Tonic water is a widespread ingredient in many cocktails today. This fizzy liquid can be consumed both as it is and as a part of other drinks.
Its lifespan is quite extended but how long can we keep it safely?
And does tonic water go bad? Yes, an opened bottle of tonic water goes bad in 24 – 48 hours if kept in a pantry at 77°F temperatures. The lifespan of an unopened tonic, stored in a fridge, is about 1 year. An opened bottle of tonic water stored in a fridge at 40°F goes bad in 3-5 days.
Let’s take a closer look at this issue.
What Sort Of Drink It Is
Originally, tonic water was created for medical purposes. The first drinks consisted of water and quinine only, and its main use was to prevent malaria!
Back then, the beverage was so bitter that people started to add sugar and soda to it to make the liquid softer, and that’s how the tonic was invented.
Today, we have plenty of varieties of this soft beverage with different tastes. Modern tonic is mostly sweet with a significant pleasant bitterness.
Its major area of use is cocktails-making as a mixer.
How To Store Tonic Water?
Tonic is an irreplaceable part of many cocktails and no wonder that quite many people have a bottle or two of this beverage at home just in case.
Since it is a sort of carbonated liquid, this quinine beverage can be rather durable when the tank is unscrewed.
But how is it going with the unscrewed product?
The main issue that people meet when storing this product is how to make it remain the same fizzy and bubbly as it was from the beginning.
Well, we can suggest several handy and checked steps that can help you out with that!
- Always let the flask stay refrigerated if the plan is to stock if long
- In case the product will be used instantly, refrigeration is not required and stocking the drink in a pantry is enough
- Remove the flask from the hot objects
- Choose the dry and shady spot where you could stock the tank with the beverage
- Remember to tightly re-seal the flask each time after it is used
Such simple tips will allow preserving the drink and its potency longer even though refrigeration, for instance, doesn’t prolong its lifespan.
How Long Does Tonic Water Last?
The most worrying issue regarding this soft beverage is the duration of its lifespan.
It is well known that this sort of liquid refreshment is quite durable but still, a best-by date can be found on every flask.
Many people get confused with that but in fact, it only shows until when the beverage will remain at its best quality.
Basically, such a drink can easily stay consumable for months and even longer, of course, if we store it correctly and according to the basic storage rules. Naturally, such long durability is possible only for the unscrewed flask!
The second it is unsealed, the time you can keep the beverage fizzy decreases significantly. If not refrigerated, the liquid refreshment will keep its frizziness for 24-48 hours. If we toss it to the fridge, we will extend this time to several more days. But anyway, sooner or later the opened tonic will lose its carbonation.
To see and compare different terms of storage, check this chart.
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Of course, when the drink loses its bubbles, it doesn’t mean it is spoiled but let’s agree, drinking the flat tonic is not quite the same as consuming it frizzy.
So how long does tonic water last? Tonic water in unopened bottles lasts for up to 12 months after the best-by date if kept in a pantry at 77°F and more than 1 year if kept in a fridge at 40°F. An opened bottle of tonic water lasts for 1-2 days in a pantry at 77°F and 3-5 days in a fridge at 40°F temperatures.
How To Tell If Tonic Water Is Bad?
The most common question people ask is whether tonic can go bad somehow.
Well, in fact, this drink is not the one that can spoil suddenly. Unless contaminating particles get inside the flask, the liquid refreshment will be harmless to consume. That is why it is so essential to always stock the tank tightly screwed!
Still, knowing the major symptoms of spoilage is a good thing. What are they?
- The off smell
- Any changes in color (e.g. color changes or yellowish tint)
- Watery texture
And for sure, when finding a flask of liquid refreshment that had been staying in the cabinet for God knows how many months, throw it away instantly.
You will hardly get food poisoning from consuming the old drink but it’s better to exclude any risks.
So does tonic water expire? Tonic water expires in 1 year in an unopened bottle and in 3-5 days in an open bottle if stored in a fridge at 40°F temperature. An opened bottle of tonic water expires in 1-2 days if you keep it in a pantry at temperatures higher than 77°F .
What to Do If Tonic Turned Flat
What if you noticed that your tonic is not bubbly any more? Well, if it is still ok and not spoiled, it could be possible to make use of it!
- Try to make use of it for cleaning different surfaces and windows since this liquid refreshment is a great natural cleaner
- If it’s still consumable, intake it for curing muscle cramps (even though the drink lost its fizziness)
- Some say that it’s good for watering plants to revive them
- Such a liquid refreshment can serve as a stain remover
Naturally, if the product is off, it is better to throw it away.
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Some say that tonic drink is good for sobering after a hard party night, others make use of it when preparing cocktails, and some people find more exotic use for this drink!
And can you drink too much tonic water? If you often drink too much tonic water, which contains sugar, it may lead to excessive calorie intake. People who are quinine sensitive should drink tonic water in small doses. You can drink too much tonic water, even 3 glasses of tonic water daily is OK.
No matter how you will be using it, remember that tonic will keep its fizziness and bubbles only if we follow the storage rules and provide the drink with the proper conditions.
And of course, remember to check the drink now and then to notice any changes in its quality and potency. Like that, it will be simpler to predict the moment when the drink will become flat.
Hey! I have trouble with tonic and I need a hint! Why does tonic water go flat so quickly? No matter how I try I can’t make it stay bubbly long! Thanks.
Hello! The only suggestion I can make is that the reason can be hidden in its level of sugar and acid. I heard it influences the fizziness pretty much.
Does squeezing the air out of soda bottles help to make it flat? Thank you.
Yes, such a method will let you make the beverage flatter because squeezing will create some sort of vacuum in the flask and small bubbles will expand faster.
What can I do with flat tonic water? I have several flasks left and I have no idea what to do with them. Any suggestions?
Hey! Try to use them for house cleaning. Seriously! I used to do that for cleaning windows and you know, it worked!
Should tonic water be refrigerated after opening? I heard it can lose the bubbles if it’s left unchilled. Thank you for any ideas!
Refrigeration will indeed prolong its lifespan slightly but basically chilling doesn’t make much difference after the beverage is unsealed.
Hey everyone! Please give me a hand! How long does tonic water last once opened? Is it ok to keep it for s week or so?
Hi!
I’m sorry but it won’t survive for 7 days! The maximum you can keep it is something like 3-4 days. Then the beverage will become simply flat.
Is out of date tonic water OK? I have a flask that is unopened but it expired like a week ago according to the label. Shall I discard it?
We would advise you to open it and sniff/give it a taste. If the liquid hasn’t changed the color and its odor is fine, it’s probably still harmless. But note that old tonic may lose the fizziness.
How long does tonic water last once opened? I opened the bottle yesterday but since it was the third bottle I took that evening, I didn’t finish it so it’s almost half full. But now I’m afraid all the fizz will come out. I screwed the cap tightly but…will that help?
Hey there. Well, I can tell you from my own experience with this sort of drink that it will remain fizzy for a couple of days for sure (well, maybe a bit less fizzy than the drink that was just opened). In general, it will last for up to four days, by the way, but only if you keep it refrigerated. Did you put your tonic water into the fridge? Cause if you did, then it’s fine.
Hi! I need your help folks. Can tonic water go bad? I mean, if I have a bottle of unopened drink that I’ve been keeping in my fridge for a week already, is there a chance that it will spoil or somehow degrade if I leave it there longer?
Hi! Of course you can store it longer! Tonic water can remain consumable for almost a year if it’s refrigerated! And in most cases, it will be ok to drink even after that time. I remember I had a batch of Schweppes tonic water left after the Christmas party last year. Since we don’t drink it that often in our family, I stored it refrigerated for nine months, but it was tasty even after that!
Does canned tonic water go bad? If I store it unopened, will it degrade one day or not?
No, usually it doesn’t go bad too fast meaning that it is very unlikely to develop an off odor or some texture fluctuations. As far as I remember, tonic water can remain safe to drink for several months if it’s being stored in the fridge.
We bought a batch of tonic water for my Birthday two days ago, but we still have too many cans left. They are not opened so I tossed them all into the fridge for now. But here’s the question: how long does tonic water last unopened?
Hey there! I’m pretty sure you can stock it refrigerated for eight or nine months without any worries about its taste or texture. I used to store tonic water in my fridge for a year! And it was still ok to drink after that!
Does schweppes tonic water expire? I heard that this drink is rather durable and can last for a really long period of time. But what’s the optimal storage term for it?
Well, I’d not say it will expire like it will develop mold or begin to smell bad or something similar. It may start smelling bad indeed, but that’s a very rare case! You must store it all wrong to end up with spoiled Schweppes!
I have a little problem that I hope somebody will help me with. See, I have a bottle of tonic water that was stored in my fridge for quite a long time unopened. But when I opened it, it seemed to me that the smell was a bit weird, if you know what I mean. It wasn’t very bad or stinky or something! Just not like usual. So I drank a couple of glasses, but now I’m in doubt. What if that tonic had expired? Is it safe to drink expired tonic water? Can I get sick?
Don’t worry that much! Tonic water is very unlikely to spoil! It can change the taste a bit, that’s true, especially if you kept it for months. So I’m pretty sure your tonic water was just a bit old, and that’s it. When did you drink it? If you still feel fine, then it wasn’t spoiled for sure!