Does Alcohol Go Bad? How Long Can Opened Bottles Be Stored And ...

Sign In

TOI

TOI

• home
• lifestyle
• relationship
• food news
• Health+
• style
• visual stories
• trending
• parenting
• soul search
• beauty
• books
• recipes
• travel
• home & garden
• events
• spotlight

• News
• lifestyle
• food-news
• Does alcohol go bad? How long can opened bottles be stored and how to make them long last

TrendingLab Grown GoldAncient Fish SpeciesRice Water For HairHair Growth OilsBill GatesRagi Sattu and Sattu Laddu RecipeZone 2 CardioRam Dass QuoteSrikanth BollaCervical Cancer PreventionLab Grown GoldAncient Fish SpeciesRice Water For HairHair Growth OilsBill GatesRagi Sattu and Sattu Laddu RecipeZone 2 CardioRam Dass QuoteSrikanth BollaCervical Cancer PreventionLab Grown GoldAncient Fish SpeciesRice Water For HairHair Growth OilsBill GatesRagi Sattu and Sattu Laddu RecipeZone 2 CardioRam Dass QuoteSrikanth BollaCervical Cancer PreventionDoes alcohol go bad? How long can opened bottles be stored and how to make them long lastTIMESOFINDIA.COM / Dec 30, 2021, 16:00 ISTShareAA+Text Size

• Small
• Medium
• Large

Follow us

1/6

Here's all you need to know about alcohol expiry

It is said that the older the alcohol, the better it tastes. But, did you know that this isn’t the same case with every type of alcohol? Some types of alcohol do expire or should we say, they go bad in taste & flavour, and may not taste better with age. We all feel tempted to drink that remaining bottle of Scotch or gin which was last opened months or years ago, but we could never know that it was not worth it! Alcohols like beer, wine and all other types of liquor are made using different ingredients & processes. And the basic process that remains is - fermentation, through which all liquor types go through in which the yeast creates alcohol by consuming sugar. Also, how long the alcohol stays in your bar depends on how much sugar and alcohol content is there along with other ingredients. For example, hard liquors like whiskey have an indefinite shelf life, but their flavour and taste begin to fade after 1-2 years of opening. The shelf life of alcohol also depends on several other factors like the temperature where it is stored, oxidation and of course, how much light’s exposure is there in the storage. In this article, we’ll talk about all the things that can make alcohol go bad, how to store it correctly and make it stay last. (Images: istock)

2/6

Beer

It is one of the most common types of alcohol that people drink definitely comes with an expiration date. Be it a beer can or bottle, once it is opened must be consumed within a day or two. Once opened, the oxygen in the air interacts with beer (also called oxidation) and makes it taste very bad. Also, the fizz of the beer goes away after a day. To make it stay longer, make sure you keep it away from light as much as possible. Always store the beer in a cool & dark place to retain the taste & flavour.

3/6

Whiskey

It is another hard liquor that doesn't age with time. Once the bottle is opened, oxidation takes place which changes the taste and flavour of your drink. It's not just the oxidation but, the temperature where the whiskey bottle is stored and exposure to light can also impact the taste of your drink. Thus, for whiskey also, you must keep it in a dark & cool place that has very limited air. Also, always keep the whiskey bottle upright as the strong liquor can dilute the bottle cork when stored horizontally which accelerates the oxidation process.

4/6

Tequila

Tequilla is considered one of those liquors that gets you sober as quickly as you get drunk. Also, once the bottle is opened the tequila bottle can degrade very quickly too. The longer a bottle of tequila is opened, it loses its strength as well as fragrance. The tequila will not become harmful if the bottle has been lying there in your house for over a year. But, before having that tequila shot, do trust your instincts. If it does not smell good, throw it right away.

5/6

Rum

It is probably one of the very few hard liquors that have a longer shelf life. But, in this case, also, it only happens till the time the bottle is unopened and the seal is untouched. Once the seal of the rum bottle is opened, the oxidation process accelerates which makes it lose potency as well as taste. To make it last longer when opened, you can opt for a screw-top closure that prevents the rum from drying. Also, if the rum bottle is opened, you can store it in a small bottle and seal it tightly. This way, it can be stored for 6 months at least without losing its taste and flavour.

6/6

Vodka

Vodka is definitely one of those liquors that can be stored for a longer period when the bottle is opened. The reason for the same is that oxidation takes place at a slower rate and can take several decades. An opened vodka bottle can actually stay for a few years. However, it also loses its flavour & fragrance after a decade and will get weaker. To store an opened vodka bottle, it is recommended to store it in a cool & dark place with a screw-top closure. Also, make sure that you keep it away from sunlight as much as possible.

Follow Us On Social Media

Photostories

• 1
• 2
• 3

Food videos

32:03

32:03

27:30

13:05

16:34

04:34

06:37

03:19

04:48

07:18

08:08

06:47

03:20

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

More Videos

Featured In Food

MORE FROM ETIMES

life & styleSrikanth BollaHoli 2026Ram DassZone 2 CardioCervical CancerLiving and entertainmentETimesTravel DestinationsCricbuzz.comTVLifestyleNewspaper SubscriptionFood NewsTimes PrimeWhats HotServicesCouponDuniaTechGigTimesJobsBollywood NewsTimes MobileGadgetsWork with UsColombiaHot on the WebThe Kerala Story 2Suriya HouseThaai KizhaviVijayKeanu Reeves QuoteRashmika MandannaAjith Kumar HouseChiranjeeviNew OTT ReleasesLunar Eclipse 2026Vijay Deverakonda Wedding AlbumChandra Grahan 2026Yami Gautam2026 Lunar EclipseSai Pallavi HouseSunil Bharti MittalKamal BungalowHair Growth OilsIran Travel Alert'O'Romeo' Box Office CollectionMumbai AirportRashmika- Vijay Wedding PicturesLunar Eclipse City Wise TimingsFlorida ParkKuno National ParkHoroscope TodayThe 50The Bluff Movie ReviewBorder 2 Movie ReviewTu Yaa Main Movie ReviewToday Gold Rate in ChennaiDelhi Weather TodayDelhi AQI TodayMumbai AQI TodayMaharashtra Public Holidays 2026Anthropic Ceo Dario AmodeiVivo V70Suryakumar Yadav Luxury ApartmentWarner BrosQuote Of The Day By Louis PasteurNarayana Murthy AI WarningTrending TopicsLatest MoviesBollywood MoviesHollywood MoviesTamil Movies 2026Telugu Movies 2026Malayalam Movies 2026Kannada MoviesMarathi MoviesBengali Movies 2026Top Rated Movies 2026Best Hindi MoviesBest English MoviesBest Telugu MoviesBest Tamil MoviesBest Malayalam MoviesBest Kannada MoviesBest Bengali MoviesUpcoming Hindi MoviesBest Movies Of All TimeBest Hindi Movies of All TimeLatest English MoviesLatest Malayalam MoviesEnglish TV NewsTamil TV NewsTelugu TV NewsMalayalam TV NewsKannada TV NewsMovie ReviewsBhojpuri Cinema NewsGujarati Cinema NewsPopular CategoriesViral NewsK Pop NewsWeb Series NewsAnime NewsUpcoming English MoviesUpcoming Tamil MoviesUpcoming Telugu MoviesUpcoming Malayalam MoviesUpcoming Kannada MoviesFashion TipsTravel NewsEntertainment NewsBollywood NewsTollywood NewsKollywood NewsMollywood NewsFood NewsLatest Hindi MoviesLatest Tamil MoviesParenting TipsHome RemediesWeight LossBeauty TipsParenting TipsHindi VideosHindi Video SongsBhojpuri Music VideosLatest Telugu MoviesBhojpuri Music VideoHindi TV NewsLatest NewsHow to balance morning cortisol naturally: A simple 10-minute breath and meditation routineCan J&K’s Ranji triumph heal old wounds?Sagittarius Horoscope Today, March 01, 2026: Day demands extra cautionUS, Israel strike Iran: Badminton queen PV Sindhu stranded at Dubai airport amid growing tensionsKhamenei killed after US-Israel strike; Iran issues 'unforgettable lesson' - 10 things to know“These pictures are disgusting”: Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen’s baby bump photo ignites debate as fans drag Michael B. JordanScorpio Horoscope Today, March 01, 2026: Unexpected financial gains are on the horizonRon Duguay and Sarah Palin combined net worth in 2026: How the NHL career and politics built their wealthAbu Dhabi Airports issues urgent advisory for Zayed International Airport passengers as Iran, US-Israel conflict disrupts flights“She couldn't trust him”: Trust concerns pushed Cardi B to step back from relationship with Stefon Diggs'Dhurandhar 2' and 'Toxic' clash: Ryan Gosling's 'Project Hail Mary’ postpones India release; film eyes April release: ReportsLisa Müller reveals truth about WAG label after Thomas Müller Vancouver Whitecaps move and dressage career successIs Luka Doncic playing tonight vs the Golden State Warriors? Latest update on the Los Angeles Lakers star's injury report (February 28, 2026)Libra Horoscope Today, March 01, 2026: Romantic connections strengthen; singles find charm effectiveUAE announces petrol and diesel prices for March 2026: Are drivers paying the war tax amid Iran and US–Israel clashes?‘Heavy and pinpoint bombing will continue’: What Trump wrote as he announced Khamenei’s killingKhamenei killed in US strike: Who are his potential successors?Angel Reese sends heartfelt message after brother Julian Reese signs inspiring two-way deal with Washington WizardsCopyright © 2026 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication ServiceFollow us on