Does canned alcohol expire?

Introduction

Canned alcoholic beverages have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their convenience and portability. However, there is some confusion around whether canned alcohol can expire or go bad. The short answer is yes, canned alcohol can expire, but how long it lasts depends on several factors.

In the opening paragraphs, it’s important to quickly answer key questions readers may have:

Does canned alcohol expire? Yes, canned alcoholic drinks do have expiration dates and can expire due to chemical changes over time. However, canned alcohol tends to last longer than drinks in glass bottles.

How long does canned alcohol last? Properly stored canned cocktails and seltzers will typically stay safe to consume for 9 months to 2 years past the printed expiration date, but may start to slowly lose flavor and potency.

What factors affect canned alcohol’s shelf life? Exposure to sunlight, heat, and repetitive temperature fluctuations can accelerate expiration. Keeping canned drinks out of sunlight and avoiding extreme temperatures preserves freshness.

Can expired canned alcohol make you sick? Expired canned drinks are generally not unsafe to consume, but degradation of flavor and alcohol content can occur. Sealed cans prevent foodborne illnesses.

Now let’s do a more thorough breakdown of how shelf life and expiration work with canned alcoholic beverages.

How Long Does Canned Alcohol Last?

Canned cocktails, hard seltzers, and other alcoholic drinks typically remain fresh and drinkable for 9 months to 2 years past their printed date, provided the cans stay sealed and are stored correctly. Here are some general guidelines for maximum shelf life:

– **Canned cocktails:** 9-12 months past printed date
– **Hard seltzers:** 12-18 months past date
– **Canned wine:** 12-18 months past date
– **Canned vodka/rum/whiskey drinks:** 18-24 months past date

Note that these timeframes assume proper storage at moderate temperatures and out of direct sunlight. Heat, sunlight exposure, and repetitive temperature changes will shorten shelf life.

The printed expiration date is usually set conservatively by the manufacturer to ensure optimal flavor and alcohol potency. But chemical changes happen slowly in sealed aluminum cans, so the drinks often maintain integrity well beyond the date.

However, cans that are stored for too long will start to slowly degrade in taste and alcohol content. Flavors become flatter and dissipate over time. Exposure to more extreme temperatures also degrades the drinks faster.

While not exactly unsafe to drink, expired canned alcohol won’t taste as vibrant. The percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV) may also diminish slightly over time as compounds degrade.

Taste and Flavor Changes

The most noticeable change in old canned alcohol is fading of vibrant flavors like citrus, fruit, herbs, and spices. Reaction with oxygen through the can over time causes flavor loss.

Bubbly carbonation from seltzers also dissipates and goes flat. Drinks may taste oddly metallic or stale.

Simple liquors like canned vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey hold up better flavor-wise but still aren’t recommended for drinking beyond 2 years past expiration. Nuanced flavors dissipate while bitterness becomes more pronounced.

Alcohol Percentage Changes

While plastic bottle alcohol can lose ABV quickly after opening, canned drinks see minimal changes. But over 1-2 years past its date, expect a small 5-10% drop in canned drink alcohol content.

For example, a canned cocktail with an initial 10% ABV may see it fall to 9-9.5% if aged too long. Higher alcohol drinks see less of a percentage drop.

The alcohol itself does not degrade into anything harmful, but potency and strength is reduced.

Proper Storage for Maximizing Shelf Life

To get the most shelf life out of canned alcoholic beverages:

– Store at moderate room temperatures between 55°F-75°F if possible. Avoid temperature fluctuations.

– Keep cans out of direct sunlight and UV exposure, which accelerate flavor and alcohol degradation. A dark pantry or cooler is ideal.

– Cans should remain sealed. Any cans that become damaged, dented, or accidentally opened should be consumed quickly.

– Buy smaller 4/6 packs rather than 12/24 packs, and don’t overstock. Prioritize rotating stock to use older cans first.

– Keep cans clean. Dust buildup can indicate that the canned beverages have remained unused for too long.

With proper storage, most canned alcohol lasts up to 2 years past its printed date before significant flavor and alcohol changes occur. But remember, it’s still best to drink canned cocktails, seltzers, and other alcoholic drinks before their listed expiration for peak enjoyment.

Do Canned Drinks Ever Go Bad or Become Unsafe?

While canned alcohol can expire in terms of optimal taste and alcohol strength, it does not spoil or become unsafe to drink like perishable foods or dairy products might.

The key reasons properly sealed canned beverages stay shelf-stable and safe long-term:

– **Sterile Sealing** – Canned drinks undergo pasteurization and retort heating processes to destroy bacteria before sealing. No microbes can enter after canning.

– **No Oxygen** – Canning removes oxygen from the aluminum container, which prevents oxidation reactions.

– **No Light** – Light can’t penetrate the opaque metal, so it can’t cause flavor-degrading photochemical reactions.

So even years past its expiration date, canned alcohol does not become a food safety risk if the seal was intact. Flavors and potency degrade over time, but no actual spoilage occurs.

However, any cans that become damaged, rusted, or swollen could allow foodborne pathogens to enter and grow, making those containers unsafe to drink. Those should be discarded.

Signs of Spoiled Canned Alcohol

While properly canned and stored alcoholic drinks don’t spoil in a food safety sense, here are some signs of degraded canned beverages that indicate they are too old consume:

– Flat or diminished carbonation
– Stale, metallic, or cardboard taste
– Significantly faded fruity flavors or aromas
– Cloudy appearance
– Lower alcohol potency and strength
– Rust, dents, or swelling of can
– Beverage leaks out when can is opened

Again, these degradation issues do not make the canned alcohol unsafe, just undesirable from a taste and texture standpoint.

How To Read Canned Drink Expiration Dates

Reading expiration dates on canned cocktails, hard seltzers, and other alcoholic drinks can be confusing. Here’s what the different terms mean:

– **“Best By” Date** – This is the most common label. It indicates when the product will be freshest and at peak quality. The canned beverage is still safe to consume well past this date, but its flavor and potency may start diminishing.

– **“Sell By” Date** – This is meant more for retailers and indicates when the product should be off the shelves. Consumers can still enjoy the cans for many months past the sell by date.

– **“Born On” Date** – Some cans will have born on dates that indicate when the beverage was canned. These work similarly to best by dates in estimating peak freshness.

– **“Use By” Date** – This is the most conservative date. While the cans will likely stay good longer, this date indicates the end of the manufacturer’s recommended usage period for best quality.

In general, treat “Best By” and “Born On” dates as guidelines for peak enjoyment, not safety cutoffs. Once properly canned, alcoholic drinks stay safe for 1-2 years beyond those printed dates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can canned alcohol make you sick if it’s expired?

No, properly canned alcoholic drinks do not pose any foodborne illness risk even when expired. The retort canning process destroys pathogens, and the sealed can prevents microbes from entering later. However, damaged or improperly canned drinks can grow bacteria when aged.

Do canned cocktails expire faster than hard seltzers?

Not necessarily. Flavored canned cocktails and hard seltzers generally have similar shelf lives around 9-18 months past their date before notable flavor fading occurs. Simple canned liquor drinks last the longest up to 2 years due to fewer aromatics degrading over time.

Does canned alcohol have a shorter shelf life than bottled alcohol?

No, canned alcohol generally lasts much longer than glass bottled drinks. Canned drinks are estimated to have up to a 6x longer shelf life compared to bottles once opened. Cans prevent oxygen exposure much better. Bottles show alcohol degradation within months, while cans take years.

Can you freeze canned alcoholic drinks to extend their shelf life?

Freezing is not recommended. The liquid could expand and crack the can seal. Frozen storage can also damage the carbonation and drink texture. Refrigeration around 40°F is ideal for extending shelf life of unopened cans. Or simply store at room temp away from light sources.

Do all canned drinks have the same expiration length?

Not quite, it depends on the type:

– Canned cocktails: 9-12 months past date
– Hard seltzers/ciders: 12-18 months past date
– Canned wine: 12-18 months past date
– Canned vodka/rum/whiskey: 18-24 months past date

Higher alcohol drinks tend to have longer shelf lives. Acidic ingredients like citrus shorten it. Overall though, most fall within the 9 to 24 month range.

The Bottom Line

So does canned alcohol expire? Yes – canned alcoholic beverages do have shelf lives and expiration dates. But thanks to canning methods, they last much longer than bottled drinks – typically 9 months to 2 years past the printed date before degrading.

Proper cool, dark storage optimizes shelf life. And while canned alcohol can lose its vibrancy and potency over time, it does not spoil or become unsafe to drink. Keep an eye on flavor changes and diminishing fizz or strength. But overall, don’t be afraid to enjoy a canned cocktail, hard seltzer or ready-to-drink beverage before its expiration date as a conservative guideline.

Leave a Comment