Can Apple Cider Vinegar Freeze? | Will It Still Be Good?

Freezing different food items is one of the best ways to prevent them from going bad. Is it possible to freeze apple cider vinegar to prevent it from going bad? Let’s find out.

Apple cider vinegar can freeze for up to 12 months. However, freezing the apple cider vinegar will not prolong its life. The shelf life of apple cider vinegar is 2 years unopened and 1 year once the seal on the bottle has been broken.

There are many tips and tricks to use while freezing or just simply preserving apple cider vinegar. In this article, we are going to learn more about whether or not freezing your apple cider vinegar is worth it and how to keep your apple cider vinegar fresh longer.

Will Freezing Apple Cider Vinegar Prevent It From Going Bad?

Apple cider vinegar generally never goes bad or expires because it has self-preserving characteristics. Because of its acidic nature, it does not need to be refrigerated or frozen. It will remain virtually unchanged over an extended period of time without any special storage conditions. So is freezing apple cider vinegar worth it?

We would not recommend freezing apple cider vinegar. Freezing apple cider vinegar will work, but it might lose some of its potent tanginess. If you happened to make your own apple cider vinegar, it can also ruin the mother that you used to make it. We also wouldn’t recommend refrigerating apple cider vinegar. It is perfectly fine to do so, but there is no point in wasting space in your fridge if it doesn’t increase the shelf life at all.

Since apple cider vinegar has self-preserving properties, you can store it basically anywhere you have room for it. Storing it in a cool dark place, like the back of your pantry, might be the best spot for it.

How to Freeze Apple Cider Vinegar

Although we don’t necessarily recommend freezing apple cider vinegar. There are ways to freeze it to make use of it a little more convenient:

• Fill an ice cube tray.
• Wrap the tray in plastic wrap.
• Place the tray in the freezer and allow it to freeze completely.
• Once frozen, put the vinegar cubes in a bag and continue to freeze for easier storage.

How to Defrost Apple Cider Vinegar

When defrosting apple cider vinegar cubes, place them in a cup or bowl in the fridge to allow them to thaw overnight. To speed the process up, you could put the cup of vinegar cubes in a bowl of warm water.

Avoid bringing the vinegar cubes to a bowl because this can potentially ruin the tangy flavor and have potential health benefits.

What Happens When Apple Cider Vinegar Freezes

You can freeze apple cider vinegar for up to 12 months, but freezing it will only degrade its flavor. The freezing point of vinegar is -2.5C or 28F. This is a little lower than the freezing point of water, which is 0C or 32F.

When freezing apple cider vinegar, it is important to consider using plastic. You do not want to place it in the freezer while it is contained in glass. Glass is not recommended for freezing purposes because you may run the risk of the glass cracking or shattering under the stress of sub-zero temperatures.

Freezing apple cider vinegar will cause it to lose its flavor and its vinegar mother. What is the mother? The mother includes groupings of the healthy bacteria which live in a created vinegar in the first place. If vinegar is frozen, you will even risk losing some of the health benefits that go along with it.

By the way, I also wrote an article called Can You Freeze Apple Cider? | All You Need to Know for Survival Freedom. Be sure to check it out.

The Shelf Life of Apple Cider Vinegar

Once apple cider vinegar is bought, how long is it good for? Does it go bad? Apple cider vinegar is made from crushed, fermented apples, and the sugar is then converted into alcohol. The alcohol is processed and then becomes vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar sometimes has a brownish murky substance floating at the bottom. This substance does not indicate that the vinegar has gone bad. This substance at the bottom is called the mother, and it contains a lot of good bacteria and healthy enzymes. This substance is simply just the product of fermentation.

The shelf life of apple cider vinegar is 1 year unopened and 2 years opened. What about products that contain apple cider vinegar? Will they last as long? They most likely won’t last as long as pure apple cider vinegar because they contain other ingredients that typically go bad a lot faster than vinegar.

How to Properly Store Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic, which means that it has self-preserving properties. Because of this, you don’t even need to refrigerate it. All you need to do is store it in a pantry or cabinet away from direct sunlight. Once the bottle is opened, you can continue storing it in your pantry. Make sure that the lid is screwed on tightly.

Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

We’ve talked a little bit about how freezing can potentially ruin some of the health benefits of apple cider vinegar. What are those health benefits?

The health benefits of apple cider vinegar include:

• aids weight loss
• reduces cholesterol
• lowers blood sugar levels
• improves the symptoms of diabetes
• helps kill harmful bacteria
• improves heart health
• boosts skin health

As we have mentioned before, apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. Apple cider vinegar can potentially damage tooth enamel or the tissues of the mouth and throat if it is overused. If you decide to use apple cider vinegar for health benefits, make sure to dilute 1 tablespoon in at least an 8-ounce glass of water. Or simply incorporate it into your meals.

What Are Apple Cider Vinegar’s Characteristics?

Apple cider vinegar contains something called bioactive compounds. These bioactive compounds are of many types, such as carotenoids, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, and vitamins C and E.

It contains organic acids and phenolic compounds. Vinegar is made using two biotechnological processes. those processes include alcoholic fermentation and then conversion into acetic acid.

For more, don’t miss Apple Cider vs. Apple Cider Vinegar: What’s the Difference?