Once used as a digestive aid, alcoholic bitters are now a wildly popular ingredient used to create balance and add flavor in countless cocktail recipes. However, bitters that are past their prime will only hurt your mixed drinks, which begs the question of just how long an open bottle of bitters can last before it starts to degrade.

Bitters can last indefinitely without becoming unsafe to consume, but once opened, they can become mellow and muted after the five-year mark; the exception to these rules are perishable fruit bitters containing glycerin. Oxidation and evaporation are the biggest threats to any bottle of bitters, so proper storage will make them last longer.

Keep your bottles of bitters tightly closed to prevent oxygen from entering, and either store them in a cool and dry area away from direct sunlight and heat or keep them in the refrigerator if they're fruit-based and more perishable. If you have too many bitters to mix into drinks, try adding them to jams, marinades, dressings, and dips.