of champagne. Therefore, it will freeze at a temperature of between 15°F to 20°F (-9°C to -6°C).
The freezing temperature for champagne is influenced by the freezing temperature of water and ethanol- where champagnes have 12% ABV (alcohol by volume). Because the ABV is 12% the water content in a bottle of champagne is 70 – 75%. Water has a freezing point of 32 °F. Ethanol, which is the second-highest component of champagne by volume has a freezing point of -173.38 °F.
Therefore, the freezing temperature of champagne is lower than that of water but considerably higher than that of ethanol. This is because from the explanation above, champagne in scientific terms is water with impurities where the freezing temperature becomes 15°F to 20°F (-9°C to -6°C).
Frozen Champagne can be safely thawed and be used for drinking or cooking as long as heat is not applied to expedite thawing.
Champagne is a type of wine that is made with a high amount of sugar. This excess of sweetness causes the bubbles that are produced during the second fermentation of the wine to freeze at lower temperatures than average water.
Champagne freezing temperature
As discussed above, champagne will freeze when stored at a temperature below the freezing temperature. It will freeze just like wines and other liquids. However, what is the freezing temperature of champagne?
Champagne will freeze when the temperature is lower than the freezing point of champagne which is between 15°F to 20°F (-9°C to -6°C). The freezing temperature is dependent on the alcohol content of the champagne and other substances contained in the champagne.
The freezing temperature of champagne is thus slightly lower temperature than water‘s freezing point which is 0 °C (32 °F). However, the absolute alcohol (ethanol) freezing point is -173.38 °F (114.1°C).
It is important that sparkling wine and Champagne have an average of 70-75% water content. This makes champagne a faster-freezing liquor as compared to whiskey, rum, or vodka.
How long until the champagne freezes?
One of the questions that many people wonder is how long it takes for Champagne to freeze in the freezer.
From our tests, the length of time till the wine freezes depends on the wine’s freezer temperature and alcohol content. it will take only 20 minutes for the temperature inside the freezer to drop low enough for the champagne to get a snowy and slushy consistency.
This means that if you chill your champagne for over 20 minutes, the bottle can get totally frozen or even explode due to carbonation and expansion of the content.
It’s recommended that you don’t keep Champagne in the freezer for more than one day as it may damage the fizz. If you’re planning on freezing Champagne for a few hours, be sure that the bottle is upright to avoid the liquid from dripping down into the cork.
These are the best practices for keeping Champagne fresh in the freezer:
- Champagne should be stored at the back of the freezer where it’s coldest.
- The Champagne should be stored on its side so that the cork stays wet. Eventually, the Champagne will freeze when the cork dries out, but it will be preserved.
- It’s best to store Champagne in plastic containers to avoid breaking the glass.
- Frozen Champagne can be safely thawed and be used for drinking or cooking as long as heat is not applied to expedite thawing.
- You can put Champagne in the fridge to chill it quickly, but be sure to put it in a plastic container so that it doesn’t leak.
Is Frozen Champagne ruined?
Frozen Champagne is not necessarily ruined and can be safely thawed and be used for drinking or cooking as long as heat is not applied to expedite thawing. However, with thawing, the champagne loses most of the carbonation.
A frozen Champagne is likely to be cloudy and has a thicker consistency as opposed to a bottle that has never been frozen before. When thawed, frozen Champagne can be expected to taste less effervescent and have a thicker texture as well as a lower alcohol content.
Thus, other than the marked reduction in carbonation from frozen-then-defrosted Champagne, the champagne will not be harmful to drink. However, you will not be able to enjoy all its elements in the champagne after freezing and defrosting.
All types of champagne will freeze when left for excessive periods of time in a home freezer. Exposure to low temperatures for a long time will lead to the freezing of champagne which can make it have a slushy texture or a hard block.
In conclusion, freezing champagne is generally not recommended since it damages the appearance, and taste, and can also cause the bottle to crack or explode.
Should I Chill and Unchill Champagne?
Repeated chilling and unchilling of Champagne, especially in extreme temperatures such as freezing, is far from ideal for a bottle you may want to hold on to for a while.
While chilling a bottle of wine will definitely cause it to become completely frozen, it is important to note that chilling and unchilling Champagne without freezing it first is less damaging to the quality of the drink.
There are, however, exceptions. If the Champagne is of a high enough alcohol content, it might be able to withstand multiple freezing and thawing cycles without losing its quality.
Should you Freeze Leftover Champagne?
There are a few reasons why you may want to freeze Champagne. You might have leftover Champagne from a party or have purchased too much. The first thing you need to know is that Champagne is not the only type of bubbly that freezes.
Champagne, sparkling wine, and sparkling cider are all fizzy drinks that will freeze in a freezer. Champagne that has already been opened may freeze if the Champagne is left out for a long period of time (more than a few hours) and the temperature is low enough.
In this case, you should definitely store the Champagne in the freezer. If you have leftover Champagne that is still sealed, you don’t have to freeze it. Champagne won’t get “bad” if it’s left out at room temperature.
How long it takes for frozen champagne to thaw
Champagne that’s been left in the freezer for one day will take about 2 hours to thaw out. If it’s been in there for a few days, it’ll take up to 5 hours to thaw.
When you’re ready to thaw out the Champagne, set it upright in case the cork seal is compromised, and just leave it alone for 2 hours. You don’t have to rush the thawing process and you can thaw Champagne in the fridge.
If you want to thaw the champagne faster, you can place the bottle in lukewarm water or use a blow dry machine to use warm air to thaw the champagne. The warm air enables the champagne to thaw without destroying the bottle or the contents.
Will frozen champagne explode?
A frozen Champagne bottle can explode, especially if the cork seal is compromised and the pressure inside is too great. This will cause the Champagne to leak out.
While it may seem that you’re stuck with a mess to clean up, fear not! If you act quickly, you can prevent a big mess by quickly opening the Champagne, removing the cork, and placing the liquid in a bowl or sink.
If you’re wondering whether or not the Champagne will be good after being in the freezer for a few days, the answer is yes.
The only thing that will happen is that the carbonation will be lower than it would be if it wasn’t frozen, so it won’t fizz as much when you open it.
Frozen champagne pops
Yes, frozen Champagne can pop, but it may freeze the cork shut, which would make it very difficult to open. If you’re worried about the Champagne freezing and being difficult to open, you can always store it in the fridge since it’s a lot colder than most freezers.
Perfectly preserved Champagne can be thawed and still be enjoyed just like it was when it was first opened. Frozen bubbly also makes a great gift for friends, family, and co-workers, especially during the holidays.
There you have it, the truth on whether or not Champagne freezes! From all of this information, you can see that Champagne will freeze and can be stored in the freezer, but that it only be kept frozen for a limited time.
Final Words
If you’ve ever wondered how long Champagne lasts or how you can extend its shelf life, there are many ways to do so. This common beverage can be enjoyed for a long period of time if certain precautions are taken.
While many people think that Champagne freezes, it’s important to note that the beverage’s high sugar content causes it to freeze at a lower temperature than water.
Thus, all types of Champagne will freeze once their freezing point is reached. The freezing point of champagne is influenced by the alcohol content and will freeze at 15°F to 20°F (-9°C to -6°C) with higher alcohol content lowering the freezing temperature.
Most freezers are set to 0°F thus your champagne will freeze at this temperature. If you’re ever in doubt about your beverage’s freezing point, experiment with a few different liquids to find out for certain.
Sources
https://sciencing.com/info-8793154-carbonation-affected-temperature.html
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/what-happens-when-champagne-freezes-56499
