Vodka is one of the most popular alcohol drinks in the world. It is used in multiple cocktails and in a pure state, that is why consumers often wonder how long this drink can remain drinkable.
Can vodka go bad?
So, how long does vodka last? Unopened vodka lasts for around 30 years in the 41-61°F in the dark place. Opened vodka will last for around 15 years, if vodka has some flavors or additives in it will last for 6 months because of quicker oxidation. It is better to drink opened vodka bottle in 2-3 months after opening.
That’s what we are going to find out today!
Related: At What Temperature Does Beer Freeze?
Vodka Shelf Life
It is well known that alcohol drinks must be treated with attention when they are being kept for quite a long time. Besides, not everyone knows for sure whether it is safe to keep alcohol long enough and how to do it correctly at all.
Vodka expiration term hangs upon many factors that include both conditions of the storage and the specifics of the drink.
Since vodka is an alcoholic drink, it has the same qualities and nuances that other liquids of this kind possess. Nevertheless, vodka is among the most durable alcohol-containing drinks and it can remain drinkable for years if stored correctly in the unopened bottle.
However, once the bottle is unsealed, it begins evaporating, so the lifespan of vodka reduces rapidly and it won’t taste the same in, let’s say, something like ten years.
Related: Does Wine Freeze?
As for the shelf life of vodka, people usually have plenty of questions regarding this issue.
- How long does vodka last?
If the bottle is unopened, feel free to keep it for years (under the proper conditions, of course!). But once it’s unsealed, you’d better drink it within two years, otherwise, the drink will start losing its qualities significantly.
- How long does opened vodka last?
An opened bottle of this liquor, like Kahlua liquor, is able to remain drinkable for two years without losing its taste and other characteristics.
- How long does vodka last unopened?
Unopened vodka last for 30 years if it does not contain any additional flavors in it. At the 41-61°F in the dark place in the glass bottle, it will usable for 30 years and longer.
Well, there is no precise term set for this but people say that this drink will stay consumable for many years if stored under the correct conditions in the unopened bottle.
Of course, those who deal with alcoholic drinks on a regular basis know the nuances very well but what about the ordinary consumers?
How do they know what storage rules to follow?
Related: An Answer to the Most Thrilling Question: Does Campari Go Bad?
Storing Vodka Recommendations
Does vodka go bad in a heat? Vodka can go bad faster if the temperature is more than 61°F. Its shelf life will be 3 years if the vodka was heated and has access to the sun raise exposure. The shelf life of vodka if is stored in a 41-61°F in the dark place is 30 years.
Proper storage conditions guarantee the longest lifespan of the product, that’s what everyone knows.
Alcohol-containing drinks and vodka, in particular, are not the exceptions.
To make sure that the liquor will stay drinkable to its longest, follow the recommended tips precisely.
- Always keep it cool.
Can vodka stay warm, many of you ask? The answer is no. By no means, to be precise! Of course, there is a common belief that the distilled spirits including vodka feel perfectly well when stored at room temperature but experts insist on storing them at 55-60 F since storage in a relatively cool place extends their shelf life.
Remember that, when alcohol is in a warm surrounding, it evaporates faster and will change the taste sooner than it should.
- No sunlight allowed!
Vodka is afraid of the sun! Yeah, this vampire-like trait is common for many spirits. When exposed to direct sunlight, these drinks lose thair qualities faster even though it won’t make them literally spoiled or dangerous to drink.
- Keep it upright
Yep, storing vodka requires a vertical position. Unlike wine, liquors tend to ruin the cork which can seep into the drink if the bottle is kept on its side.
Another frequent question is: how to store opened vodka? In fact, it’s not a big deal! Just make sure that the bottle is sealed tightly and is hidden in a cool and dry place away from the direct sunlight.
Does Vodka Go Bad?
Of course, an issue of old vodka bothers many consumers. Does vodka expire? Does vodka go bad after opening?
Let’s figure this out.
So, does vodka go bad? Yes, vodka can go bad if the bottle was open in 15 years. If it was in the plastic bottle or in tetra packs, vodka will go bad in 3 years. But vodka in the glass bottle and if it was stored in a 41-61°F in the dark place can last for more than 30 years.
In fact, it is nearly impossible to make this drink turn bad not saying about spoiling. What must indeed be considered is that vodka will evaporate with time and become less strong but that doesn’t mean it’s spoiled.
To make the liquor really harmful to people, it must be stored in the improper conditions, exposed to direct sunlight in a bottle that is not tightly sealed.
In such a case, harmful bacteria and yeast strains will start developing which may lead to food poisoning after consuming such a drink.
So if the liquor tastes or smells bad, or it has contaminants inside the bottle, discard it without regret.
Is Vodka Bad For You?
And here comes the most thrilling question: is it bad to consume vodka at all?
Everyone heard that alcohol is bad for our health but people still keep on drinking it! So is there any harm in drinking vodka?
- Excessive consumption of this spirit leads to intoxication which results in the decrease of fine-motor control and coordination.
- Of course, an uncontrollable consumption may lead to the developing of alcoholism.
- Consuming vodka regularly may lead to health problems with the liver since alcohol is a great stress for it.
- Some people note that the common vodka-drinking aftermath is a severe headache.
So, taking this information into account, it would be wiser to reduce the consumption of this spirit to the most or, in the best case, to refuse to drink it at all.
For sure, there is a lot of misinformation regarding vodka, and people are confused about what to believe or not.
Here are the questions that are asked frequently and the answers that’ll help you to figure everything out.
What Is Vodka?
We bet you have asked yourself this question at least once in your life! And indeed, what sort of alcoholic drink is it? It’s not like wine since vodka is totally transparent which means it’s not made of grapes. But it’s also not like beer or whiskey…So what is it?
Well, you will be surely surprised if we say that during the Middle Ages, this spirit was only used as a…medicine! Yes, back then, people used to drink vodka only for medical purposes.
As for the process of its manufacturing, to produce vodka, you need to ferment any foodstuff that contains sugar or starch first. Then, the product has to be distilled in order to increase its alcohol content.
What is fermentation, you are asking? It’s when you feed sugar to yeast so that the yeast can produce the required amount of alcohol.
Nowadays, most sorts of vodka are made of fermented grains, such as corn, rice, rye, sorghum, or wheat.
However, nobody forbids you to use potatoes, fruits, and even plain sugar! Once the product is fermented, it needs to undergo distillation which implies heating it in a special container.
Thanks to this, the fermented product that has sixteen percent alcohol turns into a mighty spirit with thirty to forty percent power in it!
There are even bands that produce vodka with 95 percent alcohol!
What Happens When the Bottle Of Vodka Is Opened?
One of the reasons why this spirit can go bad is that it is being stored in a bottle that was not tightly sealed. However, we must admit that even in this case, it will take this beverage really long before it becomes useless! See, even if opened, vodka is able to last from ten to twenty years!
However, certain processes or degradation do take place once the seal is broken.
Oxidation becomes more rapid because of the seal that gets weaker. As a result, the contact with air and thus with oxygen will be closer.
In addition, an improperly sealed bottle of vodka is an easy target for bacteria which can easily get into the vessel and start their “dirty business” leading to the weakening of the spirit in future.
Does Vodka Get Weaker After Opening?
Shortly saying, yes, this spirit does become weaker once opened. However, there is no need to feel sorry! Vodka is the one durable thing and nothing can make it lose its potency that easily!
Even after you open the bottle, the spirit will become noticeably weaker after a decade at least.
Neither evaporation nor oxidation can influence its alcohol content that much.
How To Tell If Vodka Is Bad
Probably, the most thrilling question that can be heard from those who truly enjoy this spirit!
And even though vodka does not belong to the spirits that can easily be spoiled, it is still good to know what will show you that you’d better not take a sip of it.
- off odor
- contaminants inside of the bottle
- bad taste
Any of these signs indicate that your vodka became bad and it is time to discard it.
Otherwise, if you drink such a spirit, there is a high possibility that you will get food poisoning!
Summary:
Well, now that you know that vodka doesn’t actually go bad or expire, it just loses its potency and flavor, you will hardly fall into panic when finding a bottle of this spirit dwelling in your bar for a couple of years.
However, to be able to enjoy this drink fully, we still recommend you keep vodka according to its storage rules (luckily, they are not difficult!).
This way, your beverage will be still the same mind-blowing as it was the day you bought it!
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Read next: What Is Vodka Made From? 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Vodka
Does vodka go bad when opened? Could you advise me how it’s better to store the beverage?
I’m not drinking it that often but I can surely tell you that there won’t be much changes if you keep it opened. Vodka is quite a durable spirit, you know. I heard that an opened bottle can last for a decade or two!
We have several bottles of vodka left after the party, but I’m not sure whether they will last long enough. How long does it take vodka to go bad? Any ideas?
Oh, I would not bother if I were you! My uncle once bought several bottles for some occasion like a party, and he forgot about the leftovers. And then he found them after two or three years, I don’t remember for sure, and the spirit was still OK. So it’s rather durable as you can see!
I know that vodka is not the kind of beverage that goes bad easily, but still: why does vodka go bad? What shall I consider when storing it? Thanks!
Well, I’m not a professional at all, but I’m pretty sure it literally expires because of the oxidation process. Usually, this spirit can last for years without losing its quality and taste as far as I know. I even read that an opened bottle of vodka can remain drinkable for thirty or even forty years! And only after that it can be considered expired.
As for storing it, I guess you shall just keep it in a shady and cool place, and that will be fine.
How long does it take vodka to go bad? Does it spoil fast?
Oh, no! Quite on the contrary, my friend! This beverage is almost eternal compared to other drinks. Until it goes really bad so that you can’t drink it, a couple of decades must pass.
Are there any folks knowledgeable about alcohol here? I need to ask you something. Lemoncello is vodka, so why does it go bad? Am I missing something out?
Well, the major mistake you make is to consider Limoncello a vodka. It contains vodka, that’s true, but it’s not the one. Because of sugar, lemons, and preservatives it contains, Limoncello will last for several months only unlike pure vodka that can last for many years.
I’ve got a bottle of opened vodka. Don’t know how much time it will take for it to spoil. How fast does vodka go bad after opening? Any info? Thanks!
Hey man! Relax, this stuff won’t get bad even if you forget about it for ten years! Vodka is extremely durable and I even heard that the content in the opened bottles can remain consumable after ten and more years of storage.
Hi! Please tell me somebody: how long does it take for vodka to go bad?
Hey! I’d say give it ten to twenty years. Seriously. It’s super durable!
Does vodka go off with age? I heard it to be extremely long-lasting, but what’s the maximum it is able to stay OK?
Well, it does spoil with age, of course, due to oxidation. But I’d not expect it to become bad too soon. Let’s say, you still have a decade or two to finish that bottle!
Does vodka go bad in a water bottle? We cracked the original bottle so we had to transfer the spirit to another tank. Will it last the same long in it?
Well, if the bottle is made of glass, that’s perfect. Otherwise, I’d recommend using the one made of stainless steel. See, plastic is not good since it leaches trace amounts of BPA and other harmful stuff. But no matter what the bottle is made of, vodka won’t last more than a month in it.
Does vanilla vodka expire? Or is it only the pure unflavored spirit that lasts almost forever?
Yes, it does expire just like any other vodka. And no, it’s not only the pure beverage that has that long shelf life. Any vodka, if unopened, can remain drinkable for decades.
Does jarred vodka sauce go bad? If yes, then how long is it safe to keep it?
It does go bad, of course, but unlike pure vodka, it will not last that long. I’d say, keep it safely for three to five days refrigerated, and if not used until then, simply discard.
Does sweet tea vodka go bad? How fast, if it does? Thank you.
It will last for many years for sure if unopened. But if you unseal it, I’d say it will lose pretty much of its taste and flavor in ten years or so.
Hi everyone! Tell me somebody: does vodka go bad over time?
Hi! Yes, it does. But you will have to wait for like twenty years until it happens.
Someone once told me that vodka will last longer if kept chilled. Is that true? What about spoiling? Does vodka go bad in the fridge?
I don’t know why you would want to extend its lifespan since it’s already super long. I mean, won’t it be enough to keep it for ten years or so?
And anyway, refrigeration is not needed since the spirit feels perfectly fine at room temperature.
Does vodka go bad in the sun? I heard that the direct light can spoil it.
Yes, you shall keep it away from sunlight or any other direct light since it speeds the oxidation process up. In fact, it works the same way as heat (that’s why vodka must not be kept where it’s too warm).
I want to use vodka sauce but I don’t know whether it’s OK to leave some of it left. Does vodka sauce go bad?
Yep, it does. I’m pretty sure it can be kept refrigerated for a week or a bit less, but not longer.
I decided to try some potato vodka but there’s still quite a lot left. Does potato vodka go bad?
I guess it’s the same durable as an ordinary spirit. Even flavored vodka lasts the same long so I’m pretty sure there’s no need to worry.
Do vodka Mudshakes go bad? It contains dairy so perhaps it spoils faster than the ordinary drink?
Well, the dairy in it is sterilized so the expiry date will arrive after years I suppose (unless you lay hands on it earlier).
Can anyone clarify this issue for me please? Does vodka go bad if left open?
Well, if you mean keeping the unsealed bottle that is nevertheless screwed, then it’s fine. It will last very long. But if you mean a bottle without a cap…I don’t know, honestly. Never tried.
Does vodka go off in a hip flask? How long will it last?
Keep it there for maximum a week if your flask is made of a high-quality material since they say that the spirit often acquires the metallic taste if being kept in a flask for more than three days.
Decided to try out some alcoholic yummies and bought a packet of vodka gummy bears. Now there is the question: do vodka gummies go bad?
Of course they do! From my own experience, they will last for several months for sure, but I guess you will finish them way earlier!
i have a litre bottle of triple distilled vodka that has been unopened in my wardrobe for 15 years will it still be okay to drink