What's the rule of thumb for the shelf life of booze?!
What's the rule of thumb for the shelf life of booze?
We're in the middle of some spring cleaning and the alcohol cabinet is next.
We're not big hard liquor drinkers, nor do we entertain frequently. We have some bottles (both opened and unopened) in our kitchen that have been around for a while and I'm wondering if I should pitch them or not.
Is there a standard rule that people go by for how long to keep liquor before it either loses it taste or starts to get nasty?
Answers:
Hard liquor will be ok if stored tightly capped. Liqueurs are a little more finicky...the flavors will degrade over time after being opened (still sealed, they will last indefinitely). So, for anything that's strongly flavored (Chambord, Benedictine, Midori, etc.) they're good for 1 maybe 2 years *after* being opened. The emptier the bottle, the faster it degrades due to the presence of oxygen.
Of the hard liquors, Tequila is the most susceptible to flavor degradation over time after opening...once it's opened, there's no point in rationing too stingily. After 6-9 months, most of the flavors that makes tequila so unique are gone.
Unaged white liquors are nearly bullet proof. They can last indefinitely as there are essentially no delicate flavors affected by oxygen.
As far as becoming dangerous or tainted, all hard liquors (>30% alcohol) are safe indefinitely. The alcohol is high enough that it's an effective preservative. The same isn't as true regarding flavor. However, "nasty" is subjective, so if you're not sure, have a sniff or even a taste, and decide from there. It won't kill ya...promise!
From what i knew liquor and beers are aged so logically the older they get the better they taste they should be alright for you to consume
Nah, alcohol lasts a VERY very long time. I wouldn't worry. Drink it...if you don't die, it's good. ;)
unless it's got a cream base, like Baileys
booze never goes bad, if you are concerned keep it in the fridge.
PS alcohol dosen't freeze!
If you don't want it, send it to me! Seriously though, the amount of aging is a sign of quality in most liquors... so.... should be better than when you got it maybe?
Once the liquor is taken out of the vat that it was made in it stops aging, As long as the caps on on the liquor is fine, It will evaporate before it goes bad.