Yes, You Can Store Citrus-Based Cocktails Long-Term. Here’s How.

Here’s the scene: You prepare a big batch of Margaritas or Palomas — the latter of which, by the way, is an ideal large-format cocktail — for a gathering, only to find that at the end of the evening, there are somehow still a few servings left and you know you won’t drink them the next day. The thought of pouring them down the drain is painful, but general consensus says that citrus-based cocktails lose their luster after just 24 hours, making long-term storage difficult.

Luckily, it’s not only possible to store citrus cocktails long-term — it’s actually fairly easy. To learn all the best tips and tricks to preserve our beloved Margs and more, VinePair consulted Portland, Ore.-based beverage professional Jeffrey Morgenthaler.

First things first: In order to properly store citrus cocktails long-term, you’ll need to use your freezer. “I would be very wary of anyone who tells you citrus cocktails can’t be kept around,” Morgenthaler says. “Maybe if you left it on the counter, sure, it would taste weird. But if you mix it up and freeze it, it’s going to be fine.”

As Morgenthaler directs, before you even think about sealing up your leftover (or pre-batched) citrus cocktails, you need to ensure your freezer is turned all the way down to the lowest possible temperature. Not only will this ensure your cocktail remains as flavorful as possible, but it will also keep your frozen food tasting fresher for longer. Once you have that box checked off, storing cocktails gets a whole lot easier.

While any resealable receptacle will do for cocktail storage, he recommends the plastic deli containers you see in bars and restaurants. Not only are these containers relatively leakproof, they stack on top of one another, making the cocktails a bit easier to store than they would be if bottled. The vessel also comes in handy when it comes time to take the drinks out of the freezer; the container’s wider surface area lends itself to more even defrosting than a narrow bottle.

“When you put cocktails in one of those containers, seal it up, label it, and put it in the back of a freezer cranked all the way down, you will not taste the difference between fresh and frozen a year later,” Morgenthaler explains. “I swear.”

Considering the frigid temperature of the freezer and the low ABV of these cocktails compared to drinks like the Martini or the Negroni, citrus cocktails are likely to freeze solid. This is nothing to be concerned about — simply take them out roughly two hours before you plan on serving to allow ample time for defrosting. Alternatively, you can transfer the cocktails from the freezer to your refrigerator the night before for the same results.

“You’ll get some differing opinions on this and you’ll hear all kinds of weird pseudoscience with people tossing out words they maybe don’t fully understand, like oxidation,” Morgenthaler says. “But a drink with alcohol that you’re keeping this cold? You’ll be fine.”

As he explains, when cocktails are stored in the freezer you can preserve them for at least a year, though some of the batches he’s made in the past have stayed fresh for much longer.

“Last month, we had a little dinner party with some friends and we were having a taco night. I pulled out some Margaritas from the freezer that were two years old and everybody was like ‘Wow, these are delicious,’” Morgenthaler says. “And they really were.”

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