Unless you’re shaking up cocktails on the regular, your open spirit bottles probably sit on your bar cart for months or even years on end. It could be the bottle of Cognac you bought for baking that you never got around to finishing, the whiskey you only pour for guests, or that Licor 43 you purchased to make a round of Carajillos. While it’s true that booze has a longer shelf life compared to other foodstuffs, contrary to popular belief, it can still go bad.
But how can you tell if the spirits and liqueurs you’ve got hanging around are still consumable? And beyond them being safe to drink, how will you know if the product has started to lose its je ne sais quoi? To find out, VinePair consulted Brian Tasch, spirits content and education coordinator at Skurnik Wines & Spirits.
How long does it take for spirits to expire?
Technically, spirits don’t expire. Before they’re opened, distilled liquids including vodka, whiskey, tequila, and the like will remain stable indefinitely, as no oxygen can interact with the bottle’s contents. But once the cap has been cracked and oxygen hits the liquid, oxidation slowly begins. So while these spirits may not always degrade to the point where they’re unsafe to consume, they will lose their luster the longer they sit on your bar cart. As Tasch explains, it’s more likely that the spirit will smell much less perfumed, with both aromatics and nuances on the palate falling flat. Luckily, drinkers won’t have to worry about this until one to two years after opening.
“As spirits sit open, you can expect some flavor changes over time as the spirit oxidizes and more air enters the bottle,” he says. “But in theory, distilled spirits are one of the truly shelf-stable, non-perishable food products in the entire world.”
Even so, several other factors can impact a spirit’s lifespan. In general, liquors flavored with additives and high sugar contents will degrade much faster than their additive- and sugar-free counterparts, as these volatile ingredients interact with oxygen much differently than pure alcohol, especially when kept at room temperature.
One of the main visual clues that your bottle has passed its prime is the presence of sediment or cloudy-looking liquid, as these may indicate the presence of bacteria.
“If you notice either of these things in your bottle, give it a good shake,” Tasch says. “If it dissipates, you’re in the clear. If it doesn’t, then you may have some sort of mold, or something of the like, in your bottle and you won’t want to drink it.”
Beyond these visual cues, if you crack open a bottle that’s been sitting for a few years and notice it doesn’t smell as punchy as you were expecting and tastes fairly muted, your spirit is likely out of date. While drinking it likely won’t harm you physically, who wants to sip the crappier version of something distillers put effort into developing? If you find yourself in this boat, it’s probably best to head to your nearest bottle shop for a re-up.
When do liqueurs expire?
Liqueurs (which usually fall under 30 percent ABV) spoil much faster than spirits, and have a general shelf life of six to 12 months. But just like their distilled counterparts, how fast liqueurs expire depends on the ingredients and their freshness.
“For fruit liqueurs, like orange and grapefruit, expiration dates really depend on if the producer used fresh juice in the mix,” Tasch explains. “While brands like Giffard, which uses a concentrate, might be solid for a year [or] two, others like Combier, which use fresh juice, spoil much faster. You can actually see it oxidize over time, so you’ll want to do a taste test before adding it to your cocktail.”
When it comes to herbal liqueurs like amaro and Chartreuse, you won’t necessarily have to worry about the liquid being unsafe to drink after this six- to 12-month mark, but you absolutely shouldn’t expect it to taste the same if it’s been sitting unsealed for years.
“The flavors will get a little flabbier and most of the higher-toned aromatics will dissipate over time, with citrus and floral notes burning off,” Tasch says. “At this point, you’ll start picking up more base root notes, and the liqueur will probably taste much more earthy and bitter.”
Dairy-based liqueurs are a whole other story. Given that they’re produced with a perishable product, cream liqueurs will always be stamped with an expiration date approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, according to Tasch, this date more than likely reflects a sell-by date, so you should instead identify where your bottle came from and track changes over time before determining if it’s safe to consume.
The easiest way to tell if your bottle of Baileys or RumChata is still above board is if it passes the smell test. Dairy can be funky, but if the bottle’s contents smell sour or otherwise rancid, toss it immediately. “No matter how blasted your palate is from drinking things like overproof rum or Fernet, your nose will never lie,” Tasch argues. “You’ll immediately know when something is legitimately off.”
There are also visual cues to look out for. Despite being relatively stabilized with alcohol, the dairy in these types of liqueurs will still curdle, so if you spy any lumps, it’s time to dump them. Luckily, the majority of dairy-based liqueurs on the market are chock full of additives and preservatives designed to elongate shelf life, but Tasch says it’s still best to enjoy before the one-year mark.
“If you don’t know or trust a product’s sourcing or production, I wouldn’t mess with anything that’s been open for a year,” he explains. “After a year, especially if it hasn’t been stored properly, it’s not even worth messing with.”
How to Elongate the Shelf Life of Spirits and Liqueurs
When it comes to preventing your spirits from spoiling too quickly, Tasch says the best thing to do is keep them away from the sun. “The sun is the natural enemy of all organic matter. It will wash colors out and accelerate oxidation, especially for products that have any sort of sediment or perishable ingredients in the bottle.”
Sunlight will also increase the rate of decay and bacterial growth within your bottle, so it’s best to keep any spirits and liqueurs away from the rays. Additionally, it’s best to keep your booze in a cooler area of your house as lower temperatures will help preserve the liquid.
It’s also important to keep your bottles clean. Tasch advises wiping the mouth of your bottle and its lid after every use, especially for syrupy liqueurs like Maraschino, Campari, and Aperol.
“If you’re not cleaning your bottles, you’ll start noticing crystallization of sugar along the threads and under the cap,” he says. “Over time, these crystals act as a nucleation point for mold, which can make them expire much faster.”
While these are good tips to keep in mind, eventually your spirits and liqueurs will start to turn. When that day comes, trust your senses to let you know if your bottle is still worth it.
*Image retrieved from Lais via stock.adobe.com
