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Shelf Life for Liquor

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    Shelf Life for Liquor

    I'm not a big alcohol drinker. Primarily beer and wine with an occasional margarita. I have some bottles of alcohol in a cabinet that I keep for guests visiting. Most have been there quite a while. Is there a shelf life for these? Any I should consider pitching after a certain amount of time? They are: Gordon's, Jose Cuero, Smirnoff's, Jim Beam, and some Triple Sec.

    #2
    Most liquor, if opened, will degrade materially flavorwise within a year or two. Vodka is the exception and can last indefinitely.

    Unopened, no concerns.

    Comment


      #3
      Shelf life for liquor? 😂😂😂 Like that’s a problem for us.

      Comment


      • CaptainMike
        CaptainMike commented
        Editing a comment
        Yeah, I was wondering what the hell he was talking about...

      • Panhead John
        Panhead John commented
        Editing a comment
        Oh gosh darn, my half gallon of Jack has been opened for 3 days…is it still ok?

      • bbqLuv
        bbqLuv commented
        Editing a comment
        Panhead John "my half gallon of Jack has been opened for 3 days" -- I don't think he will last a week, poor Jack.

      #4
      I wouldn't worry about it.

      Comment


        #5
        Invite your friends who drink over more often….

        Comment


        • bbqLuv
          bbqLuv commented
          Editing a comment
          Right on, that is a Good Idea.

        #6
        I think Z_C summed it up very well, but for many of us here liquor "shelf life" is not much of a concern

        Comment


          #7
          Honestly though, maybe you should investigate using more liquors in your cooking, if you are not drinking it. That way, you get a nice flavor enhancer.

          Comment


          • bbqLuv
            bbqLuv commented
            Editing a comment
            But the alcohol burns out. That is not fun.

          • HawkerXP
            HawkerXP commented
            Editing a comment
            Any stains on your garage floor?

          • WillTravelForFood
            WillTravelForFood commented
            Editing a comment
            ex: don't cook with wine that you wouldn't drink yourself. (not great-tasting wine results in not-great tasting sauces/foods)

          #8
          Good question, and one I have thought about myself. I still have about a dozen+ unopened fifths and quarts I bought over a decade ago for a big party we were throwing. Hired a bartender who gave me a long list of what to buy, but in the end everyone drank either beer, wine, and only a few of the liquor bottles were consumed. We just talked about them the other day and Kathy wondered if we could give them out as presents this year, but we weren’t sure they would still be good.

          Comment


          • RonB
            RonB commented
            Editing a comment
            They would be great presents for a BIL.

          • Richard Chrz
            Richard Chrz commented
            Editing a comment
            Send them this way, I won’t hold it against y0u for sending me booze that might not be perfect. 😜

          #9
          the shelf life for a bottle of Stoli at my house is about 36 hours.

          Comment


            #10
            I'd Rather Have A Bottle In Front Of Me (Than A Frontal Lobotomy) - 45rpm | Vinyl Community - Bing video

            Comment


            • latenight71
              latenight71 commented
              Editing a comment
              that qoute has been attributed to so many, from Picasso to Eliott to Bukowski, but I'm pretty sure it's actually a Dorthy Parker quote.
              It's something I qoute often.

            • bbqLuv
              bbqLuv commented
              Editing a comment
              I could not resist posting a link to the song.

            • smokin fool
              smokin fool commented
              Editing a comment
              Having tried both, I vote bottle....what were we talking about?!?!?!?!

            #11
            I'm an old, broke down soldier and now work in security. the life of a bottle of liquor in my house is measured in minutes ..... CaptainMike knows.

            Comment


            • Panhead John
              Panhead John commented
              Editing a comment
              That would take a while. 😂

            • Mr. Bones
              Mr. Bones commented
              Editing a comment
              Yup, shelf life is never an issue, re: 'Is it spoiled'?, here at Th Firebase...
              An, contrary to any rumours, I never abuse it...that would jus be plain ol WRONG

              "An I will kiss him n love him n squeeze him n pat him n pat him n rub him n caress him n name him George... lol!"
              Last edited by Mr. Bones; October 7, 2021, 09:25 PM. Reason: /

            • ofelles
              ofelles commented
              Editing a comment
              Hey, the abuse was mutual!

            #12
            3 days,,,,

            Comment


              #13
              I dont understand the question?

              Comment


              • Jared49
                Jared49 commented
                Editing a comment
                It’s similar to; I smoked ribs for dinner tonight, what do I do with the leftovers??

              • ecowper
                ecowper commented
                Editing a comment
                Or, as my daughter would say "Are we cooking for a rodeo?" ….. FireMan knows the answer.

              #14
              Generally speaking, this is what I've been told:
              • unopened primary liquor (rum, vodka, gin, tequila, whiskey) have an indefinite shelf life. Once opened, the clock starts a-ticking, but should still be good for years before flavor starts to turn.
              • liquors that contain sugar can deteriorate over time. If you have any sugar-inspired liquors (like cotton-candy flavored vodka or some cordials like schnapps), might be worth tasting them to ensure they haven't gone bad flavor-wise because they will eventually. If you notice any sugar crystallization or discolor, toss the bottle
              • Cream-based liquors should only be good for about 18-24 months, even if unopened
              • Mixers should have expiration dates on them and likely should be refrigerated after opening
              • Store everything in a cabinet of some sort, as sunlight isn't good.
              • Always store your bottles with their original caps, never with those handy bar pourer spouts.
              If you don't cycle through your liquors regularly, it may be worthwhile replacing the bottles you do have with smaller ones. It's more painful to toss a 2-liter Vodka that you're unsure about vs a 375ml or 750ml size. Bonus - the smaller bottles can be used/replaced faster than a 2-liter.

              It may also be worthwhile to evaluate your liquor cabinet to determine how much of a host you want to be. Not every home needs a full bar setup to make Any Cocktail Available. Stick with the core that you or your friends enjoy the most and chuck the rest. Example: If nobody drinks martinis - you probably don't need gin or vermouth (unless you're cooking with it).

              Tape a post-it note on each bottle with the date it was last used and revisit your cabinet in a year (or two). If that bottle hasn't been touched in [whatever timeframe], then it may be worth checking, chucking, and not replacing.

              Comment


              • bbqLuv
                bbqLuv commented
                Editing a comment
                If you are going to use true facts, what is the point?

              #15
              For the high alcohol content bottles 40 %vol or 80 proof and as long as the bottle is well sealed, even if previously opened, taste before you chuck.
              I recently got several bottles of whisky (Scottish of course) from my father in law who did not want them anymore, that were quite a few years old and some of them had been opened before, but they still tasted great - and I do like my whiskies.

              Comment

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