The Freezer Martini Needs Its Summer Moment

One of your kitchen's unsung heroes — your freezer — is also one of your home bar's biggest secret weapons. From packing foods in the wrong containers to overstuffing the appliance, there are plenty of ways we use our freezers wrong. If you're not pre-batching cocktails to freeze for later, you're making a mistake, too. The freezer martini — which, actually, originated more than half a century ago — is prime for a comeback.

Plenty of people already prefer to keep their vodka in the freezer so it's always ice-cold because vodka doesn't freeze solid in a regular kitchen freezer. Why not? Most vodkas clock in around 80 proof, which means they have an alcohol content of 40 percent. This lowers the freezing point considerably. In order to make a giant vodka ice cube, your freezer would need to be around -16 degrees F — and most standard freezers are set to 0, so you're in the clear.

As temperatures heat up and we're able to get outside and spend time in the sun, it's time to take advantage of this scientific principle to make freezer martinis. The ratio, which is a little different from a classic bar martini, is easy: Two parts vodka (or gin), one part dry vermouth, and one part water, to replicate the dilution that you'd get in a fresh-stirred or shaken drink. It won't freeze solid, but it'll come out of the freezer with a bright silkiness perfect for beach days.

However, it's important to know that not all alcohol can go in the freezer. Drinks above 64 proof, which encompasses most distilled spirits, tend to have a low enough freezing point to be safe. Beverages with a lower alcohol content like wine, beer, and Irish cream should never go into the freezer, because their freezing points are closer to that of water, and they'll be ruined by the cold.

Even if a drink is safe to freeze, be choosy. Cold temperatures tend to dull our tastes, which is why some milkshakes taste better through a straw so the chill doesn't overwhelm our palates. So if you've got a high-end spirit with nuanced aromatics, like Scotch or cognac, it is best to leave it out of your freezer-door cocktails. That being said, there are many different variants of the traditional martini you can try. Take this TikToker for instance, who combines lime juice, simple syrup, and vodka for a freezer martini. Of course, you could always make an expresso martini to store in the freezer as well. 

Finally, just because you're batching and freezing a cocktail doesn't mean you need to forget about garnishes. If you like your martinis dirty, for example, add some olive brine to your frozen cocktail recipe and pop in a fresh olive when you serve. Cheers!