Does alcohol ever go bad?

[NaKoRuRu]

I know this is probably a stupid question, since I can answer my own question seeing as, like for example a bottle of vodka doesn't have an expiration date. But does alcohol ever go bad? Like say I have a bottle of tequila or whatever and open it but don't finish it lose it somewhere in the kitchen and find it 2 years later. Will it still be good? Will it still taste the same....??

http://www.doubleviking.com/dv_images/rtb_tequila/alcoholdeath.jpg

[NaKoRuRu]

First beer ever:
http://www.doubleviking.com/dv_images/right_beer/first_beer.jpg

[mobbin6]

I don't think it'll go bad, as long as something hasn't affected it. For example, something falling into the bottle. But, if the cap is off, the alcohol will evaporate eventually, and therefore, you can no longer get drunk off of it. Maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in tho :tup:

[mobbin6]

First beer ever:
http://www.doubleviking.com/dv_images/right_beer/first_beer.jpg


Germany?

[NaKoRuRu]

Germany?

Probably... Found it online... thought it was funny... thanks for answering my question though:tup:


Big Butt Doppelbock:
http://www.doubleviking.com/dv_images/right_beer/bigbutt.jpg

[SoCal_GLI]

no alcohol does not go bad....there is a reason there are 200 year old brandys

if it is a carbonated alcohol like beer it will go flat if its opened, but it will still retain its alcohol, just taste like crap.

but spirits do not go bad

[NaKoRuRu]

no alcohol does not go bad....there is a reason there are 200 year old brandys

if it is a carbonated alcohol like beer it will go flat if its opened, but it will still retain its alcohol, just taste like crap.

but spirits do not go bad

:tup: for spirits

:tdown: for opened beer

[SoCal_GLI]

:tup: for spirits

:tdown: for opened beer


i beg to differ on the opened beer comment.....how else you gonna drink one? by osmosis?:D

[NaKoRuRu]

i beg to differ on the opened beer comment.....how else you gonna drink one? by osmosis?:D

doh! ah ah ah let me rephrase it :D

:tdown: for 12 year old open beer ;)

[ncttrnl]

Alcohol will go bad. I've had liqueurs go rancid on me.

The biggest problems are oxidation and contamination though. An unopened bottle will last, for all working purposes, indefinitely. If it is open, the oxygen in the bottle can affect it but that's more a concern with things like wine or aged spirits. People don't generally care if their bottle of SoCo loses some flavor.

[FunkTron]

People don't generally care if their bottle of SoCo loses some flavor.

SoCo loses flavor??!!?!? :D

[TOYr32]

Alcohol will go bad. I've had liqueurs go rancid on me.

The biggest problems are oxidation and contamination though. An unopened bottle will last, for all working purposes, indefinitely. If it is open, the oxygen in the bottle can affect it but that's more a concern with things like wine or aged spirits. People don't generally care if their bottle of SoCo loses some flavor.


I agree . . . but it also depends on what it is made with, and how it is bottles. Wines for example can turn bad for many reasons . . . the most common being a tainted cork. So with that said . . . a bottle of gray goose in the freezer should be good, a bottle of gray goose standing in your shelf, probably good . . . a bottle sitting on it's side would break down the cork and probably be bad.

Also on the evaporation comment. I think that is the reason for cellars, and controlled temp areas. It allows for the temperature to not have to draw the moisture out of the bottle, therefore never compromising the bottles or seals. (is that right?)

[ncttrnl]

I agree . . . but it also depends on what it is made with, and how it is bottles. Wines for example can turn bad for many reasons . . . the most common being a tainted cork. So with that said . . . a bottle of gray goose in the freezer should be good, a bottle of gray goose standing in your shelf, probably good . . . a bottle sitting on it's side would break down the cork and probably be bad.

Also on the evaporation comment. I think that is the reason for cellars, and controlled temp areas. It allows for the temperature to not have to draw the moisture out of the bottle, therefore never compromising the bottles or seals. (is that right?)

Heat and light are both problems so thats the reason for cellars.

I'm not sure of the specifics on wine but for beer the light and heat actually changes the flavor of the beer without needing any evaporation to occur. The sugars and such in the beer break down into less desirable and less tasty ones.

Corks do break down. Thats why you have to keep them wet. The don't even have to break down to be a problem. They will shrink when they dry and let air around them. That leads to oxidation.

[FunkTron]

Corks do break down. Thats why you have to keep them wet. The don't even have to break down to be a problem. They will shrink when they dry and let air around them. That leads to oxidation.

So what if you stored the bottle upside down? (this is an interesting topic actually)

[TOYr32]

So what if you stored the bottle upside down? (this is an interesting topic actually)

I think that would work, but then you would really need the temperature to be controlled so the cork does not rott.

[ncttrnl]

So what if you stored the bottle upside down? (this is an interesting topic actually)

They do... well sideways. Its to keep the cork moist. If you store it upside down, all the crap in the bottle will settle against the cork.

[jincs]

is it true that some alcohol cannot freeze too?

[TOYr32]

is it true that some alcohol cannot freeze too?


Vodka!!!!

edit: It's not that alcohol doesn't freeze, it's that it freezes at a much lower temperature than your freezer can produce.

Water freezes easier because it has more molecules that keep water together. Much less energy can be used to freeze water because water as a whole is very sticky (attracted to each other).

Alcohol freezes at a lower temp because of the molecules that make up alcohol. since there are less molecules binding alcohol, it takes more energy to get them to stick together. Therefore, a much lower temp.

The same goes for boiling, alcohol boils at a lower temperature then water because the stickiness of the molecule are easier to break apart and turn into gas.

[FunkTron]

is it true that some alcohol cannot freeze too?

FALSE! Everything can freeze............it's just difficult to get a freezer that drops to 0 K = -273 C

Vodka!!!!

that and rum...........I sure do like em chilly and syrup-y.

[madajb]

Alcohol will go bad. I've had liqueurs go rancid on me.


I'm told that's because of the sugars present in liquers.

-ajb

[NaKoRuRu]

I've been away all day today... lots of good info... I wasn't really referring to wine, since I know that will go bad with oxidation and all that stuff(about the only thing i learned from working at OG)... but was talking about vodka's rums tequilas and etc... And if anyone was wondering... I have a few bottles about 13-15 that I have on a shelf and I hardly use (don't really drink alone)...

[SoCal_GLI]

i was just saying.....how do you tell if a bottle of cisco is bad? or night train?

[TOYr32]

I've been away all day today... lots of good info... I wasn't really referring to wine, since I know that will go bad with oxidation and all that stuff(about the only thing i learned from working at OG)... but was talking about vodka's rums tequilas and etc... And if anyone was wondering... I have a few bottles about 13-15 that I have on a shelf and I hardly use (don't really drink alone)...

Well, if you'd like . . . you can send me those bottle and I will carefully, methodically, and diligently test each and every drop of those bottles and let you know if they are still okay.

That was for future bottle you store, you will know without a dobt, that they are good!! :D:D:D

[ncttrnl]

i was just saying.....how do you tell if a bottle of cisco is bad? or night train?

The first question is "Do you care?"

I mean... who picks up a bottle of T-bird for the taste? :p

[ncttrnl]

I've been away all day today... lots of good info... I wasn't really referring to wine, since I know that will go bad with oxidation and all that stuff(about the only thing i learned from working at OG)... but was talking about vodka's rums tequilas and etc... And if anyone was wondering... I have a few bottles about 13-15 that I have on a shelf and I hardly use (don't really drink alone)...

Taste them.

The only thing I can think of, provided they weren't contaminated or open, is that the flavor may be a bit weak and the color might change. Alcohol will evaporate off if the bottle is open and oxidation will kill the flavor just like with wine or beer. Booze is just like wine in that it keeps changing in the bottle. Difference is that wine is specifically packaged so people can store it and open it once to drink it. Hard liquor tends to be opened and closed and every time air gets in to mess with it.

I also found that ants have a funny way of getting into closed bottles if they weren't closed tight enough. Its good to check things that are in dark bottles by pouring a little out before you have people over.

[NaKoRuRu]

Well, if you'd like . . . you can send me those bottle and I will carefully, methodically, and diligently test each and every drop of those bottles and let you know if they are still okay.

That was for future bottle you store, you will know without a dobt, that they are good!! :D:D:D


Hahaha, right :tup:


Taste them.

The only thing I can think of, provided they weren't contaminated or open, is that the flavor may be a bit weak and the color might change. Alcohol will evaporate off if the bottle is open and oxidation will kill the flavor just like with wine or beer. Booze is just like wine in that it keeps changing in the bottle. Difference is that wine is specifically packaged so people can store it and open it once to drink it. Hard liquor tends to be opened and closed and every time air gets in to mess with it.

I also found that ants have a funny way of getting into closed bottles if they weren't closed tight enough. Its good to check things that are in dark bottles by pouring a little out before you have people over.


Ants are crazy mofo's... And all my bottles are tightly closed in my little "alcohol" cabinet:tup: Definitely will taste next time before people are over...

[SoCal_GLI]

The first question is "Do you care?"

I mean... who picks up a bottle of T-bird for the taste? :p

i wonder if it tastes better when it goes bad :ha: