How to Make the Best Freezer Martini, According to a Pro

The Martini’s growing popularity shows no signs of stopping, with more bar and restaurant menus dedicating entire sections to the classic. But the rise of interest in the Martini — and the simultaneous rise of on-premise cocktail prices —- also means that more people might be looking to indulge in the drink at home.

One of the easiest ways to enjoy a consistent, ice-cold Martini at home without having to start from scratch each time is to whip up a stock of freezer Martinis. The concept combines the ease of pre-batching cocktails with the pursuit of making the coldest, crispest Martini possible. The idea of throwing gin or vodka in the freezer sounds simple enough, but sometimes building the perfect at-home Martini can be a bit more complicated. So VinePair tapped Liam Davy, global beverage director for Hawksmoor and Chicago’s new Beef & Liberty Bar to share his insider tips.

When the New York City location of the London-based steakhouse chain opened, it billed its Martini as “the coldest in New York,” chilled down to an icy 10 degrees Fahrenheit. But the bar team at Hawksmoor employs several high-tech methods to reach this level of chill — including an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. But what’s the best approach when all you have is a run-of-the-mill kitchen freezer?

The Dilution Question

“The first step is to figure out what ingredients you want. Obviously gin or vodka and then your wine or brine element,” Davy says. “But the most important stage in this particular technique is dilution,” he adds. “The less water you add the colder the temperature you can achieve, the more water the easier to drink the cocktail will be.”

Dilution is always a key step in Martini-making, whether you prefer the drink shaken or stirred. When pre-batching, it’s important to build in the dilution, so when it’s actually time to serve the Martini, you can just pour it straight out of the bottle into a glass.

Unless, of course, you’re making the Duke’s Martini (also known as a Direct or Naked Martini), which is known for its complete lack of dilution. While it’s certainly not for beginners, those interested in an atmospherically strong Martini can opt for this strategy, foregoing water completely. For Hawksmoor’s Ultimate Martini, Davy uses 20 percent dilution, reaching 10 degrees F, but for the restaurant’s Duke’s Martini, he can reach an even colder temperature of negative 2 degrees F.

Make It at Home

For Davy’s perfect at-home freezer Martini, first source a large enough container or bottle to accommodate the volume in question (about 35 ounces should do the trick). Add to it a full 750-milliliter bottle of your favorite gin or vodka, about 6.5 ounces of water, and about 2 ounces of dry vermouth. For Dirty Martini fans, Davy suggests omitting the vermouth and splitting the water component with brine, to taste. Add all ingredients to a sealed container and place in a freezer for a minimum of 90 minutes.

If the mixture freezes, Davy says you can leave it out of the freezer before use, and it will thaw in half an hour. Then pour the mixture into a chilled Martini glass and garnish as you please.

“The freezer technique allows you to get the cocktail significantly colder than you would achieve with shaking or stirring, but for me the key element is texture,” Davy adds. “Watching the heavy cream-textured Martini pour straight from the freezer really is an indication of the joy to come!”

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