Drinking expired alcohol cider can lead to some unpleasant effects. Alcoholic beverages like cider generally have a printed expiration or “best by” date on the bottle, indicating when the manufacturer believes the flavor and quality of the beverage will start to deteriorate. However, cider and other alcoholic drinks typically remain safe to consume for a period of time beyond this date. This article explores what happens when you drink cider past its expiration date, including impacts on taste, safety issues, and signs of spoiled cider.
Does expired cider make you sick?
Consuming expired cider does not necessarily make you sick. Alcohol has preservative properties that prevent the growth of most pathogenic bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. As long as the cider bottle remains properly sealed and stored, the main safety concern with expired cider is potential chemical changes affecting flavor and quality rather than growth of harmful microbes. However, some risks do exist:
Botulism
Botulism is one potential risk with very old, expired cider. This illness is caused by toxins from Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Botulism bacteria thrive in low-oxygen environments and can grow in improperly canned or bottled foods. The bacteria themselves are harmless, but they produce potent neurotoxins that can cause paralysis and even death in high doses. Fortunately, botulism is very rare, and continuing to seal cider bottles after expiration greatly reduces this threat.
Vinegar syndrome
Over time, alcoholic cider can start turning into vinegar, a phenomenon known as “vinegar syndrome.” This chemical change, caused by exposure to oxygen, leads to development of acetic acid that gives vinegar its sour taste. While not directly harmful, the strong vinegar flavor makes the cider unpalatable. Hard ciders with higher alcohol content above 5% ABV are more resistant to this conversion.
Lead contamination
For very old, antique cider bottles, lead contamination is a concern. Some early glass bottles were sealed with lead caps which can leach into the cider over many years. Due to lead’s toxicity, antique cider bottles should not be consumed. However, any cider within its printed date range should not have issues with lead.
How long does unopened cider last after expiration?
With proper storage, unopened cider can often last over a year past its printed expiration date before significant flavor and quality changes occur. Here are some general guidelines on how long cider remains usable after its expiration or best-by date, if the bottle remains sealed:
| Cider Type | Time After Expiration |
|---|---|
| Hard cider (over 5% ABV) | 12-18 months |
| Malt-based hard cider | 4-8 months |
| Apple cider (unpasteurized) | 2-4 months |
| Sparkling cider | 10-12 months |
Hard ciders with higher alcohol content tend to last the longest. Unpasteurized apple cider has the shortest shelf life. However, these timeframes are general guidelines only; some ciders may retain quality and flavor for longer or shorter durations. Proper refrigerated storage helps extend cider’s shelf life after its printed date.
How to tell if expired cider is bad?
Over time, changes in color, carbonation, smell, and taste occur signaling that cider has spoiled and should not be consumed. Signs of bad cider include:
Appearance
– Hazy or cloudy (if meant to be clear)
– Particles or “floaters” visible
– Major color changes – becoming darker or taking on a brownish tinge
Carbonation
– Cider loses effervescence and goes “flat”
– Bubbles disappear completely in some cases
Aroma
– Vinegar-like smell
– Rotten or overripe apple odor
– Unpleasant medicinal or chemical smells
Flavor
– Strong vinegar taste
– Bitter, sour, or acidic flavor
– Metallic, chemical, or soapy aftertaste
– Generally unpleasant “off” flavors
Texture
– Becomes thick, syrupy, or gluey
– Develops oily sheen on surface
Does expired cider make you drunk?
Yes, expired hard cider that has not severely spoiled can still intoxicate you. The alcohol itself does not break down or disappear over time.
However, for very old cider that has turned to vinegar, the acetic acid conversion process can destroy some of the alcohol. But vinegar-syndrome ciders often still retain enough ethanol to cause inebriation.
The more concerning issue is that drinking expired cider with off-flavors can cause or increase nausea, vomiting, and hangover symptoms compared to fresh cider. The chemicals that produce unpleasant tastes as cider oxidizes and deteriorates also tend to increase the side effects of alcohol consumption.
It’s advisable to avoid drinking expired cider for both health and enjoyment reasons. But such cider can definitely still impair motor functions and judgement abilities similar to fresh alcoholic cider if enough is consumed.
Will expired cider make you vomit?
Drinking spoiled, expired cider substantially raises your risk of vomiting or diarrhea compared to fresh cider. Some of the potential causes include:
Excessive vinegar content
As cider turns to vinegar it develops very high acidity. Consuming large amounts of acidic cider can irritate the digestive tract.
Toxic chemicals
Oxidation and chemical processes that cause off-flavors in expired cider also generate compounds like acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate that are known to increase nausea. These chemicals amplify the nausea effects of alcohol as well.
Contamination
While rare, severely spoiled cider potentially could grow mold or bacterial contaminants that increase vomiting risk if enough expired cider is consumed. Bottles with broken seals or leaks are more susceptible.
heightened hangover response
Research suggests that hangover symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea are associated with chemicals produced as alcoholic beverages deteriorate. The contaminated compounds that make expired cider taste bad are more likely to bring on a hangover.
So while not guaranteed, drinking expired cider does come with a markedly increased risk of vomiting or other stomach upset during and the morning following consumption. Heeding expiration dates and disposing of spoiled cider reduces this risk.
Can expired cider kill brain cells?
No direct evidence shows that consuming expired cider kills more brain cells compared to fresh cider. In fact, emerging research indicates the risks of brain damage from moderate alcohol consumption may be lower than previously believed.
However, some indirect effects may negatively impact brain health:
– Increased vomiting means you may end up with higher blood alcohol levels as your body has less time to metabolize the ethanol before being expelled. This raises neurotoxicity risks.
– Chemicals like acetaldehyde formed as cider spoils are themselves neurotoxic compounds that may increase damage to neurons and brain tissue.
– Dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea associated with spoiled cider can impair cognitive function.
– Unpleasant symptoms may motivate drinking higher volumes which also raises neurotoxicity.
So while expired cider itself does not necessarily kill more brain cells, adverse effects associated with drinking spoiled cider potentially raises the neurotoxic risks compared to fresh cider consumption. But moderate intake of unspoiled cider that is just past its expiration or best-by date is unlikely to cause meaningful differences in long-term brain health compared to fresh cider.
Can expired alcohol make you go blind?
No, consuming expired cider or other alcoholic beverages does not cause blindness. This is an urban myth. Vision loss associated with long-term heavy alcohol abuse is caused by malnutrition from cutting out essential nutrients, not by toxins from expired or oxidized alcohol directly damaging the eyes.
In chronic heavy drinkers, lack of vitamins like B1, B12, folate, and zinc can contribute to optic neuropathy and retinopathy. But normal moderate alcohol intake with a balanced diet does not impact vision, whether the beverage is fresh or expired. The alcohols themselves and metabolites like acetaldehyde do not directly damage eye tissue or cause blindness, even after expiry dates.
So this common myth is false – consumption of cider after expiration will not cause blindness or other vision loss as long as you maintain proper nutrition. The alcohols do not directly toxicly affect the eyes or optic nerves. But as with any beverage, expired cider that smells or tastes off should be avoided for general health reasons.
Does expired alcohol lose its potency?
Alcohol does not significantly lose potency or evaporate over time. Ethanol itself remains chemically stable and does not degrade or disappear as cider and other alcoholic drinks expire.
However, for cider that has converted extensively to vinegar, the acetic acid conversion process can destroy some of the original alcohol, lowering ABV. But vinegar-syndrome ciders often still retain enough ethanol to cause intoxication. Independent chemical testing shows aged ciders over a decade old retain nearly the same alcohol levels as when first bottled.
The main impact of expiration on alcoholic potency is indirect. As flavor suffers due to oxidation and acidification, drinkers tend to consume smaller volumes. Unpalatable tastes mean people drink less expired cider compared to fresher cider. This effectively reduces the level of alcohol consumed and lowers intoxication levels.
So expired cider and other alcoholic drinks do not directly lose significant potency or become less intoxicating over time. But worse taste does lead to reduced consumption volumes indirectly lowering alcohol intakes from aged, expired ciders in practice.
Does cider go bad if left opened?
Yes, once opened and exposed to oxygen, cider goes bad much faster than unopened bottles. When a cider container is first opened and poured, oxygen begins interacting with the beverage triggering chemical changes. Exposure to air causes cider quality to deteriorate through oxidation reactions and potential microbial growth.
Opened cider stored in the refrigerator begins dulling in taste and aroma within a few days and continues degrading over the following weeks. After 2-4 weeks even refrigerated opened cider becomes undrinkable as oxidation and souring intensifies.
Keeping opened cider stored cool in a sealed container helps maximize its drinkability window by limiting oxygen exposure and slowing microbial growth. But for best quality, cider is ideally consumed soon after opening within the first several days to a week. Leaving the bottle opened rapidly accelerates changes in the vulnerable cider.
Can you cook with expired cider?
Yes, using expired cider in cooked recipes is fine. The heating process helps mellow any off-flavors from the aged cider. Expired cider adds rich flavor to:
– Sauces: Apple cider reductions make great glazes, pan sauces, and gravies.
– Baked goods: Use as an apple cider substitute in cakes, muffins, breads, and scones.
– Marinades and braises: For pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken, etc.
– Stew: Beef, chicken, and vegetable cider stew.
– Soup stock: Adds flavor to vegetable, chicken, or beef soups.
Cooking tempers any unpleasant taste compounds developed in older cider. And added ingredients further disguise flaws. The alcohol also cooks out, leaving just the cider’s complementary flavors behind.
However, cider that has turned fully to vinegar may over-season dishes with intense sourness. So very old, spoiled cider is still better discarded or reserved only for pickling projects. But moderately expired cider works well in most recipes.
Conclusion
Drinking expired hard cider is generally safe, but can come with increased risks of temporary stomach upset, hangovers, and undesirable flavor changes. While expired cider does not directly cause blindness or other serious health issues, severely spoiled cider should be avoided for palatability and food hygiene reasons. Properly stored, unopened cider often remains pleasantly drinkable for over a year past its printed best-by date. But opened cider deteriorates rapidly and is ideally consumed within days of opening. Beyond direct drinking, using expired cider in cocktails and cooked recipes can temper undesirable flavors. So with judicious use before pronounced spoilage sets in, cider continues providing enjoyment even after its expiry date passes.