Baileys is an Irish cream liqueur; an alcoholic drink that has been flavoured with cream, cocoa and Irish whiskey. A popular drink around Christmas time, you can use it to spice up coffees, teas or hot chocolates… or just have it with ice! But, it needs to be served cold…
Can You Freeze Baileys?
No, you cannot freeze Baileys as freezing it will result in the liquid becoming a slushy, unpalatable consistency which is unlikely to be restored back to its former silken like texture.
Do Does Baileys freeze well? No
Can you refreeze Baileys? No
Why You Shouldn’t Freeze Baileys
Baileys is a combination of alcohol and other ingredients, meaning that some parts of it will freeze more than others.
The cream element of the drink will freeze harder than the alcohol, resulting in a slushy texture which, although pourable, will contain ice crystals that have affected the texture and taste of the drink.
Freezing alcohol is always a tricky process as the higher the alcohol content of a drink, the lower the temperature it will need to be in order to freeze.
These low temperatures are usually only found in industrial level freezers, far beyond the capabilities of your standard kitchen freezer.
How to Store Baileys
Storing Baileys outside of the freezer is relatively simple, though there is also room for personal preference!
You can store a bottle of Baileys either in the pantry or in the fridge, which may be surprising given that Baileys contains cream, but the alcohol allows it to be stored outside of the fridge. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that the Baileys does not spoil.
Constant Temperature
The Baileys should be kept in a place that is not too hot and not too cold.
The optimum temperature is between 0c and 25c and the temperature needs to be kept stable as any drastic or frequent fluctuations in temperature can cause the drink to spoil.
Away from Sunlight
A bottle of Baileys should also be kept out of direct sunlight and ideally kept somewhere dark and dry, again ensuring that the temperatures are kept optimum. It is also key that the bottles are kept tightly sealed.
By following the above steps, a bottle of Baileys will last for up to 2 years before it starts to deteriorate.
Does Baileys Freeze Well?
Unfortunately, freezing Baileys in the bottle is not an option due to the combination of cream and alcohol which would cause it to go into a slushy mixture rather than a solid block of frozen liquid.
However, it is this unique combination of ingredients that allows it to be stored for up to 2 years in either the kitchen cupboards or the fridge.