Water conducts heat far better than air, so a drink in ice water cools several times faster than in a freezer. Adding salt to the ice water lowers its temperature below 0 °C and speeds things up further. Never leave glass bottles or cans in the freezer too long – they can burst.
How to use the Chilled Drink Calculator – How Long to Cool a Drink?
- Container
- Temperature unit
- Starting temperature
- Cooling method
- Drink (target temperature)
- Custom target temperature
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Choose the container, where the drink is now, how you will cool it and how cold you want it.
Tips
- Measure gravity and temperature carefully – hydrometers are calibrated for a specific temperature.
- Keep alcohol calculations conservative: never drink and drive, and know your limits.
- Write down every measurement in a brewing log so you can repeat good batches.
- Chill drinks in an ice-water bath for the fastest, safest cooling.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Reading a hydrometer at the wrong temperature without correcting it.
- Mixing up ABV (% by volume) and ABW (% by weight).
- Over-priming bottles – too much sugar can make bottles burst.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Container | Choose one: Plastic bottle 0.5 L (16.9 oz), Plastic bottle 1.5 L, Plastic bottle 0.33 L, Glass bottle 0.33 L (beer) … |
| Temperature unit | Choose one: °C, °F |
| Starting temperature | A number |
| Cooling method | Choose one: Freezer (−18 °C / 0 °F), air, Fridge (4 °C / 39 °F), air, Cellar (12 °C / 54 °F), air, Ice water (0 °C / 32 °F) … |
| Drink (target temperature) | Choose one: Soft drinks (4 °C), Lager (6 °C), Ale (10 °C), White / rosé wine (9 °C) … |
| Custom target temperature | A number |
Example values
How the main result changes when Starting temperature changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Starting temperature | Time to reach the target (min) |
|---|---|
| 11 | 139 |
| 16.5 | 204 |
| 22 | 244 |
| 27.5 | 274 |
| 33 | 297 |
| 44 | 333 |
Formula
T(t) = T_env + (T_start − T_env) × e^(−k·t)
t = −ln((T_target − T_env) ÷ (T_start − T_env)) ÷ k
k depends on the cooling medium (water ≈ 7× faster than air), the container size (∝ volume^(−1/3)) and material
Worked example
Inputs — Container: Plastic bottle 0.5 L (16.9 oz); Temperature unit: °C; Starting temperature: 22; Cooling method: Fridge (4 °C / 39 °F), air; Drink (target temperature): Lager (6 °C).
Results — Time to reach the target = 244 min; Target temperature = 6; Note = Enjoy it cold.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to chill a drink?
Spin it in a bucket of ice, water and salt – a can is cold in a few minutes.
How long does a can take in the fridge?
Roughly 2–3 hours from room temperature to about 6 °C.
Why is ice water faster than the freezer?
Water transfers heat about 20–25 times better than still air.