Alcohol that has been stored for a long time can go bad and make you sick if you drink it. Here are some quick answers to common questions about drinking old alcohol:
How long can you store alcohol before it goes bad?
The shelf life of alcohol depends on the type of alcohol and how it was stored. Spirits like vodka and whiskey can last many years if stored properly in a cool, dark place. Wine generally lasts only 1-3 years before starting to deteriorate. Beer and mixed drinks have the shortest shelf life of only 4-6 months.
What are the signs that alcohol has gone bad?
Bad alcohol may smell or taste strange, bitter, or sour. It may also look cloudy or have particles floating in it. Wine that has gone bad may smell like vinegar or rotten fruit. The color may also change to a brown or amber shade.
Can drinking spoiled alcohol make you sick?
Yes, consuming alcohol that has spoiled can make you sick. The ethanol in the alcohol can turn into dangerous chemicals like acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate as it deteriorates. These chemicals can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headache, and abdominal pain. In severe cases it can even be deadly.
Does alcohol go bad if it’s been opened?
Once opened, alcohol oxidizes and deteriorates faster. Wine in particular only lasts 1-5 days in the fridge after opening before it starts going bad. Spirits and liqueurs can last several months after opening if stored properly. Beer has the shortest shelf life of just 1-2 days after opening.
Can you get food poisoning from old alcohol?
You cannot get food poisoning per se from drinking spoiled alcohol. However, the toxic chemicals resulting from alcohol deterioration can cause symptoms similar to food poisoning like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Ethanol Deterioration
Ethanol, the type of alcohol in alcoholic beverages, is a volatile, flammable liquid that easily evaporates at room temperature. After prolonged storage, the ethanol in liquor can oxidize into other chemicals like:
- Acetaldehyde – Produces a unpleasant odor. In large quantities it can cause nausea and vomiting.
- Ethyl acetate – Has a nail polish remover-like smell. Can cause headache, nausea, and vomiting if consumed.
- Fusel alcohols – Have a strong, unpleasant taste and smell. Also toxic if consumed.
These chemicals make spoiled alcohol dangerous to drink. The ethanol can also gradually evaporate over time, leaving behind a higher concentration of these compounds.
Changes in Taste, Color and Clarity
In addition to chemical changes, bad alcohol will have noticeable changes in taste, smell, appearance, and texture:
- Taste – A sharp, unpleasant acidic or bitter taste. Flat or stale taste.
- Smell – Strong unpleasant odors, like nail polish remover or rotten fruit.
- Color – Darkening or amber hues. Cloudiness or haziness.
- Texture – Particles, sediment, film or blobs floating in the liquid.
These are clear warning signs that alcohol has spoiled and become unsafe to drink. Even a small sip should be spat out immediately if you notice any off tastes or smells.
How to Store Alcohol Properly
To maximize the shelf life of alcoholic beverages, follow these storage guidelines:
- Keep bottles tightly sealed to minimize air exposure and evaporation.
- Store in a cool, dark place around 55°F or lower if possible.
- Keep away from direct sunlight and heat sources like ovens.
- Don’t let bottles freeze. The expansion can rupture the glass.
- Store spirits upright to keep corks moist and barrels airtight.
- Once opened, re-seal and refrigerate to slow oxidation.
With proper storage, unopened bottles of spirits and wine can remain drinkable for many years. Refrigerating and resealing opened bottles can give them a shelf life of several months.
Optimal Storage Temperatures
| Alcohol Type | Ideal Storage Temperature |
|---|---|
| Vodka, gin, rum, tequila | Below 75°F |
| Whiskey, brandy, cognac | 50-60°F |
| Wine | 55-60°F |
| Beer, liqueurs | 40-50°F |
The lower the storage temperature, the better for maximizing shelf life. Just don’t let alcohol freeze, which can crack bottles.
How Long Does Alcohol Last Unopened?
Here are the approximate shelf lives of different types of unopened, properly stored alcohol:
- Vodka – Indefinite; lasts many years
- Gin – Indefinite for plain gin; flavored gin lasts 2-3 years
- Rum – Indefinite; lasts many years
- Tequila – 5 years or more
- Whiskey – Indefinite; may improve with age
- Wine – 1-3 years typically; fine wine can last decades
- Beer – 3-6 months for craft beers; macros can last 1-2 years
- Liqueurs – 3-4 years
These timeframes assume proper storage at cool, stable temperatures and no direct light exposure. Higher heat, fluctuating temperatures, and sunlight will shorten shelf life.
Does Liquor Expire?
Distilled spirits like vodka, rum, tequila, and whiskey do not technically expire. Their high alcohol content prevents microbial growth that could spoil them. However, extreme age can cause slight flavor deterioration.
For example, vodka and rum may taste slightly stale after decades. The oak barrels used to age whiskey and tequila may over-impart woody flavors after many years. So while liquor won’t exactly expire, extremely old bottles (30+ years) may not taste their best.
Does Wine Go Bad?
Unlike liquor, wine does go bad due to its lower alcohol and acidity. Table wines typically last only 1-3 years before flavor and aroma deterioration become noticeable. Sweeter dessert wines may last only a year before spoiling.
However, higher quality wines with more tannins, acids, and compounds called polyphenols can remain good for many decades. Cool climate red wines tend to age better than whites. Proper cellaring is key to aging wine successfully long-term.
How Long Does Alcohol Last After Opening?
Once opened, oxygen exposure severely reduces the shelf life of alcohol. Follow these guidelines for storing opened bottles properly:
- Beer – 1-2 days
- Wine – 3-5 days refrigerated
- Champagne – 1-3 days
- WHiskey – Several months stored upright
- Liqueurs – 6-8 months refrigerated
Re-cork or cap each bottle tightly. Minimize oxygen exposure by keeping levels high in the bottle. Refrigeration is ideal for slowing deterioration. Finish liqueurs and half-empty wine bottles quickly.
How Long Does Opened Wine Last?
Once uncorked, wine quickly degrades due to oxidation and evaporation. It usually only lasts 3-5 days refrigerated before unpleasant changes in taste and aroma develop. Delicate white wines fare worse, lasting only 1-2 days.
Nitrogen spray wine preservers can buy opened wine a few extra days by displacing oxygen. But uncorked wine should be drunk as soon as possible.
How Long Does Opened Beer Last?
Because beer is carbonated, exposing it to air quickly flattens it and degrades flavor. Opened beer should be consumed within 1-2 days for best quality. Use a stopper to seal bottles tightly.
Light beer lasts a day at most after opening. More robust craft beers may make it 2 days. But flat, oxidized beer is never enjoyable.
Can Bad Alcohol Make You Blind?
No, consuming spoiled alcohol cannot cause blindness. This is a myth. However, contaminated bootleg alcohol can contain methanol, which can cause blindness and death. But commercially produced alcoholic beverages do not contain any methanol.
The metabolites from oxidized ethanol like acetaldehyde are responsible for the symptoms of sickness from bad alcohol. These chemicals are toxic at high levels but do not cause blindness.
Bootleg Alcohol and Methanol Poisoning
During Prohibition, illegal bootleg liquor sometimes contained methanol due to improper distillation. Consuming methanol can cause permanent blindness and death.
Today, commercial alcohol production is strictly regulated. Liquor producers take great care to eliminate any methanol contamination risk. So alcohol purchased legally will not go blind or kill you.
However, illegally produced moonshine is still a risk for methanol poisoning. Consume bootleg alcohol at your own extreme peril.
How to Tell if Alcohol Has Gone Bad
Look for these tell-tale signs that alcohol has spoiled and become unfit for consumption:
- Appearance – Cloudiness, haziness, particles, sediment, film developing inside bottle.
- Color – Unnatural darkening or fading of the original color.
- Smell – Strong unpleasant odors like nail polish, rotten fruit, or vinegar.
- Taste – Sharp, unpleasant, bitter, acidic, or sour taste.
- Texture – Visible clumping, grains, crystals forming.
Even a small taste of an alcoholic beverage that displays any of these traits should prompt you to spit it out immediately. The nausea, vomiting, headache, and other symptoms of toxicity from deteriorated ethanol and its byproducts is not worth risking.
When in Doubt, Throw it Out
If you are uncertain how long you’ve had an alcoholic beverage or if its appearance, aroma, or flavor seem a little off, it is better to be safe than sorry. To avoid getting sick, toss any alcohol you suspect may have spoiled.
How to Drink Old Alcohol Safely
While drinking vintage, aged spirits like wine or whiskey can be enjoyable, drinking spoiled alcohol is extremely dangerous. Here are some tips for consuming old alcohol safely:
- Inspect carefully – Check for signs of haze, particles, off aromas or colors.
- Taste a small amount – Sample only a small sip at first to check for any “off” flavors.
- Drink in moderation – If it tastes alright, still limit intake to a modest serving.
- Don’t drink if uncertain – When in doubt, pour it out to avoid food poisoning type symptoms.
- Never drink bootleg alcohol – Unregulated moonshine can contain methanol causing blindness or death.
When consumed in moderation, vintage wines and spirits that have been stored properly can be delightful. But always exercise caution when drinking any aged alcoholic beverages.
Conclusion
Consuming spoiled alcoholic beverages can cause severe nausea, vomiting, headaches, and other poisonous effects. Ethanol breaks down into several toxic compounds over time that make bad alcohol dangerous.
Liquor, wine, and beer can all spoil given enough time, exposure to heat and oxygen, or improper storage. Shelf lives range from months to decades for unopened bottles when kept in cool, dark places.
Once opened, alcoholic drinks last only days or weeks before deterioration becomes evident in taste, color, smell, and texture. So consume opened bottles quickly, store properly, and discard any alcohol you suspect has gone bad.
With prudence and moderate intake, the health risks of drinking old alcohol can be avoided.
