How Long Does the Liquor Keep After You Open the Bottle?
When I was younger and surviving on budget liquor and hot dogs, getting a “good” bottle of liquor was quite a challenge. My natural instinct was to keep these gifts; after the test, I reverently placed the bottle on a high shelf and limited my communication to looking at it lovingly and opening it for special occasions. This practice led directly to the harshest lesson of my young life: liquor actually has an expiration date. Or, if not always a strict expiration date, a pretty solid use date.
The moment your alcohol starts to turn depends on several data points: the type of liquor we’re talking about, whether the bottle has been opened or not, and your storage methods. The result is also quite variable – some liquor will simply taste worse and become less strong over time, while some will literally go bad. Here is a short guide on how much time you have to enjoy your booze treasures after you open this bottle.
How air affects open liquor bottles
Alcohol is a fickle product. Wine, for example, can continue to age in the bottle, becoming richer and more interesting over time, but this is not the case with most spirits. Whiskey in a properly sealed bottle will be much the same whether you drink it today or 100 years from now. But as soon as you open that bottle, the demonic oxygen dives in and starts transforming your booze. And while the initial stages of this transformation can be positive (especially in the case of whiskey, which can often improve a little in the weeks after opening), the oxidation process will eventually deprive you of alcohol.
Here’s how long you can expect different categories of liquor to last after opening.
Whiskey
Whiskey’s high alcohol content and low sugar content means it’s fairly shelf stable, but it will go bad in about 2 years after you open the bottle. However, “bad” is a spectrum – whiskey on its own will never go bad – you can drink a glass of open whiskey in 20 years and it won’t kill you. However, you may not like this experience as the alcohol content will be lower due to evaporation and the flavor profile will change.
Note. Flavored whiskey, especially if less than 80 degrees, may have a shorter shelf life due to the higher sugar content, so once you open a bottle of Honey Jack, you can spill all the shots.
Vodka
Vodka after opening is stored a little longer than whiskey – up to ten years, or even more. However, the process is the same and the taste of your vodka may change in just a few years and it will also gradually lose its alcoholic power. Like whiskey, it will never “go bad,” but if you don’t drink it for a few years, your drinking experience will definitely get worse. And again, flavored vodka brews much faster due to the higher sugar content.
Rum
The rum can be stored indefinitely if left unopened and will start spinning for six months after that. After about two years, you will definitely notice a difference in the taste and strength of your rum.
Gin
Gin has a slightly shorter runway after opening – it will be significantly worse about a year after you open it. Like other spirits, it won’t necessarily go bad in the sense that it’s dangerous to drink, it just won’t give you the pleasure you hope for.
brandy
You might think that because brandy is distilled from wine, it goes bad in a few days, like a good bottle of Cabernet. The truth is yes and no – an open bottle of cognac will start to feel “turned” after about 6 months, so you definitely have shorter hours than other spirits. But it will still be drinkable for 2-3 years, and like other spirits, it will never go completely rancid, like a bottle of red wine you stuffed in the back of your liquor cabinet and forgot about. this.
Note. Some cognacs of lower strength are brewed much faster.
Tequila
Tequila lasts about a year after opening before it starts to taste bad. It doesn’t matter if it’s mezcal or tequila, the time frame is pretty much the same. It won’t kill you, but it will taste the wrong way – and once you notice the flavor profile has turned, it’s a downward slide from there.
Liqueurs and tinctures
These sugary drinks tend to be high in sugar and tend to spoil within 1-2 years – and in this case, the word “bad” really does mean “spoiled.” And any liqueur that contains dairy (such as Baileys Irish Cream) should be ready in a year or less. In fact, dairy-based liqueurs don’t last that long even in unopened bottles, so make your purchase decisions carefully.
Delay tactics
This way, your alcohol will eventually turn you on completely, but there are a few simple things you can do to keep your booze fresh for as long as possible:
- Store bottles properly. Liquor should be stored upright, as contact with the cork can cause flavor deterioration and damage to the cork, weakening the seal that demonic oxygen does not pass through. Make sure the cork or screw cap is secure and never leave the filler necks on as they simply let oxygen through.
- Keep away from light and heat. If you store whiskey on the windowsill next to the radiator, you are doing it wrong. Find a cool shady place that looks like a cave.
- Bottles to the end. One thing you can do to keep your liquor fresh longer is to pour it into smaller bottles as you drink it. A smaller bottle (with a well-closed lid – a decanter won’t do) restricts exposure to air and can slow down the turning process – for a while.
Eventually, your liquor will become a ghost of itself. However, when you think about it, it really is just the perfect excuse to have an extra glass of something tasty tonight – you’re doing your part in the war on waste.