Back in November, the pub I worked at went out of business. Among the many things the owner gave me was 2 45 oz bottles of Triple Sec. Now, I rarely drink, so this is enough alcohol to last me a very long time.
If I open either bottle, will it eventually spoil in any way? If so, I’m just going to give them away, as I don’t want it to go to waste.
triple sec is not vodka. It’s an orange flavored liqueur used in several mixed drinks,most notably the margarita.
vodka does not spoil. Triple Sec is not vodka but a liquor that can be drank straight or mixed, it would likely not spoil either.
Kamikaze: equal amounts vodka, triple sec, lime juice. Yum.
:smack: I knew it wasn’t vodka. I blame lack of sleep and coffee for mixing them up.
Glad to know it won’t spoil though.
The only issue with either is having a tight enough seal that the alcohol does not evaporate over time.
Usually, when someone uses the word, spoil, they are referring to chemical or biological degradation. Alcohol, being a very fine preservative, will prevent any biological intervention in the mix, i.e. no bugs can grow in there to spoil it. And liquors are very stable mixtures that last for years and years. If air can get in, the liquor may dry out and get thicker, and not be very good, but that’s not going to happen if the bottles are well sealed. Witness the bottles of beer found in Egyptian tombs, alleged to be drinkable.
Oddly, I was just discussing with Mrs. J. whether our bottle of rum would spoil (I got some to make potent eggnog). I figured it’s easily good for another year or two.
Since the actual question seems to be answered, I will add my personal observation.
“Not at my house.”
Who sells liquor in 45 fl oz containers? 1331 mL?
Pretty much all 80 proof+ is going to last a long time. This includes vodka, rum, gin, brandy, tequila, and the various whiskies. Triple sec might last less long on a geological scale, but it lasts a long time, too. Wikipedia says it’s 15-40%, I think I usually see it in the 20-30% range (40-60 proof). One thing I notice is that sugar builds up on the threads of a screw top triple sec, so it might need a wipe down.
Blue curaçao is a similar product but blue and more bitter, and not orange but is citrus. Cointreau is a brand of fancier triple sec. Grand Marnier is similarly orange, made from Cognac, and is 80 proof. Those should all act similarly. Campari is an unholy creation not of this earth, and thus will last until the stars die.
My buddy Jeff stopped by over the holidays with a bottle of Captain Morgan Black. When I opened the bottle, my gf said, “Hey, you just put that bottle cap in the trash!”
Jeff and I both looked at her askance.
I would be more worried about the packaging degrading. Before they put expiration dates on everything, we used to have bottles of pickles and stuff that were over 10 years old, maybe up to 20. Glass is the safest, but the cap can be a big problem. I’ve seen metal caps rust, corks disintegrate, paper liners fall apart, etc. If the bottle is plastic, that can cause other problems as well, especially if it’s exposed to sunlight.
Imho, if you’re not likely to drink it within a year, just give it away.
Some liquors can oxidize if left open, which makes them taste funny. Now, if they’re sealed, you’re probably fine as long as the bottle’s less than 1/3 full or so. At that point, there’s enough empty space in the bottle to get enough oxygen trapped inside to start to spoil the liquor a little. It won’t hurt you, it’ll just taste a little bitter. Once you’re down to about 1/4 bottle, consider throwing a Mexican themed party and using it up in margaritas. Otherwise, you’re good for a decade or more.
Alcohol can spoil; that’s how they make vinegar:
As for whether that is a problem with alcoholic liqueurs, wine goes bad after opening for this very reason, can’t say whether the bacteria can grow in much more alcoholic environments though (a quick search for vodka suggests that it doesn’t, but Triple Sec has a much lower alcohol content, as low as some wines).
It might not go bad, but liquors with higher sugar content can attract fruit flies.
This typically isn’t a problem at home, since most people keep the screw tops on, but in restaurants and bars that use pour spouts, if a bottle sits a while and isn’t used quickly, LOTS of flies can get in. If you ever see someone from the health department do an inspection of a bar, they typically take the liquor bottles with higher sugar contents, swirl them around a bit, them hold them above their head and shine a flashlight through. Makes the dozens (hundreds) of dead fruit flies easier to see.
But again, at home, you’re probably keeping the screw top on, so you should be fine.
Not quite as low - wines (unless you are including fortified ones) go up to from 16 to 28 proof, Triple Sec from 30 to 80. Which can be as high as vodka.
Still on reflection the sugar content may be a factor, even beyond the fruit fly issue. But for taste, not food safety.
It goes bad once it’s opened. So when you open it you better drink the whole thing to be safe. At least, that’s what my mother always said…
so is the booze in question… OP, how’s that triple sec holding up?
Reported.