How long does vodka last? Can it go bad?
It’s not a surprise for alcohol aficionados to have a special place like a cabinet or a cellar where they all keep the expensive and famous alcohol collection. Are you one of them too? Or maybe, you are also going to start collecting them? Vodka can also be part of your collection!
Vodka is undeniably popular around the world. It is an old-time produced distilled alcoholic beverage dated back to the 14th century in the countries Russia and Poland. Vodka is made from either any sugar or starch-rich fermentable food items such as potatoes and grains such as corn, sorghum, wheat, rye, and molasses. This distilled beverage has little-to-no flavor. The flavor and texture sometimes depend on the methods and ingredients used as well as there are different varieties of flavored vodka too.
Is vodka one of your favorite booze? If yes, that’s great! You just found yourself in a blog where you will gain more ideas about your favorite alcohol! If not, who cares? We’re happy to know you have stumbled into this place to learn about this famous vodka!
This post will give you some shots about storage, shelf life, and spoilage of vodka. Let’s go!
How to store vodka?
Vodka and other distilled spirits have a long shelf life. Although you can store vodka for an extended time, you must always make sure it is kept in the proper storage conditions, whether you have opened it or not. If you do not store it correctly, your vodka may evaporate or will have an unpleasant taste.
Once you have opened a bottle of vodka, you should follow the storage guidelines as listed below so that you can maintain its quality and prevent it from evaporating.
Here are the steps you should follow in storing opened and unopened bottles of vodka:
Should you really need to transfer leftover vodka to a smaller bottle? What’s wrong with leaving it in its original bottle? Well, the more air space you left in your vodka bottle, the more is likely to evaporate and oxidize. As a result, your vodka may not taste the best anymore as it used to. Unless you don’t mind that outcome.
Little children are always curious, and they will always touch something that takes their interest. Your vodka bottle could be a big, shiny, and attractive item or toy for them to play with, you know. So, keep your alcohol bottles up high from their reach and lock it. Locking your liquor cabinet would be a good idea. You’ll just never know that there may be a time your teenage child will get to the point that he/she will be pressured by his or her peers to dare drink alcohol. At least, a locked cabinet will be a one-step prevention for your teen to not take it.
Can I store vodka in the freezer?
Do you want some chilled vodka? It won’t be bad if you put it in the freezer. Just know that freezing your vodka may cause it to get slightly thicker, but it won’t, however, affect the taste.
Can vodka go bad?
Let’s clarify this part first. When we say “going bad,” it will either mean that your food already tastes horrible, and it can make you sick after eating or drinking it as it may have been contaminated with physical, biological, or chemical contaminants. But for the case of alcohol, like our vodka here, it is not.
Vodka only has a subtle to zero odor or taste from the outset. So, many people would say that it is quite challenging to identify if it has already passed its prime. Plus, most vodka brands have 40 to 55% ethanol alcohol. This alcoholic environment already makes it an inhospitable environment for most foodborne bacteria to thrive. After all, they cannot even thrive in foods that contain 25% alcohol. Well, that also depends on the kind of vodka you have. Lately, some factories are already producing vodka with lower alcohol content like 50-proof or 25% alcohol. A lousy vodka may cause foodborne illness if contaminants found their way inside the bottle.
How long does vodka last?
Once you have opened a bottle of vodka, its shelf life is also affected. But, this does not mean that that leftover alcohol you have will not be suitable for consumption anymore after a few weeks. Commonly, it is recommended to consume everything within two years as it may start losing its qualities.
Apparently, you can even keep it for many years as you wish. After all, it is said that it will take decades for the quantity of your vodka to significantly diminish. However, at some point also, the alcohol content of your vodka can possibly dip lower, especially if you don’t store it properly.
How to tell if vodka has already gone bad?
Inspect the quality of your vodka before drinking it. In most cases, an unopened bottle of vodka usually is safe to drink after you have it properly stored for an extended period. But, for an opened bottle of vodka, check for bad signs and know when to throw it away. Since most of you don’t possess the apparatus to measure the quality of our vodka, just test it by:
With all these signs, you can safely conclude that there is something wrong with your vodka.
Other kinds of vodka, like flavored vodkas such as coconut vodka or churro vodka, possess their own identity in terms of scent and flavor. You can immediately tell if there is a change in their taste. That will happen because of heat, light, or wrong storage. That is why you have to consume these products quickly while it is still in its prime.
All in all, you would surely know by common sense that when you’re in doubt about the quality of any food or beverage, you should throw it away.
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