Does Alcohol Go Bad? Here’s What You Need To Know

The age of your spirits can be the difference between something lackluster or a life changing cocktail.

Wine people approach the storage and consumption of their collections rigorously. There are apps for tracking the most optimal moment for a bottle of wine to be consumed, wine refrigerators have multi-zone technology to store Bordeaux at a different temperature than Champagne, and wine service is a whole other area of nuance.

Consumers aren’t nearly as precious about their spirits. Liquor bottles are typically stuffed on a bar cart, in the back of a cabinet, or buried somewhere in the freezer. But spirits, liqueurs, vermouths, and amaro have different lifespans. The way they’re stored and when they expire varies widely between categories.

One simple trick to keeping spirits and liqueurs fresh is to buy smaller bottles, and purchase them more often.

“A small bottle allows the consumer to go through the product in its entirety before it begins to change in both flavor and aroma,” says Jason Asher, founding partner of Phoenix’s Century Grand. Better yet, you can change things up with each purchase to try something new.

For better cocktails at every happy hour, here’s how to know when it is time to replace your spirits, liqueurs, and other alcoholic ingredients, along with the best ways to store them.

Types of liquor

Distilled spirits are built to last. Alcohol is a preservative, and since most straight liquors are often more than 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), spirits rarely go off and spoil like wine or beer. However, aromas and flavors can deteriorate over time, meaning you may not be doing your special-occasion scotch or tequila any favors by letting them sit around too long after opening. Here’s a quick guide.

Vodka

Vodka is the workhorse of the bar cart — it’s unfussy, lasts forever, and blends seamlessly with a range of ingredients. While there’s no real risk of vodka expiring or oxidizing, altering the way you store it might improve your drinking experience.

“Don’t pour a bottle of premium vodka right out of the freezer,” says Mike Foster, global trade engagement and customer experience manager for Belvedere. “Well-made vodkas have the flavors and aromas of their ingredients, which become muted when served too-cold.”

While vodka is one of the spirits least likely to degrade over time, owing to its rather simple nature and production, Foster suggests storing vodka in the refrigerator. Or if you're looking for ultra-cold, pull it from the freezer 30 minutes before consuming.

Whiskey, bourbon or scotch

While aged spirits like bourbon, scotch or other types of whiskey are often sold for a premium compared to their youthful counterparts, all of the valuable change must happen in the barrel, before the spirit is bottled. Unlike wine, spirits do not continue to develop in bottles — so holding onto a sealed bottle of young whiskey for 40 years might alter the flavor slightly, but it’s more likely you’re missing the bottle’s prime drinking time.

“Non-chilled, filtered, aged products can gain a visual cloudiness if the bottles aren't sealed correctly,” says Asher. “An imperfect seal allows alcohol evaporation and the coagulation of the fatty acids in the spirit.” While a cloudy spirit won’t hurt you, it won’t make the most beautiful Manhattan.

While properly sealed bottles of whiskey can maintain their integrity for nearly indefinite periods of time, once the bottle is opened, the clock starts ticking. Opened bottles of most whiskeys will begin to experience muted aromas and flavors after about a year or two. More delicate, nuanced, and longer-aged pours, like many single malt scotches, can begin to have their integrity deteriorate after as little as six months to a year.

Tequila and mezcal

Unaged agave spirits like blanco tequila or joven mezcal have little risk of oxidation in a properly sealed bottle. However, as with bourbon and scotch, any agave spirit aged in barrel, such as reposado and añejo bottlings, can become cloudy over time.

To avoid evaporation, store agave spirits away from direct sunlight at room temperature or slightly cooler — a liquor cabinet is perfect for this. Be sure to seal bottles tightly with a closure so the spirit does not take on any flavors or aromas present in the air.

Tequila is known for how expressive it is of the terroir, or environment in which it’s produced. As with other distilled spirits that contain subtle volatile compounds which can be lost through contact with oxygen, once the bottle is open these notes can dissipate. Most well-made tequila and mezcal is best consumed within a year of opening.

Gin

Over time the flavors and aromas present in gin can change slightly, but the spirit is largely stable. Gin gets its distinctive flavor profile from the botanicals used during distillation which can range from herbaceous, to citrusy, and sometimes even spicy. Fruitier, floral, or more botanical-forward gins can lose their freshness more quickly than those with a drier or juniper-heavy profile, but will still remain palatable for years.

According to James Bowker, the global advocacy manager at The House of Suntory, the best place to store gin is in a dark place at room temperature. Any subsequent evaporation in the bottle can alter the balance of a gin, making it more harsh on the palate. For barrel aged gins, which are still quite rare, watch for any discoloration or cloudiness.

If a bottle of botanical-forward gin has been opened and you wish to retain as much of those aromatic compounds as possible, aim to use it within a year.

Rum

Like agave-based spirits, rums come in unaged and aged variations. White, unaged rums have a longer shelf life if stored properly (well-sealed and in a cool, dark place). With aged rums, the color can darken over time, though these changes are mostly cosmetic and largely inert. However, as a sugarcane based spirit, rum can be prone to oxidation after the bottle has been opened, and many aged rums will begin to lose flavor after as little as six months. Unaged rums that have been opened can last a bit longer without their esters, or natural flavor compounds, degrading too much, but are still best enjoyed within a year or two.

Flavored rums like coconut rum or spiced rum can lose their intensity within six months of opening. For best results, buy smaller format versions of these bottles and replace them often.

Liqueurs, amaros, and vermouths

These softer categories of alcoholic drinks are often made from a grape base or a neutral spirit, though production methods can vary wildly. What they all have in common is a tendency to be fortified or sweetened, which can cause some to oxidize more rapidly. While there’s a lot of variation within these styles, here are some loose guidelines to know.

Amaro

Amaros are the bottles on your bar cart worth holding onto for a long time. Known for their herbaceous, bittersweet notes when first opened, Amari mellow out with years of slow oxidation, which can allow them to develop in interesting ways over time.

The most bitter or medicinal amari, like Fernet Branca or Braulio, will age gracefully for decades while sweeter expressions like Amaro Montenegro or Averna tend to be shorter lived. Campari, arguably the most popular amaro on the market, will last decades unchanged.

Vermouth

Bottles of vermouths should be treated like an open bottle of table wine. While it won’t be preserved indefinitely, store open bottles of dry and sweet vermouth in the refrigerator.

“For a long time, people didn’t know that the refrigerator was the best way to store vermouth, so it was left unrefrigerated and therefore, used past its prime,” Fabio Raffaelli, North American brand ambassador for Martini & Rossi.

As vermouth oxidizes, it loses its fruity and herbaceous notes and darkens in color. “The magic of simple, classic cocktails comes from the delicate balance of flavors and aromas, which can easily be thrown off by an old vermouth, so it’s important to know when your vermouth is past its prime,” says Raffaelli.

Open bottles of vermouth stored in the refrigerator will stay fresh for about eight weeks after opening. To decrease waste, buy smaller bottles of vermouth and change them out more frequently.

Cream liqueurs

Cream liqueurs are one of the few bottles in the liquor store labeled with a “best by” date. While the most common cream liqueurs like Baileys can technically be consumed for up to two years, they are best when stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature before opening. For best results, enjoy within six months of opening, but otherwise go by the stated expiration date.

Cream liqueurs can be kept refrigerated for additional temperature control, but should not be placed in the freezer, despite this often being a common practice. The cream has a tendency to freeze at temperatures lower than 32°F causing it to separate from the alcohol, which has a lower freezing point.

Berry liqueurs

Berry liqueurs are made with fruit that gets macerated in a neutral spirit and sweetened with sugar.

“I find that berry liqueurs such as creme de mure or framboise can turn quickly and oxidize after they are opened,” says Asher. “Over time the bright reddish purple colors of the various berry liqueurs become brown in color and lose their freshness.”

For best results, store berry liqueurs in a cool, dry place and replace once the liqueur darkens in color.

Citrus liqueurs

Known to bring sweetness and fruitiness to drinks like a Margarita, citrus liqueurs like triple sec have a delicate flavor profile that should be enjoyed at their peak.

“Citrus liqueurs do have some longevity once opened, especially since they are largely colorless,” says Asher. “After about two years citrus liqueurs will lose their intensity as opposed to going through a major flavor change, like we see in the berry liqueurs.” Store citrus liqueurs at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

Coffee liqueur

This bittersweet liqueur fuels everyone’s favorite drink, the Espresso Martini, but can be used in myriad other applications. Coffee liqueurs can be stored at room temperature and have a long shelf life thanks to their high sugar and alcohol content, which act as preservatives.

Coffee liqueurs made with a cold brew process are extremely stable at room temperature since the coffee flavor extraction is so gentle. “Cold brew coffee tends to be more stable than coffee that’s brewed hot, allowing for better preserved flavor,” says Stephen Kurpinsky, brand ambassador of Mr Black. For best results, replace coffee liqueur after four years.

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