We generally keep glass bottles in the freezer. This keeps the liquid inside the bottle cold and preserves the taste of the liquid. However, a glass bottle in the freezer can sometimes break and explode. This can make the freezer messy and also cause injuries. This raises the question: Why do glass bottles break in the freezer?
Interestingly, some people don’t even believe bottles break in the freezer. They consider it a myth. So, what’s the reality? Do they really break, and if so, what is the logic behind it? In this article, I will explain everything about glass bottles breaking into the freezer. So, let’s get started!
Does a Glass Bottle Really Explode in a Freezer?
Yes, glass bottles break and burst when placed in the freezer for an extended duration. Remember, keeping a bottle for one to two hours does not result in bottle breaking. Glass bottles only break when the liquid inside them becomes iced and solidifies. This means you can keep a glass bottle in the freezer for a shorter duration.
Explosion is a more dangerous term. So, I would say glass bottles break and burst when kept in the freezer for an extended duration. Some people believe that modern bottles are very robust and durable. So they can bear the pressure and don’t break, which is wrong. Again, breaking a bottle when kept in the freezer is not a myth.
This breaking can be even more intense if the bottle has carbonated liquid. The reason is that gas in the carbonated liquid will put more pressure on the internal side of the bottles. This will result in breaking or bursting of the glass bottles. However, if the bottle has liquid with over 40% alcohol, the chances of breaking the bottle decrease significantly.
Quick Highlight: A glass bottle explosion is not like a bomb. You should not take it too dangerous as it is not life-threatening. The breaking of the bottle will result in shards in the freezer. Moreover, there will be a mess due to liquid bursting out of the bottle. However, you should still take steps to avoid this burst of bottles.
Why Do Glass Bottles Break in the Freezer?
The glass bottle breaks due to the expansion. As you know, when a liquid undergoes solidification, it occupies more space. For example, you have a bottle with water in it. You place the bottle in the freezer for a few hours. Initially, the liquid will cool. After a few hours, the liquid will start to become ice.
So, the same liquid present in the bottle will occupy 9% more space in the bottles. But the glass bottles don’t have that extra space. However, the liquid will keep expanding as it starts to become ice. The glass bottle will initially bear the pressure exerted by liquid (that is becoming solid). This pressure will build up gradually.
But the glass bottle cannot stretch. As a result, the glass bottle will crack and ultimately break due to consistent pressure. This is true for every liquid, not just with water. You take vodka, whiskey, and juice beer in a glass bottle. If the liquid inside solidifies (becomes ice), it can break the glass bottle.
Does All Glass Break the Same Way?
So, the answer is NO! Not all glass bottles break in the same way. Glass bottles are made of different glass qualities. Each glass type varies from the others, giving the bottles specific properties. They vary in terms of their burst and even capability to bear extreme temperature shifts.
For example, three glass types are generally used to make bottles. Those types are as follows:
- Tempered Glass
- Borosilicate Glass
- Regular (Annealed) Glass
The regular or annealed glass is the weakest and cheapest. Manufacturers generally use this glass to make budget-friendly bottles. These bottles easily explode when frozen. Moreover, their breaking produces sharp particles that cause injuries.
As glass is fragile, a bottle burst would spread particles throughout the freezer. Tempered glass is generally considered very durable. What I like about this glass is that it does not change into sharp pieces upon breaking. So, these pieces do not cause injuries if you touch them. However, bottles made with tempered glass are more durable.
These bottles filled with water won’t break when placed in the freezer for an extended duration. However, their chances of breaking are high with carbonated liquid inside them. Upon breaking, they won’t cause any injuries. The borosilicate glass is the strongest type used to make bottles. It is both heat—and cold-resistant.
It means you can take them from very high to very low temperatures. They won’t show any cracks. Due to their strength, this glass is used to make laboratory bottles. When you keep them in the freezer for a few hours, they generally don’t break. However, if they have carbonated drinks and remain in the freezer for many hours, they can also explode.
How to Avoid Glass Bottles Exploding in the Freezer?
The breaking of glass bottles can be a serious issue. The small glass particles can spread in the freezer. They can cause injuries. Moreover, a fluid burst inside the freezer will create a mess. However, a few steps can help avoid breaking glass bottles in the freezer.
1- Never Freeze Completely Filled Glass Bottles
As I said earlier, liquids expand upon freezing. Suppose you have one liter of water in a bottle. Now, keep that bottle in the freezer for a few hours. The water inside the bottle will freeze and become ice. When water shifts from liquid to solid, it will occupy 9% more space.
This increase of 9% will put pressure on the walls of bottles. If the bottle doesn’t withstand the pressure, it will eventually break. When the bottle is filled, the fluid has no space to expand. So, all pressure goes on the bottle, which breaks. However, I highly recommend keeping the bottle 20 to 25 percent empty when freezing.
When fluid freezes, it expands, reducing pressure on the bottle and preventing its breaking. Have you ever seen brand-new bottles that are not filled? Their necks are generally empty. This is done on purpose, as the fluid expands during freezing. It helps brands save their glass bottles and the liquid present inside them.
2- Avoid Carbonated Drinks in the Freezer
Carbonated drinks contain carbon dioxide in the dissolved form. Examples of such beverages include beer, soda, and sparkling water. The fluid changes into ice when you put a bottle with a carbonated beverage. So, it starts taking up more space. But the carbon dioxide present inside the bottle doesn’t get space.
As a result, the gas puts pressure on the bottles. Bottles face two pressures: from liquid and from gas trapped inside. The pressure builds up, and eventually, the glass bottle breaks and explodes. Therefore, I don’t recommend freezing carbonated drinks. Instead, you should cool them for an hour so they don’t become ice.
3- Set a Timer & Don’t Forget the Bottle in the Freezer
Generally, we put the glass bottle in the freezer for an hour. However, sometimes we forget the bottle in the freezer. As a result, the liquid present inside the bottle becomes solid (ice). So, it takes more space and puts pressure on the walls of the bottle.
This increases the chances of a glass bottle getting broken or exploding. However, you should never forget the bottle to avoid breaking it. The modern freezer comes with advanced features, such as timers. You can set the timer for 30 minutes. The freezer will automatically turn off when the set timer is hit. This reduces the chances of liquid inside the bottle getting iced and broken.
4- Cool Liquid Before Freezing
If you have a hot liquid, don’t just put it into a bottle and freeze it. This would cause an immediate explosion without freezing. Hot liquid filled in the bottle undergoes a temperature shift. It goes from very high temperature to very low temperature. This sudden change in the temperature causes thermal expansion, which can break glass bottles.
Therefore, I highly recommend cooling the bottle before placing it in the freezer. Cooling does not mean the fluid should be freezing. Instead, the fluid inside the bottle should be drinkable. If this fluid is drinkable, it means its temperature is low. You can keep such fluid in the freezer without worrying about the bottle exploding.
Does a Glass Bottle with Alcohol Explode in the Freezer?
Glass bottles with a higher alcohol percentage (over 40%) have fewer chances of explosion. The chances of bottle explosion decrease with an increase in alcohol percentage. Remember, bottles with 100% alcohol (pure alcohol) don’t explode or break in the freezer at all.
Liquids such as vodka, whiskey, rum, or tequila have higher alcohol content. Bottles with these liquids don’t expand or break when placed in the freezer for an extended duration. Conversely, beer, wine, or water bottles burst when placed in the freezer. Let’s understand the logic behind it.
Water generally freezes at 0 degrees Celsius. However, the alcohol has a very low freezing point. Pure alcohol freezes at -114°C. When a glass bottle with water in it freezes, water freezes quickly. So, it occupies more space, resulting in pressure on the bottles. As a result, the glass bottle broke. On the other hand, the freezing point of alcohol is very low.
The freezers cannot reduce the temperature to that low extent (-114°C). So, alcohol-based beverages don’t freeze and become ice. This means these liquids remain in their liquid state and don’t occupy more space. They don’t pressure the bottle when they don’t occupy more space. As a result, glass bottles with higher alcohol content won’t explode or burst.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a bottle explodes?
If a bottle explodes, it will break into small pieces or shards, which can cause injuries. Moreover, the liquid inside the bottle will come out and create a mess.
What about Alcohol? Can you freeze it?
Alcohol has a very low freezing point. The home freezers cannot achieve such low temperatures. So, it is nearly impossible to freeze alcohol. However, you can freeze winter, beer, and wine bottles in the freezer.
Why do bottles explode in the freezer?
Water expands when it shifts from a liquid to a solid state. However, the glass bottle cannot stretch. The expansion of liquid makes it occupy 9% more space. Due to this, the bottle faces more pressure and eventually breaks.
Is exploding glass dangerous?
Yes, breaking a glass bottle can be lethal, especially if the bottle is a high-carbonated liquid. It can change into sharp shards that injure someone standing near it. Ideally, you should carefully and not keep a glass bottle in the freezer for long.
Conclusion
Glass bottles are generally safe and don’t crack. Manufacturers use high-quality glass that sustains mild pressure. However, when we freeze a bottle, the liquid becomes ice. So, it expands and occupies more space inside the bottle. As the bottle doesn’t have extra space, it gets all the pressure and eventually breaks and explodes.
Therefore, I recommend you avoid keeping the glass bottle in the freezer for an extended duration. However, if your glass bottle has alcohol in it, it won’t break at all. This is due to the very low freezing point of alcohol. Home refrigerators cannot achieve such a low freezing point to freeze alcohol-based beverages. Therefore, bottles with high alcohol content won’t break when placed in the freezer.