Does booze go bad???

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Does booze go bad???

Posted: 10/16/2008 1:41:28 PM EDT

A former co-worker of my wife's is going into a home and sold her his booze supply from his fully stocked bar. $100 got her 53 bottles of every kind of booze you can think of. About half are unopened. Most of this stuff is...OLD! Some of the tax seals on the whiskey bottles say 1974. There are a few bottles that were opened that look like they have crap floating in them like a bottle of lime vodka for instance. What do you guys think, pitch the open stuff and save the unopened? A bottle of whiskey or gin, etc can't really go bad can it? The way I looked at it before she bought it was that even if we can get a dozen or so good bottles it is worth the 100 spot. What do you guys think? I guess I could save the fucked up stuff to drink after I'm already fucked up too.

Posted: 10/16/2008 1:43:37 PM EDT

[#1]

I was wondering the same thing. I found an old bottle of Jameson that is more than 10 years old and was debating on throwing it out.

Posted: 10/16/2008 1:44:37 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
I was wondering the same thing. I found an old bottle of Jameson that is more than 10 years old and was debating on throwing it out.

It's most likely still fine. Especially if it's unopened. It's alcohol.

Posted: 10/16/2008 1:48:39 PM EDT

[#3]

I had two bottles of "Old 1887 Bourbon" (IIRC), from around 1961. Bottled in bond. They had been stored in a closet in home conditions (AC/heat). The volume was slightly less due to evaporation (?), even though it was still sealed (it had the old style cork top).

About 3 years ago I called a couple of Bourbon distillers and they said it would be ok to drink. I did, it was. Wasn't a great bourbon, but I didn't cough or go blind.

Posted: 10/16/2008 1:50:17 PM EDT

[#4]

YES... you must consume it all right now to avoid further degradation. Then go for a nice drive.

Posted: 10/16/2008 1:53:16 PM EDT

[#5]

it's fine...you do realize alot of booze is aged for several years before you buy it right?

Posted: 10/16/2008 1:55:19 PM EDT

[#6]

no. I recently had the pleasure of drinking a 40 year old Italian liquor. that shit was damn tasty!!
it was Liquore Strega. I'd like to find out who imports it too. the guy who owned it bought it in NY before he died and left a full bar to the contrator that remodeled his kitchen.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:03:47 PM EDT

[#7]

Booze will be fine-aging it in a bottle won't do anything to enhance the flavor, however. The only aging that will benefit is in the barrel. As it sits in the bottle, it will actually lose volatile aromatics (even through a plastic lid) that were acquired in the barrel.

Wines aged in a cellar are kept at an even temperature in the dark in an effort to preserve the flavor of the vintage as it was when it came out of the barrel, not to improve the flavor.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:05:00 PM EDT

[#8]

So long as it is sealed there is no problem. If it is stored open or mostly empty (lots of air in the bottle) then evaporation and oxidation can ruin the taste.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:06:45 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
it's fine...you do realize alot of booze is aged for several years before you buy it right?

It's aged in wood to suck up all the goodness out of the chared oak barrels. Once it's bottled, it's as good as it's gonna get. If they "aged" it in glass barrels after distillation it wouldn't be the same.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:10:00 PM EDT

[#10]

Send me all the questionable stuff, I'll have it thoroughly tested. Sorry, no returns.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:11:37 PM EDT

[#11]

Not in my house....

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:16:33 PM EDT

[#12]

Wait a minute.

You can make HAMBURGER out of STEAK?

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:19:40 PM EDT

[#13]

It will be fine.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:33:59 PM EDT

[#14]

I think I might have some shine that been simmering for several years .... lemme go test it and I'll get back to ya

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:35:27 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
it's fine...you do realize alot of booze is aged for several years before you buy it right?

It's aged in wood to suck up all the goodness out of the chared oak barrels. Once it's bottled, it's as good as it's gonna get. If they "aged" it in glass barrels after distillation it wouldn't be the same.

yeah i know it doesn't get better, but it ain't going bad for a long time.....

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:36:58 PM EDT

[#16]

Depends on your definition of bad. Stored in glass it'll get you drunk for decades, might taste a bit funny tho

Alcoholic beverages are aged, yes, usually in wood casks and they take on the flavor color of the wood, and what might have been stored in the kegs. They do not undergo this change once they are bottled. The angels have already gotten their share.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:37:41 PM EDT

[#17]

Don't throw any of it out. Even the stuff that might not be deemed very "drinkable" could be used for another kind of "cocktail" should you ever have to go all Wolverine on an occupying force...

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:38:45 PM EDT

[#18]

I've only seen booze go bad after I drink it.

Posted: 10/16/2008 2:44:27 PM EDT

[#19]

There are bottles of booze far older than that, that have gone down reeeaaal smooth.

Drink it.

Posted: 10/16/2008 3:33:26 PM EDT

[#20]

anything with a drink buy date e.g. baileys avocadat, throw it. The rest shud be fine

Posted: 10/16/2008 3:41:48 PM EDT

[#21]

Sned it to me, i'll drink it and let you know.

Posted: 10/16/2008 4:27:15 PM EDT

[#22]

idk but my mom told me that vodka goes bad so you have to drink the bottle when you open it, and wine is grapejuice but only turns to alcohol if you let it sit.

Posted: 10/16/2008 4:37:01 PM EDT

[#23]

Wine will turn to vinegar.

Posted: 10/16/2008 5:11:54 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
it's fine...you do realize alot of booze is aged for several years before you buy it right?

It's aged in wood to suck up all the goodness out of the chared oak barrels. Once it's bottled, it's as good as it's gonna get. If they "aged" it in glass barrels after distillation it wouldn't be the same.

I have to disagree with this one. You can age (some) wines in the bottle with great results. Tannins mellow and wonderful things happen.

To the OP, you have heard of 12 year old scotch? Age isn't a killer for most things. Cream'ed Liquors can be a notable exception here.

Quoted:
idk but my mom told me that vodka goes bad so you have to drink the bottle when you open it, and wine is grapejuice but only turns to ~~alcohol~~ vinegar if you let it sit.

Mom was almost right Fixed it for her.

That applies to After you open it, and if you get lucky and get the right critters joining the party. 99 times out of 100 it will just get

The yeast is DOA when the wine is bottled, so the alcohol content doesn't go up (no more critters doing the conversion)

Posted: 10/16/2008 5:18:55 PM EDT

[#25]

Where in PA ? I'll be right over...

Posted: 10/16/2008 5:23:29 PM EDT

[#26]

Posted: 10/16/2008 5:31:14 PM EDT

[#27]

jesus fucking christ ARFCOM HAS THIS POSTING ABOUT ALCOHOL GOING BAD 12 times a fucking year if not more.

HOLY JESUS MOTHER OF CHRIST.

Posted: 10/16/2008 5:38:12 PM EDT

[#28]

no, its fine, some of the best whiskey ive drank had a 1976 tax label on it and that was in 2002.

Posted: 10/16/2008 5:38:52 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
jesus fucking christ ARFCOM HAS THIS POSTING ABOUT ALCOHOL GOING BAD 12 times a fucking year if not more.

HOLY JESUS MOTHER OF CHRIST.

Stick around a little longer. There will be all sorts of repetitive discussions you can get in on!!

PS Some of the opened stuff could be bad, I wouldn't drink old opened Baileys for instance. And if you have any Jack Daniels - I'll take it!!!