How long does alcohol last once its been opened?!
How long does alcohol last once its been opened?
I know that wine needs to be covered and refrigerated once its been opened, but how long does it last after opening.
How long does heavier liquors (spirits) last. Such as, rum, scotch, bourbon, gin, tequila, whisky, brandy - liqueurs like Grand Marnier, amaretto, Chambord, Godiva Chocolate liqueur, etc… How long do these items last once they have been opened and do any of them need to refrigerated.
Answers:
There are two types of alcohol. "live agent" alcohols like beer or wine, and "distilled' alcohols commonly called spirits.
Live agent alcohols still have the yeast in them. The yeast will continue to age as it sits. These alcohols will need to be refrigerated once they've been open.
Spirits however are distilled then bottled. Because of this, the yeasts are now dead, and they won't age anymore. You can also safely leave them out of the refridgerator and not kill yourself. The only time you do need to keep them cold is if they have milk/creme in them.
Both types need to be stored in cool dark place, as heat and/or sunshine will alter the taste even if they are unopened. Live agent alcohols will change in taste over time, but distilleds will last longer then you do. 100+ years, as long as they are kept in a cool dark place. If exposed to either one, you can still drink it without harming you, but it will taste very different.