The Type Of Alcohol That You Can't Keep In Your Liquor Cabinet Indefinitely

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, aging is normally a treasured and highly valued process, as it brings out complex flavors in liquor and often adds a smoothness to the drinking experience. Particularly fine wines and barrel whiskeys tend to get better with age, and there's even a scientific reason behind aged whiskeys being more flavorful. But similar to cheeses, some of which benefit from aging in caves while others need to be consumed within just a few days of production, not all alcohol benefits from the aging process. In fact, some alcohols have a distinctly shorter shelf life and need to be stored properly to prevent bacterial growth. 

There is a difference between liquor and liqueur, and it has to do with both the percentage of ABV (alcohol by volume) and the amount of sugar added to the spirit. You're likely familiar with some liqueurs already, like Grand Marnier, Campari, Drambuie, and Midori. A higher sugar content in a liqueur (sometimes also known as a cordial) means that it will have a shorter shelf life compared to other liquors with less sugar and a higher percentage of alcohol. More sugar in an alcohol creates an environment that promotes micro-organisms to grow, as bacterias feed on sugar, increasing the chances of bacteria growing in your liqueur bottles over time, both affecting the taste and causing spoilage. Liquors that are higher in ABV have a lower chance of bacterial growth after the bottle has been opened, as alcohol kills most bacteria. 

There are many liquors you should always keep in the fridge to prolong their shelf life, and liqueurs and cordials are among those if you don't plan on using them up within the span of six months or so. The majority of liqueurs can be safe to drink between six months to a year after opening when stored properly. Any liqueurs with fruit or cream in them are particularly sensitive to spoilage, so it's best to either drink them within about six months or to keep them in the refrigerator. We should note that this information does not apply to wine-based spirits like vermouth, which spoil much faster and should be kept in the refrigerator immediately after opening.

Keep in mind this information is all for after a bottle has been opened. Any unopened, fully sealed bottles of liqueur and cordials should last indefinitely, so long as they are stored properly, meaning they've been kept out of direct sunlight and in a space that is no warmer than room temperature. As a rule of thumb, always adhere to the best by date printed on the bottle. The exception to this rule is cream-based liqueur like Baileys Irish Cream, which has a shelf life of two years from its bottling date, even if it's unopened and stored in refrigeration.