We recommend that you finish the bottle which is admittedly not easy to do with some liquor bottle sizes as soon as possible after you open it. Adhering to the proper standard pours and keeping track of your pour count is a good way to avoid waste.
Most primary also called "base" liquors like whiskey, brandy, rum, gin, tequila, and vodka, have an almost infinite shelf life if left unopened. That's because they don't have much sugar and, unopened, aren't at risk of any oxidation. The high alcohol content also makes them particularly inhospitable to bacteria life. Once you open bottles of liquor primary liquors like vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, tequila, etc.
But they won't spoil. If an opened bottle of liquor is nearing its date of expiry, you can always use it for a happy hour drink idea and discount it. You should also try to upsell drinks and prevent wasting more expensive top-shelf liquor. An important thing to note is that the less liquor in an opened bottle of liquor, the quicker the alcohol expires. Try to keep track of remaining alcohol and make sure you know how many shots in a handle. If the bottle stays unopened, vodka shelf life is decades.
Vodka is a simple, stable spirit. There will be some contact with the outside air. After about 40 or 50 years, an unopened bottle of vodka may have lost enough flavor and alcohol content—due to a slow, consistent oxidation—to be considered expired.
But it could take years, too. Once opened, not a whole lot changes, surprisingly. Vodka is a durable spirit. The shelf life of opened vodka is around 10 to 20 years. Having opened the bottle, the seal will be weaker and the oxidation more rapid. Rapid, relatively.
But whiskey can expire. You just have to open the bottle. And the more oxygen, the quicker the oxidization and the quicker the whiskey can go bad. You can store it for decades. Again, that time frame depends on the amount of whiskey in the bottle.
Unopened rum can last for decades upon decades. But once the bottle is opened, rum goes pretty fast. Seaspirits Distillery, master rum distillers, recommend drinking a bottle of rum within 6 months of opening. There are worse fates. But tequila can go bad. Once opened, tequila should be enjoyed within a year. All involve fermentation. These include fluctuations in temperature, exposure to light, and oxidation 1 , 2. Liquor is considered shelf-stable. This category includes gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, and rum.
These are typically made from a range of grains or plants. Their base, also called mash, is fermented with yeast before being distilled. Some liquors are distilled several times for a smoother taste.
The resulting liquid may then be aged in casks or barrels of various woods for added complexity. Once the manufacturer bottles the liquor, it stops aging. After opening, it should be consumed within 6—8 months for peak taste, according to industry experts 3.
However, you may not notice a change in taste for up to a year — especially if you have a less discerning palate 3. Keep the bottles upright to prevent the liquid from touching the cap, which may cause corrosion that affects flavor and quality.
It should be noted that liqueurs — sweetened, distilled spirits with added flavors, such as fruit, spices, or herbs — will last up to 6 months after opening. Cream liqueurs should be kept cold, ideally in your fridge, to extend their shelf life 4 , 5. Beer is produced by brewing a cereal grain — usually malted barley — with water and yeast 1 , 6, 7.
This mixture is allowed to ferment, producing natural carbonation that gives beer its distinctive fizz 1 , 7. Hops, or flowers of the hop plant, are added at the end of the process. These impart bitter, floral, or citrus notes and aromas.
Furthermore, they help stabilize and preserve beer 1. Sealed beer is shelf-stable for 6—8 months past its use-by date and lasts longer if refrigerated.
Unpasteurized beer also has a shorter shelf life. Pasteurization kills off harmful pathogens with heat to extend the shelf life of a variety of food products, including beer 8. Unpasteurized beers should be consumed within 3 months of bottling for the best flavor. You can normally find the bottling date on the label. Pasteurized beers can still taste fresh for up to 1 year after being bottled. Beer should be stored upright in a cool, dark place with a constant temperature, such as your fridge.
Drink it within a few hours of opening for peak taste and carbonation. Like beer and liquor, wine is produced via fermentation. Sometimes, grape stems and seeds are used to deepen the flavor.
Some wines are aged in casks or barrels for months or years to further intensify their taste. While fine wines may improve with age, cheap wines should be consumed within 2 years of bottling. Depending on how much liquid is left in the bottle and the length of time open, those changes could be subtle only to a trained palate or much more pronounced. Cream-based and other liqueurs, which contain lower alcohol volumes ranging from 17 to 27 per cent, and wine-based spirits such as vermouth, are more perishable.
Cream liqueurs such as Baileys and Amarula can separate or curdle. Keeping open bottles in the refrigerator helps to extend their shelf life. Even then, eight to 12 months is likely the maximum time you should let them linger.
Open bottles of whisky fare better but are still considered at their best within a year or two. I find higher-proof whiskies change more quickly than ones bottled around per-cent alcohol. Those barrel notes and other bold flavours can really concentrate. Some connoisseurs reduce air contact by pouring the remains into a smaller bottle. I could never be that meticulous, but with extra time on our hands, it may be something to consider.
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