h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can you actually freeze gin, or would that require some liquid nitrogen? The vodka that lives in my freezer certainly never solidifies but I've never tried keeping gin in there...

Not really, without something very cold. Water and alcohol do freeze at different temperatures, so this can be used as an alternative to distilling to increase the potency of a beverage. Unfortunately alcohol acts a bit like anti-freeze, so the water in a spirit will generally not freeze at zero, but somewhere between that and the melting point of ethanol (which I can't remember off-hand) depending on the alcohol concentration.

The melting point of pure ethanol (ethyl alcohol)is -114.1 Celcius. Alcohol and water mixtures freeze at somewhat higher temperatures.
I have kept gin in a domestic freezer and never had it solidify but I can't claim knowledge of all brands. I've had wine freeze solid and that typically runs at about 12% alcohol.

Well, nobody said that this wasn't an exceptionally unusual drink

Don't know about Gin, but I have a bottle of Vodka (40% proof) in my freezer. The water content has frozen out. What remains is, to say the least, rather potent.

Your freezer must be set v e r y cold! My favourite martini recipe is: (and I know that Tanqueray is rare in Britain) Take a large bottle of Tanqueray, fill the airspace with vermouth. Take a large (2 litre) plastic juice or milk container with a handle and cut the top away on an angle, leaving the handle. Place the gin bottle in the container and fill it to the rim with water. Freeze it all. You now have an instant martini maker with handle. If you like an even drier martini, instead of the vermouth whisper the name of a village in Italy where vermouth is made over the bottle.

Cheers!

Seeing as the last post was on my birthday (albeit back in those days when I actually enjoyed my birthdays - how much has changed?!), I will offer a response:

You cannot freeze gin! Not a chance! The average domestic freezer goes down to minus 25 if you're lucky. Gin freezes at minus 45 or so.

B

What on earth inspired me to ask this?

What on Earth inspired anyone to write this entry, more to the point...

B

As h2g2 is the earthbound version of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, this is the earthbound version of the pan galactic gargle blaster, and I shall be doing my best to enjoy one when I go to see the movie

Did you manage it?

Certainly did

And what, may I ask, did it taste like?

Pretty ghastly actually, but it had a kick like an Arcturan Megadonkey

Is is possible to purchase a freezer that goes down that low? Perhaps if you got the weakest gin you could find, then you might be able to freeze it at a lower temperature?

There's a supermarket near me that sells frozen CO2. Wonder if that'd do the trick?

Liquid Nitrogen is the key. I made PGGBs for my recent bachelor party, and let me just say, we were all well on our way skyward within minutes. I plan to post my (rather good I must say) recipe and mixing methods at some point, this post will deal with frozen gin.

I couldn't use real gin (allergy issues), so I settled for 151 proof grain alcohol (gotta be 'mega' right?). I obtained 10L of LN2 from a local medical supplier for $50 USD. A simple styrofoam chest, an aluminum ice tray, gloves, and time. After prefreezing my tray in the LN2 for about 15 mins, I poured the alcohol into the tray and placed the cube divider in. About 30 mins later, with some care, I broke out the solid cubes from the tray. They melted extremely fast, and if you didn't stir before drinking, you got a layer of alcohol on top of your drink.

NOTE: Allow the cubes to completely melt before drinking! They are extremely cold and can burn your mouth/tongue.

LN2 is safe with just 2 safety concerns. Instant Frostbite, so don't touch it. Also as it boils from liquid to gaseous state, if you are not well ventilated, there is risk of asphyxiation from the nitrogen replacing the oxygen in the room.

Numbers from wikipedia.org

Pure Ethanol freezes at -114.3 °C (-173.74 °F)
Typical Household Freezer maintains -18 °C (0 °F)
Solid CO2 (Dry Ice) exists at -78 °C (-108.4 °F)
Liquid Nitrogen exists at -195.79 °C (-320.42 °F)

While most alcohols are more water/flavour than alcohol, a normal freezer only thickens most hard (80 proof) alcohol, extended storage in Dry Ice may get you closer to solidity, but LN2 yields by far the fastest and most solid alcohol cubes of any strength.

Hello Chaps,

I must pass some input from Oz.

There once was a small wine bar, the Galloping Grape, in the little university town of Armidale, half way between Sydeny and Brisbane (near Tamworth, the home of real Country Music).

Now this place made their version of the PGGB. I partially remember that it was purple, curdled, came in a pint, cost $ 7 (25 years ago) and the record was 3

As far as i know, alcohol has a lower freezing-point than water (zero degrees celsius/-32 degrees farhenheit). Therefore, if one wants to freeze gin, one must turn the freezing process down to the point where the gin will freeze.