# What might happen to me if I drank... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784 "2008-07-09T01:48:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/1 "2008-07-09T01:48:46Z")
…this bottle of Bailey’s Irish Creme that I found in my cupboard that says “Best taste before 01-2005”? It’s completely sealed, never been opened (I have no idea where it even came from; I certainly didn’t buy it). ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/2 "2008-07-09T01:51:00Z")
I drank it that old. It tasted fine and I didn’t get sick. So long as you didn’t let it sit in the sun or extreme heat I think it’s good to use. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/3 "2008-07-09T01:51:57Z")
Drinking the entire bottle in one sitting might make you feel ill anyway though. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/4 "2008-07-09T02:44:49Z")
Last year (when we moved) I came across a sealed bottle of Baileys that expired in 1996. No idea where it came from, but curiousity got the better of me and I decided to open it instead of just tossing it in the trash. It was \*\*completely \*\* solid. Not thick, not chunky, but totally solid. I stuck a chop stick in it and it appeared to have the consistency of playdough but still smelled exactly like Baileys. Is yours still in liquid form? If so, I’d age it like a fine wine and in 2015 surprise your significant other with some Baileys pudding. ETA: I have no idea why Baileys would turn into a solid (maybe it’s the cream?), but if anyone knows please share. I did find it odd that it wasn’t rancid though. ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/5 "2008-07-09T02:48:07Z")
It says “Best taste before 2005”, so I figure it probably tasted better back then but it’s Bailys, how bad could it be? Just watch out for scaley manfish named [Old Gregg](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcNHoOaoNhU) when you open it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/6 "2008-07-09T04:31:36Z")
[QUOTE=Enola Gay] It was \*\*completely \*\* solid. . [/QUOTE] Cool! Did the volume seem smaller, or did it just change state while remaining a full bottle? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/7 "2008-07-09T04:50:28Z")
If you’re concerned, just be sure to chase it with some lime juice before swallowing. That will neutralize any bad stuff. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ThirdCultureKid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@ThirdCultureKid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThirdCultureKid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/8 "2008-07-09T06:19:00Z")
[QUOTE=Enola Gay] Last year (when we moved) I came across a sealed bottle of Baileys that expired in 1996. No idea where it came from, but curiousity got the better of me and I decided to open it instead of just tossing it in the trash. It was \*\*completely \*\* solid. Not thick, not chunky, but totally solid. I stuck a chop stick in it and it appeared to have the consistency of playdough but still smelled exactly like Baileys. [/QUOTE] Cool! What did you do with it? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/9 "2008-07-09T14:07:35Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Cool! Did the volume seem smaller, or did it just change state while remaining a full bottle? [/QUOTE] Hmmm, not too sure on that but it may have lost some volume. I recall that the bottle was opaque…I couldn’t figure out what was up at first because it _felt_ like a full bottle (based on weight) but when I tried to pour it nothing came out. In retrospect, I did have to stick the chopstick down a bit to hit the top of the stuff…it was maybe an inch or two below the lower part of the bottleneck. But I’m not sure how full a normal/liquid bottle of Baileys comes… Maybe Otto will age his as an experiment. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/10 "2008-07-09T14:13:38Z")
[QUOTE=ThirdCultureKid] Cool! What did you do with it? [/QUOTE] I chucked it. Even if I had wanted to drink it…or eat it…(which I didn’t) I don’t know how I would have gotten it out of the bottle. The thing that stuck with me most was that one of the main ingredients was cream, but despite being 10+ years past it’s time, it didn’t smell bad at all. And I live in a warm climate… and it wasn’t in the frig. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/11 "2008-07-09T14:25:20Z")
[QUOTE=Enola Gay] IThe thing that stuck with me most was that one of the main ingredients was cream, but despite being 10+ years past it’s time, it didn’t smell bad at all. [/QUOTE] Bailey’s is 34 proof, so I would imagine that would act to retard bacteria growth, which is what causes cream to spoil. Not 100% sure, though. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/12 "2008-07-09T14:53:43Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] If you’re concerned, just be sure to chase it with some lime juice before swallowing. That will neutralize any bad stuff. 😉 [/QUOTE] We call that a cement-mixer. And it’s always fun 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/13 "2008-07-09T15:27:27Z")
I had a similar experience. My FIL who is a non-drinker had an entire collection of booze that he had amassed over the years from vendors holiday gifts through his job. He gave them all to me to stock my bar. The Bailey’s I opened had solidified into something of a yogurt/pudding state. Still smelled just fine but got tossed into the trash. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/14 "2008-07-09T15:53:15Z")
Either you had Bailey’s yogurt or cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/15 "2008-07-09T15:59:36Z")
[QUOTE=CookingWithGas] Bailey’s is 34 proof, so I would imagine that would act to retard bacteria growth… [/QUOTE] Can any bacteria survive in a solution that’s 17% alcohol? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/16 "2008-07-09T16:18:35Z")
I’ll have to open the bottle when I get home and see if I have pudding. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/17 "2008-07-09T18:47:22Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] …this bottle of Bailey’s Irish Creme that I found in my cupboard that says “Best taste before 01-2005”? It’s completely sealed, never been opened (I have no idea where it even came from; I certainly didn’t buy it). [/QUOTE] You need to send that to a professional to have it safely disposed of. Fortunately, I happen to have the requisite training and equipment … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/18 "2008-07-09T20:29:00Z")
Just shook the bottle; it sounds to still be in liquid form. How does one drink Bailey’s? Someone’s suggested lime juice. What about just over ice? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/19 "2008-07-09T20:32:48Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Just shook the bottle; it sounds to still be in liquid form. How does one drink Bailey’s? Someone’s suggested lime juice. What about just over ice? [/QUOTE] Try mixing it 1 part Bailey’s with 1 part Butterscotch Schnapps, add a splash of Half and Half, enjoy! (serve iced or chilled). Add a shot of Bailey’s to your coffee or hot chocolate. This time of year, I’m betting it would be good in iced coffee, too. You can throw some in a blender with some vanilla ice cream (or any flavor ice cream, I suppose) and make a Bailey’s milk shake. ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784/20 "2008-07-09T21:59:41Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Just shook the bottle; it sounds to still be in liquid form. How does one drink Bailey’s? Someone’s suggested lime juice. What about just over ice? [/QUOTE] Or, in **Enola Gay’s** case, you can slice it into little wedges, served on toasted french bread discs to make a yummy amuse bouche that’s certain to be a crown pleaser. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-happen-to-me-if-i-drank/455784.md?page=2)