When bottled it must be no less than 80 proof (or 40% alcohol by volume). Bourbon See All. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. While a basement or wine cellar is preferred, you can also use a cabinet, closet, or even a box will do. Ultimately this means that your bourbon can never go spoiled or rotten. Nov 17, 2018 - Whiskey has an indefinite shelf life – when stored properly, whiskey does not go bad. Rye See All. If you keep the bourbon sealed and out of sunlight, then the bourbon won’t go bad. Just wondering if there is a big 'don't do that' attached to this. #27 WesMantooth, Nov 2, 2019. beergoot and ChicagoJ like this. While it is not dangerous to consume bourbon that tastes somewhat off or develops a slightly different odor, it is still best to discard it for quality purposes. Whiskey only matures in the cask when it has contact to the oak wood. However, the mistakes in the preservation of bourbon can make it bad. Regular Jim Bean tastes wretched in my opinion. Bourbon must also age in new charred oak barrels, while scotch, for the most part, employs used barrels, with an effect similar to reusing a teabag. Once a whiskey is opened, exposure to light, air, and temperature fluctuations start to change its flavor. If there’s only a little left in the bottle, and it sat in the cabinet for a few months, you can expect the taste to be quite disappointing. Decanters come with a slightly less airtight seal than bottles do. Over time, this will … No, your bourbon will retain its quality if it remains unopened. Whereas Scotch and Irish whiskey are made with malted barley, a bourbon must be made with at least 51% corn. Like other hard liquors, the shelf life of bourbon is quite long when properly stored. Sure, the cheap bottles who cares, but the expensive ones should be something you enjoy over time. As mentioned earlier, bourbon has a pretty much indefinite shelf life. To your average consumer, the age of a whiskey is often viewed as synonymous with its quality. If it seems discolored, it has also likely experienced a decrease in quality and undesired change in flavor. This drops to 1-2 years if less than half of the contents are left in the bottle. In that process, the compounds are changed by oxygen, which affects the flavor of the bourbon. Does That Mean That A Bottle of Whiskey Can’t Go Bad? Oct 5, 2017 - Canadian club whiskey shelf life.Does whiskey go bad? It will never go bad because its got like 37% alcohol in it. Additionally, sunlight increases the oxidation process, which also has a negative effect on flavor. Just always remember to store any liquor, opened or unopened, in a cool, dark place away from sunlight and heat sources. Because of that, they are a somewhat inferior way of storing bourbon than leaving it in a bottle. To maximize the shelf life of bourbon, you will want to make sure that it avoids all contact with light. No matter if you opened the bottle or not, and how long it sits in the cabinet, chances are the alcohol will be safe to drink and, what’s even more important, taste as it’s supposed to. If bourbon is properly stored, it probably won’t go bad. Here are the explanations how to store your bottles. However, once that bottle has been opened, you have about 5 years to enjoy it if it is more than half-full. Though if you do not open bourbon, then it will not go bad. Depending on the quality of the bourbon and how well it was stored, it can retain its quality for up to 10 years after opening. However, based on our personal experience a failed cork/bad seal causes bourbon to go bad fairly quickly . You can experience how oxidation works by leaving a glass of bourbon out overnight and drinking it in the morning. When it comes to bourbon , no doubt that owing to its high alcoholic content it has a very long shelf life and can last for ages if it is stored properly. How Long Does Bacon Grease Last? Remember to strain all the solids out of bacon fat to make sure it doesn’t go bad, though. As no air has come in contact with the bourbon, it will not suffer the negative effects that oxygen has on alcohol. Does the “No Age Statement” Trend Mean Bad News for Your Bourbon? Feb 21, 2015 - Whiskey has an indefinite shelf life – when stored properly, whiskey does not go bad. Once you open the bottle of bourbon, the alcohol will start to evaporate slowly over time. Because it is liquor, bourbon will never actually “go bad”, if we’re talking in terms of making you sick. Storing it at room temperature should be alright if you live in a relatively temperate place. The change in flavor between the bourbon in a decanter and in a bottle in such a short period will be negligible. Make sure that your bourbon is stored in a glass bottle. Also keep in mind that 2 year old bourbon is not the same as 20 year old bourbon. Can It Go Bad? It won’t get you sick, but the flavor will depend on factors such as where it was stored, for how long, and how much liquid was in the bottle. Required fields are marked *. Storing it at room temperature should be alright if you live in a relatively temperate place. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the shelf life of bourbon and how to know if it’s time to move onto a new bottle. Even some moderate care will help keep whiskey entirely drinkable for ages. Thanks to its high alcohol content and large levels of ethanol, microbes are unable to survive in liquor. thesherrybomber Devotee (402) Jun 13, … If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. But in practice, a bottle of whiskey doesn’t last forever (if only!). If it’s not opened, you can expect the flavor to be the same as it was the day it got bottled. How Can You Tell If Bourbon Has Gone Bad? 4) We will not be testing one type of cork vs. another, a cork vs. screw cap, or how the shape of a bottle might impact the bourbon over time . Rum, Scotch, Whiskey, and Vodka - These all have a long shelf life because of the high alcohol content in them. So it’s more of a question of how bad the quality of the bourbon can get over time. Also pay attention to the appearance of the bourbon. If you only have a little bit of bourbon left in a large bottle, transfer it to a smaller bottle that doesn’t have so much empty space. If you would like to learn a thing a two about storage, shelf life, and going bad of bourbon, this article is for you. Because of the alcohol content, any bacteria that enter the bottle will be killed. I really felt a need and desire to start sharing my ideas and communicating with the food community out there so I started ​wellfed.net. Not to worry, bacon grease keeps really well as long as you store it in an airtight glass jar. Ever since I was a little ​girl – I have always been fascinated with food. Also, the more air in the bottle, the faster the oxidation. Your email address will not be published. Scotch See All. Wild Turkey and Knob Creek usually, Maker's Mark is for special occasions. Bourbon only ages in wood, so no flavor change should happen. by Cameron Smith | Published March 28, 2017 . Older = better was an easy gauge of value, especially since it almost always corresponded with a price increase. Lastly, the whiskey must not include any type of additives including flavoring or coloring. Does Bourbon Go Bad? Jan 10, 2020 - If you've found a half-empty bottle sitting in a cabinet for who knows how long, "does bourbon go bad?" Improve this question. Properly storing bourbon is actually quite simple. bacon grease/WellFed Archives . If it smells bad, it will probably taste even worse. However, regular whisky also lasts quite a long time. Like an unopened bottle of bourbon, a sealed bottle of whisky will last decades. So it’s more of a question of how bad the quality of the bourbon can get over time. Learn more. However, breaking the seal and allowing evaporation of the alcohol, especially over a prolonged period like four months, can change the taste for the worse. Ideally you should store bourbon in a closet or cabinet where it won’t have direct contact with light. The alcohol content makes the liquid safe from any microorganisms that … Bourbon - Since it has so much alcohol in it, normally you can keep it for years even if it has been opened. It is a great thing to have around the house for when the mood strikes or you have visitors (. When the whiskey fulfills these rules, it can be considered a bourbon. As we have mentioned, drinking old bourbon won’t make you sick. You don’t want oxygen leaking in and speeding up the oxidation. So while bourbon won’t ever spoil and an old bottle won’t make you sick, it may taste pretty bad if it is not stored correctly. Here’s a quick summary of those requirements. It’s even better if the bottle is dark, which helps to keep light out. However, it may lose its quality if it is not stored properly. 1 0. You want the bottle to have as much bourbon as possible, as less liquid means more oxygen, which speeds up the oxidation process. The whiskey must be distilled no higher than 160 proof and barreled for aging at no more than 125 proof. However, if you know that you like drinking your bourbon cold, feel free to store it in the fridge. This was true for every dram from Scotches to Bourbon, and … If my bottled bourbon is unopened, will it still go bad? Keep it stored at moderate temperatures and away from direct sunlight, and the shelf life of whiskey can be extended for a very long time. However, that seal still does a pretty good job of keeping the oxygen from getting inside the decanter. Again, that time frame depends on the amount of whiskey in the bottle. Whiskey is stored upright. Unopened, a bottle of bourbon won’t go bad. Normally the spirits that are pure alcohol can all stay in your cabinet for many years without going bad. You can store it for decades. Thanks to its high alcohol content and large levels of ethanol, microbes are unable to survive in liquor. The best thing to do is store the bottle somewhere the temperature will not change often and away from light. Or you got a bottle of bourbon as a gift a few years ago and for some reason didn’t quite have a chance to open it. However, after opening a bottle of bourbon, it does start to change. - People Try Whiskey For The First Time For most people, that means keeping it off of your kitchen counter. This results in a loss of flavor over the years. Review of: Poorly stored Wild Turkey 8 year from 1990. If you won't store it properly its taste can deteriorate or it can go bad Whiskey corks are designed for multiple uses, whereas wine corks are disposable. Maybe you had a habit of enjoying a small glass of bourbon every Friday, but life got hectic, and that bottle is sitting untouched for a few months. I really want to create an interesting place for readers to come and see lots of new ideas and interact with everyday people. Human intuition is quite good at figuring out if something is safe to eat.If you’re not sure the alcohol is okay to drink, cut your losses and throw it away. Once you open the bottle of bourbon, the alcohol will … Both can catalyze chemical reactions that will mess with the flavor of the bourbon. But once a bottle of bourbon is opened, it’s got roughly 1 to 2 years before it goes bad. However, stumble onto an open bottle and all bets are off. For a whiskey to be a bourbon it must meet a few criteria to earn the name. In contrast to wine, however, whiskey in unopened bottles doesn't become better (or worse) during storage. But just how quickly do we have to finish that bottle of bourbon? Because of the alcohol content, any bacteria that enter the bottle will be killed. Since bourbon is a type of whiskey, you store it pretty much the same way. However, if you find a bottle that has been in your liquor cabinet for years, you should probably take a look and see if it is good to drink before pouring yourself a glass. As time passes, more and more alcohol will evaporate from the bottle. If your kitchen or pantry tends to get warm, store it in another cooler room, as the temperature should not only be cool but also stable. Does scotch whiskey go bad if kept in standard home freezers for a few days? While bourbon is in fact an aged beverage, it does not get better with age when stored in a glass bottle. An opened bottle of bourbon doesn’t age well, and though it won’t experience any changes in flavor until after a few years, it will just continue to lose quality as more time goes by. Bourbon, just like other types of whiskey, or distilled spirits as a whole, doesn’t spoil. Besides those two factors, oxidation is a process you should be aware of. Because it is liquor, bourbon will never actually “go bad”, if we’re talking in terms of making you sick. As bourbon has a higher alcohol content than regular whiskey, it naturally has a longer shelf life. storage-method whiskey  Share. Bourbon should be stored out of the light due to the fact that sunlight helps to speed up the evaporation of liquid, impacting the flavor of your bourbon. I was wondering if it's good to drink or if I should throw it away. While you may be able to drink old bourbon that has only undergone a little bit of oxidation, bourbon that is decades old will likely have a much less desirable taste. So, if you have a bottle that’s almost full, the quality of the alcohol will remain great for years to come. Once you have opened the bottle, you still want to keep it away from any sources of light or heat. It is highly unlikely for ANY of your alcohol to go bad. Does Rum Go Bad? In fact, bourbon has one of the longest shelf lives thanks to its incredibly high alcohol content. 89 % Aerstone Land Cask 10 Year Old Review 86 % Glengoyne 18 Year Old Review 85 % Glengoyne 10 Year Old Review Rye. The same timeline also applies to scotch whiskey. There is a chance it can go bad if the bottle if left open and contaminants are able to get inside into the liquid. But I would like to leave everyone with this: Our Bourbon Storage Experiment does not provide a final conclusion when it comes to bourbon and whiskey storage, and is not without its flaws. More on that later. A pantry or closet will do just fine. As with most hard liquors, bourbon doesn’t go bad. Bourbon gets more flavor in a shorter time from the virgin, charred oak, meaning a 20 year old bourbon and a 20 year old single malt scotch aren’t comparable at all. A bottle of bourbon isn’t something that we can often finish quickly. is perfectly reasonable question to ask. In fact, very few liquors, with the exception of cream liqueurs like Bailey’s Irish Cream or fortified wines like vermouth, actually need to be stored in the fridge. First off, you’ll want to store it upright in a tightly sealed bottle to ensure that no air gets in. Bourbon does not go bad over time, but it does lose quality. With the addition of oxygen, the contents slowly begin to change. And while storing bourbon in the freezer won’t have any negative lasting effects on its quality, drinking it that cold will dull its flavor, so it really is not necessary to freeze it. Once a bottle of bourbon is opened, the contents may begin to evaporate slowly and some flavor may be lost over time, but the bourbon will remain safe to consume if it has been stored properly. You’ll also need to store your bourbon away from any heat sources, meaning that it should not be kept next to the oven or any other appliances that might heat it up. Every product is independently selected and reviewed by Well Fed editors, but we may earn commissions for purchases made through our links (no added cost for you), A bottle of bourbon isn’t something that we can often finish quickly. If there is less liquid in the bottle, there is a higher chance that it has suffered from some oxidation, lowering its quality. Lv 4. A smart way to extend the taste of your bourbon is to empty the contents of the bottle into a smaller bottle and seal it tightly. The bottles must be stored upright, since the cork doesn't close as tightly as a wine cork. Your email address will not be published. So if you plan to drink that bourbon within a few months, pouring it into a decanter is perfectly fine. Does Bourbon Go Bad? As with most hard liquors, bourbon doesn’t go bad. In theory, almost forever. The alcohol content in bourbon whiskey means that the liquid is safe from microorganism development. “Does bourbon go bad?” is a question that’s asked quite often these days. However, once it is transferred from the barrel to a glass bottle, the aging process comes to a close. Of course, if you notice that something is wrong with the bourbon, get rid of it. That’s why it’s important to make sure the lid is always screwed on tight. Because of this, no bourbon, no matter how old, should actually make you sick. Take a whiff of your bourbon before tasting it if it has been sitting on your counter for a while. Therefore, bourbon cannot get affected by bacteria or fungus-like any other food. Therefore, it is best stored in a cabinet or closet when you’re not using it. October 13, 2020 Marcin Skrzypiec So you’ve found an odd bottle of mead sitting in the cellar for who knows how long, and you aren’t sure if it’s still safe to drink. Does Bacon Grease Go Bad? How Long Do Pecans Last? As already stated, the more alcohol in the bottle, the better quality you can expect. Welcome to ​WellFed – my name is ​Markella Williams and​ ​Ι was born and raised in Canada. Finally, it is best to store bourbon with as little air as possible in the bottle. If you won't store it properly its taste can deteriorate or it can go bad However, there is an important difference between opened and unopened bourbon. While the shelf life of bourbon is indefinite, for quality purpose you want to store the opened bottle properly. It is a great thing to have around the house for when the mood strikes or you have visitors (or a chocolate cake recipe that calls for it), but it is likely that it will be sitting around for a while before it gets finished. Distilled sprits won’t spoil or make you sick like milk, and they won’t turn to vinegar like beer and wine. You may need to transfer your bourbon to the fridge in the summer. It is safe to state that care in handling Bourbon is what determines whether it can go wrong or not. When you store it properly, the alcohol should remain the same as it was on the day it was bottled. Like most liquors, it has an incredibly long shelf life, especially when properly stored. 85 % Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye Review … However, it will likely be very unpleasant, especially if it has undergone lots of oxidation. Additionally, the temperature at which you store bourbon is very important. If you’ve found a half-empty bottle of bourbon sitting in a cabinet for who knows how long, that’s a legitimate question to ask. It does seem to bubble very slightly when poured out but tastes fine. 5) We will not be testing a situation where a bottle is opened and closed excessively. If you would leave the bottle unsealed and added a bunch of contaminants inside, after a dozen of years it could go bad. I would like to invite blogs from all over the world about food to communicate with me and share stories and tips to create a fun environment for the readers. This rings even truer when talking about opened bottles of bourbon. or a chocolate cake recipe that calls for it. If you stumble on a bottle of bourbon that hasn’t been touched in many years, don’t worry about it being bad. A pantry or closet will do just fine. I found this 59 year old bottle of bourbon in my liquor cabinet. Does bourbon go bad? … Even if you open a bottle of bourbon decades later, it will still taste the same as the day it was bottled. Can You Refrigerate or Freeze Vanilla Bourbon? From the days of helping my mom bake in the kitchen to preparing large family meals for a crowd – something about pleasing people with food really excites me. So it does not go bad in the conventional terms but like every other food item after a certain time, it begins to lose its potency, thus with time its flavor, aroma, and quality begin to degrade. I look forward to hearing everyone’s feedback. Fortunately, bourbon isn’t exactly something that spoils. To check if your bourbon has gone bad, you should give it a smell before tasting. This way, less oxygen will have access to the alcohol and therefore the process of oxidation will be slowed down. However, the difference isn’t just the region. Opened whiskey has a shelf life of between six months and two years. If you have a bottle of whiskey that was opened a few years ago and it was kept sealed in the pantry for this time, the alcohol will be fine. 5 years ago. What’s the point of slowly cooking bacon to render the fat if it doesn’t last? Because bourbon is an alcoholic drink, the alcohol in it kills any bacteria that might get in. However, an opened bottle of bourbon can begin to lose quality after a couple of years, all depending on how it has been stored. 84 % Wild Turkey Rare Breed [112.8/56.4] Review 72 % Kings County Distillery Straight Bourbon Review 94 % Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review Scotch. I’ve had some barrel aged beers that barrels ruined because they were in young, or poorly made bourbon barrels, but more of the bad barrel aged beers have been because the beer itself was not good. Well Fed (wellfed.net) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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