How To Store Alcohol At Home: Proper Ways To Keep Your Booze-Lassou

Whether you’re a spirit connoisseur or making your first steps as a home bartender, you probably have a small collection of alcohol at home. Your precious gins, vodkas, whiskies, and other bottles need to be stored properly. Here are some useful guidelines on how to store alcohol bottles at home to keep them good longer.

A general rule of keeping spirits such as whiskies, vodkas, rums, gins is to store them out of direct sunlight. Heat can change the taste of the booze by breaking down its molecules. Also, sunlight can influence the colour of the liquid, making it pale. You still can drinks it as this kind of deterioration won’t make you sick or turn you into a green monkey, but this kind of “ageing” will not make your booze taste better as well. 

How to store Gin

Gin should be stored in a dark place, at a little cooler than room temperature. Unopened gin has a long shelf life — around 2-3 years, that depends on the maker. But, unlike wine, gin does not get better with age, so there is no reason to keep it waiting on the shelf. Stick gin in the freezer an hour before serving, open the bottle and make some easy and delicious gin cocktails.

Once opened, gin’s starts to loose its flavours little by little. So make sure you keep the opened gin bottle in a dark cool place, and try to kill the bottle within a year.

How to store Vodka

Just like gin, vodka should be stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight, and it should be kept standing upright. If you will keep your vodka down rather than upright, the cork will seep into the liquor, changing the alcohol content and taste. We don’t want it to happen, right?

There is no need to keep vodka in the freezer the whole time, it won’t make vodka last longer. Chill vodka in the freezer before you drink it to receive a smooth and easy-going sipping pleasure. 

How to store Whisky

Whisky should be stored at a place lower than room temperature, in complete darkness. The bottle should be standing up to protect the cork. In order to keep the cork from crumbling or chipping when you open the bottle, moist the cork once a month by turning the bottle upside down for a few seconds. 

Don’t keep your whisky in the freezer, as whisky tastes less aromatic when it is cold.  

Once opened, the bottle should not be left for too long as the opened alcohol starts oxidizing and gradually losing its aromas.  You can pour the remaining whisky into a smaller bottle to keep it flavourful longer. 

How to store Liqueurs

Spirit-based liqueurs, such as red bitters, coffee liqueurs, or cream liqueurs will feel just perfect when kept in a dry place out of direct sunlight at room temperature. There is no need to refrigerate the liqueurs as they usually have a high enough sugar content so they will not oxidize. But keeping liqueurs in the fridge can help preserve the flavours for a longer period of time.

How to store Rum

Rum, just like many other high proof spirits, can be stored for years without going bad. Keep it in a dark place, at room temperature, and it will last you long. If you like your rum cold, put the bottle into the freezer before drinking or mixing it. 

After you opened the bottle, keep it tightly sealed to prevent the liquid from evaporation and contaminations (because, you know, anything can happen). 

It is recommended to drink the rum withing 1-2 years after the bottle is opened. Just like in case with whisky, it is also a good idea to pour rum into a smaller bottle to keep it last longer. 

How to store Sherry

Sherry should be stored in the refrigerator once opened. After opened, this wine may be stored in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks without losing its freshness or even longer, depending on the brand. But, let’s be honest, who keeps a bottle of amazing sherry for so long? There are so many incredible sherry cocktails that it seems just impossible. Sherry should be served chilled at around 12°C. 

How to store Calvados

To prolong the shelf life of calvados, keep the bottle in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. The bottle should be tightly closed when you don't use it.  

Once a bottle of Calvados is opened, the contents may begin to evaporate slowly and some flavour can be lost over time, but the calvados will remain safe to drink and enjoy!

As you can see, storing alcohol is not a difficult task. If you store your bottles properly, they will be fine for months and years. Cheers to that!

How to keep alcohol bottles properlyHow to store alcoholHow to store alcohol at homeProper ways to keep your liquors

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