Chilled Drink Calculator

How Long to Chill a Drink

Warm soda, beer, or wine on a hot day is no fun. This calculator estimates cooling time using Newton's law of cooling and typical container sizes. Related tools: Alcohol Dilution Calculator and Cooking Converter.

Cooling Formula

Temperature change follows

$$T = T_{ambient} + (T_{initial} - T_{ambient}) e^{-kt}$$

Solve for time when you know starting temperature, cooling environment, and target serving temperature.

Faster Cooling Options

Ice baths and salted ice water cool faster than a fridge because heat transfer is stronger. A wet paper towel around a bottle in the freezer also speeds cooling through evaporation.

Best Serving Temperatures

Sparkling wine and beer are often best around 6-10 °C. Juices sit near 12-15 °C. Room-temperature red wine is usually served around 15-18 °C. Water for hydration is often enjoyed near 16 °C.