8 types of alcohol that should be refrigerated

Many of us love a good drink and often we’ll keep a good supply of the stuff in our kitchen cupboards or, if you’re an aficionado, in a liquor cabinet. However, there are some types of alcohol that should be kept in your fridge. Some should be kept there for health & safety reasons, while others are just better when refrigerated.

This is because there are two primary types of alcohols that are served as beverages: distilled and fermented alcohol. Examples of the latter include wine, beer and cider; whereas distilled alcohol are spirits such as vodka, whiskey, brandy, gin and so on. It’s almost always better to keep fermented drinks in the fridge, whereas most spirits can sit out. With that said, there are a few exceptions. So here’s our guide to what popular drinks you should be putting in the fridge.

Beer

As beer isn’t popular when it’s served with ice, and it’s not the most pleasant when warm, this is a beverage that should almost always be in the fridge. The ideal temperature for beer is about 5 degrees Celsius, so refrigeration offers the most ideal storage temperature.

Vodka

While we did say that distilled drinks should be kept out of the fridge, we did also say that there are exceptions. Vodka is a spirit that can either be kept at room temperature or kept in the fridge. It’s really down to individual preference. In fact, vodka can even be stored in the freezer. This is because drinks with an alcohol content higher than 35% can be stored in the freezer and won’t freeze. However, just keep in mind that you should always add ice to dilute vodka.

White Wine

While most people keep and serve white wine straight from the fridge, it’s best served at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. While that’s way too high of a temperature to keep a fridge at without making food unsafe to eat, it’s worth removing your white wine from the fridge about 10 to 15 minutes before it’s to be served. You basically want it to warm up a little bit, but not too much.

Red Wine

Unlike white wine, most people keep red wine in the cupboard. This is due to red wine often being served at room temperature. However, it should be treated as the inverse of white wine – you should stick it in the fridge about 10 to 15 minutes before it’s to be served. The ideal temperature for red wine is a little bit higher than white wine, but room temperature isn’t ideal. Cooling it down in the fridge before it is to be served will bring it into the ideal range.

Champagne

Much like beer, champagne is best when it’s served at a refrigerated temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. That means that it should always be stored in the fridge. That’s also true if the whole bottle isn’t being finished. Serve what you need and stick it back in the fridge to help preserve it for as long as possible – which is often a couple of weeks.

Port Wine

As it’s fermented, port wine has a lower alcohol content than a distilled beverage. For the most part, anything that has a low alcohol content should be stored in the fridge; whereas high alcohol content beverages are usually fine sitting on the shelf. For that reason, it should be stored in the fridge. This is also true of sherries.

Sweetened Liqueurs

Sweet liqueurs – such as the likes of Jägermeister, Baileys, Kahlúa and Limoncello – are best kept in the fridge. While it’s not a requirement, most people prefer sweeter spirits to be cooler as they don’t need to be served with a cold mixer to be enjoyed.

Vermouth

Once opened, vermouth should go straight in the fridge. This is due to it oxidising rather quickly, becoming quite dull the longer it is exposed – and even foul tasting if left for longer. This is true of all wines, but vermouth can sometimes be forgotten about due to it having a higher alcohol content than other wines. Don’t consume it if the bottle has been open longer than a month.