The Do’s and Don’ts of Freezer Door Cocktails

When it’s too hot to muster the energy to mix drinks, batching up a freezer cocktail to enjoy later can be just what summer ordered. In Freezer Door Cocktails: 75 Cocktails That Are Ready When You Are, James Beard Award–winning writer J.M. Hirsch presents several chilly options for those looking to venture beyond the freezer Martini, from classics like the Mai Tai to original cocktails like the Tequila Spritz. But if you want to try creating your own ice-cold bottled cocktail, Hirsch shared some of his tips, including how not to accidentally turn your favorite drink into a 750ml popsicle.

Don’t Use More Than 20 Percent of No- or Low-ABV Ingredients

Make sure the amount of zero-alcohol and low-proof ingredients doesn’t exceed 20 percent of the mixture to prevent from freezing the contents of the bottled cocktail. When batching a 750ml (25.3 oz.) cocktail, 5 ounces of the liquid can be anything zero-proof and low-ABV—such as juice, syrups, or liqueurs. “The remaining 20 ounces should be 40 percent ABV liquors (most base liquors),” Hirsch says. “At this ratio, the cocktail would need to drop below -10° Fahrenheit before it will freeze.”

Inject Flavor Without Adding More Liquid

Since a freezer door cocktail can only contain 20 percent alcohol-free ingredients, that means having to come up with other ways to achieve the preferred flavors without adding more liquid. “This is where infusions and fat washing are helpful,” says Hirsch. In addition to those techniques, Hirsch swapped in concentrated versions of ingredients. For his freezer door Cosmo, he used cranberry juice concentrate for cranberry juice, while his Espresso Martini traded espresso for instant espresso powder.

Top It Off

For ingredients that don’t do well frozen, such as sparkling wine, cola, or ginger beer, or that will exceed the 20 percent, save them for the serve. “If a cocktail requires an ingredient that simply cannot go in the freezer and cannot be replicated (as in infusions or concentrates), it’s best to hold it out and add when serving,” Hirsch says. For his Bloody Mary recipe, he adds the 3 to 4 ounces of tomato juice to the vodka batch in the glass. And even though his take on the El Diablo spices up the classic with ginger liqueur, it still requires a top off of ginger beer.

Rest at Room Temperature Before Serving

“Taste bud sensitivity to flavor actually increases dramatically the warmer the food is,” Hirsch says. For this reason, he suggests pouring the freezer door cocktail into the glass and practicing a moment of patience before enjoying. “You will appreciate more of their flavor nuances if you let them sit at room temperature in the glass for just a minute or two.”

For Proper Dilution, Add Ice

While some freezer door cocktail recipes add water to the bottle prior to the icebox, there are some that require more water for proper dilution and to open up the flavors in the spirit. Take care of this by simply serving the cocktail on the rocks. Of course, there is always the option of adding the drink to a mixing glass with ice and stirring it, but to Hirsch that felt like cheating. “To me, the joy of freezer door cocktails is that once the bottle is on the freezer door, the work is done. As much as possible, I wanted them to be pour-and-serve simple,” he explains.