Brandy, an alcoholic beverage distilled from fermented fruit mash or wine, is used as a fuel to produce the flame in crepes Suzette and cherries jubilee and flavor mixed drinks. It is unquestionable why Brandy is a popular drink.
But, if you are worried and wondering whether brandy goes bad and how long this drink can last, read on to find out.
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Does Brandy Go Bad?
Brandy holds a spot in numerous alcohol cupboards, yet not everyone knows whether this drink can go bad.
After all, liquor is refined from wine, and wine also ruins whenever left open for excessively long.
A lot of time, we think the high alcohol content of this drink will prevent it from going bad. It is indeed true, but opened Brandy is likely to turn sour quicker is stored improperly, losing its taste and quality.
Unopened bottles are no different if stored in high temperature and direct sunlight. Exposing the liquor to air and light degrades its quality; the culprits – oxidation and evaporation process.
How Long Does Brandy Last?
It is true that brandy, most of the time, remains safe to consume for an incredibly long time. When it comes to quality, the case is entirely different.
Brandy can last from a few months to an indefinite period of time, depending on the storage method. Factors such as place, temperature, sunlight, and sources of heat can also affect the shelf life of your favorite drink.
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Pantry |
Except for Pantry |
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Brandy (Unopened) |
Remains fine indefinitely | Quality and flavor degrade with time |
| Brandy (Opened) | 2-3 years |
Quality and flavor degrade with time |
Brandy, just as different beverages, remains fine indefinitely if kept unopened and stored properly. With the 35% to 60% alcohol by volume (or even 40% for cognac), brandy isn’t a favorable substrate for bacterial or fungal growth.
Brandy, if not kept in a firmly fixed compartment and away from light and warmth, the flavor and quality of brandy begin to change over the long haul once you open the bottle.
The most ideal alternative is probably going to store the bottle in the haziest, coolest place of your basement or pantry. However, for an opened bottle, it is almost certain that the flavor mixes vanish over time, and your brandy tastes somewhat flat.
There are no methods for revealing to you how long you can keep an open bottle of brandy accurately. It relies on the quality of the liquor and storage condition you have.
If the opened bottle is stored for long, it will still be safe to use; however, it probably won’t taste that extraordinary. Moreover, industry experts recommend finishing the liquor bottle within 6-8 months if you want to experience its rich quality.
Thus, proper storage is critical to ensure flavor and quality for as long as possible. Nevertheless, the lost flavor can still be revived to some extent if infused with either dry fruits or species.
2 Tips to tell if Brandy has Gone Bad
Because of the high alcohol content, it doesn’t deteriorate quickly.  But if not preserved carefully, it is highly prone to oxidation and evaporation.
Some noticeable signs that indicate that your brandy has gone bad and is no longer fruitful to enjoy are as follows.
1. Smell
Before you set out a glass of your valuable collection of Brandy to your friends and family, make sure you smell it. If you notice that the drink has built some off-smell, it is an indication that your drink has been wasted.
2. Taste
There may be two reasons why the taste of your brandy turns dull. The change in taste occurs because of evaporation when kept in a warm place. Evaporation lowers the alcohol content within the bottle.
The other reason is oxidation when kept in the presence of oxygen and sunlight. If you feel the deteriorating taste, then you can assume that your drink has lost its pure quality.
5 Tips to Store Brandy
The unopened bottle has an indefinite lifetime, but the opened one should be adequately preserved for the next serve. Here are a few ways to extend the life of your favorite drink:
1. Store away from heat and direct sunlight
Exposing brandy to warmth and sunlight leads to degradation of its flavor, color, and quality as it speeds up the oxidation process.
Bacardi researchers have found that storing liquor in extended sun exposure is worse than keeping it at high temperatures.
Once you’ve enjoyed the drinks, the opened bottle should be stored similarly. A place deprived of sunlight, heat sources, and warmth would be an ideal location for its storage.
The storeroom is an ideal choice, but the liquid cupboard in the lounge will do as well.
2. Seal the bottle properly
One essential tip you must keep in mind is to air-seal an opened brandy bottle. The more the amount of air, the higher the rate of oxidation. Thus, to maintain its quality, you must make sure that the bottle lid is tightly closed.
3. Infusion
In the event that the opened bottle of brandy has not been served for a while and appears to have lost its flavor, you can still restore its taste with the help of an infusion technique. Infusion with dry fruits or species helps to revive the taste of your brandy.
The items with the low moisture content- dried fruits, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla beans are used for infusion. The quantity required for infusion depends on how strong you want your infusion to be.
Add the species or dried natural products to a sealable container, and start filling the container without leaving the excess air space with the brandy.
Seal the container tightly, shake a couple of times and afterward let the container sit in a cool and dim spot for half a year, and now your infused brandy with unique flavor is ready to be served again.
The container can be kept untouched until its infused flavor is perfect.
4. Pour remaining brandy into small bottles
This process might look tiresome, but the smaller the bottle, the lower the oxidation process, and the more is the shelf life of your drink.
5. Avoid using cork
The corked bottle used for storing brandy may not be fruitful for its taste and quality. The air sealed container is always preferable for storing your brandy.
The cork slightly leads the passage for the oxygen to get inside the container. Over the long run, this phenomenon causes the degradation in fragrance and taste because of the oxidation process inside the container.
The Risk of Consuming an Expired Brandy
As mentioned above, the unopened bottle of brandy can last indefinitely though the shelf life generally considered is 2-3 years. However, it loses its taste and flavor over the years- generally after being opened once.
Thus, drinking expired brandy, or any liquor is quite common practice. The main point that should be noted is that the brandy does not expire to the extent to which it can cause serious or life-threatening sickness.
Thus, it isn’t usually considered hazardous for consuming brandy over its lapse period. Nevertheless, there are some side effects like head-ache and upset stomach after consuming an expired liquor.
If you ever consume flat-tasting brandy, it’s highly likely to discomfort your tastebuds or even your entire mood, but you’ll most probably not experience any more adverse health effects.
Can you freeze Brandy?
Freezing a brandy isn’t an ideal option. Usually, brandy is served or used in a mixture at an ideal room temperature, but there is no reason to place the brandy in the freezer for immediate use.
The freezing point of brandy is below -10 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is way below the temperature of our ideal freezer so there is no risk of our drink being frozen when placed in a freezer.
There may arise a problem of dilution of our drink when kept in a freezer for a long time being. It occurs due to the condensation of moisture from the surrounding air in the bottle.
Though it is contrary to the Spanish custom of serving chilled drinks, brandy should be served at room temperature, in order to enjoy the fragrance and flavor of your drink. Freezing the brandy won’t do any good to enhance the taste of the brandy.
While serving a brandy at a higher temperature zone, the opened bottle should be placed inside the freezer as soon as possible.
The bottle should not be exposed to warmth for the time being, as this change in temperature speeds up the oxidation process of your drink more vigorously.
Summary
Now, we know that unopened brandy, has a life span of indefinite years if stored in the dark, cool place. You’ll have plenty of time to finish the opened bottles in a party way before it actually starts to deteriorate.
However, we’ve even provided you a valuable tip in case the smell and taste of your years old brandy are diluted, i.e., infusion. As you all know, better safe than sorry.