“Those lower-proof products are very lively liquids and will deteriorate much more quickly, sometimes as fast as two weeks to a month,” says Amanda Victoria, CEO and founder of Siponey Spritz Co. While you are unlikely to be harmed by a fortified wine that’s past its prime, its aromatics and flavors might smell and taste muted or even slightly off. “No spirit should ever be stored in the freezer if you want to use it in a cocktail,” Jason Cott, bartender and co-owner of Pouring Ribbons goodbye letter to alcohol and Alchemy Consulting in New York City, told TODAY Food.
Liquor Storage: 5 Cabinets and Shelving Ideas for Storage
This ensures that the rum maintains its original flavor and quality. Avoid storing it in areas like the garage, where fumes and changing temperatures could affect its taste. Harsh UV rays can damage your liquor over time (and might even change its color), so it’s best to store your bottles away from streaming sunlight. Rum, whiskey (whisky) and gin can also be stored in a cool place after they’ve been opened. Similar to vodka, stick gin in the freezer for about an hour before serving to make a smooth, chilled martini. If you have a small selection of liquor you want to display, a unique liquor storage cabinet is the best way to go.
Perhaps something with glass doors for display purposes, or an accent cabinet. If you have a large selection, it might be a better idea to go with a cheap liquor storage cabinet to save some money. Good places to search are furniture stores, secondhand shops, or online shops like Etsy or eBay. A liquor storage cabinet is a classic way to hold a large amount of liquor in an organized, aesthetically pleasing way. The options range from cabinets made specifically for liquor, to standard bookcases and shelves, to custom options.
How to Display Liquor Bottles: Liquor Storage Ideas
To find out how you can declutter in your life, talk to one of our space experts. And if you don’t have a vintage sewing table on hand (who does, really?), don’t stress. You could easily repurpose a side table, nightstand, or secretary desk to hold your liquor collection. Open shelves in a kitchen or dining room are usually reserved for glassware and china, but why not add your fancy alcohol to the mix. Picture serving a musty cabernet at your next dinner party – the guests will be so impressed. The places you can go to find good shelving are pretty similar to where you’ll want to search for cabinetry.
“Vermouth, a fortified wine, and wine-based aperitifs like sherry and amaro should be refrigerated, because they are wine and wine should be refrigerated once opened because it oxidizes,” Cott said. “A frozen vodka will not interact with the ice appropriately and will not create the correct water dilution to temper the proof of the alcohol and create the most balanced and delicious cocktail,” Cott said. “If people want the spirit to look absolutely pristine, they’ll want to keep it above 35–40°,” says Polonski. Spirits stored below that range won’t be harmed, although some—notably those that are not chill-filtered—may take on a cloudy or hazy appearance. “Once opened, aromatized wines like is mary jane a drug vermouths and Amaro should be refrigerated to retard oxidation,” said Katz.
How to Tell if Wine Has Gone Bad
Instead, transfer the spirit to a new bottle with a glass, plastic, or otherwise healthy closure. “Room temperature is best for tequila,” says Neil Grosscup, Tanteo Tequila master blender and CEO. But while some types will stay good for quite a while, others have a more complicated shelf life. If you want to keep your spirits spirited longer, follow these tips on how to store your liquor properly. Store your rum in a cool, dry place away from strong odors and temperature fluctuations.
As home bars have become more popular, small bar carts or tables have expanded. While storage cabinets and shelves are efficient, a table or cart will boost your bar vibe. You can even hang a glass rack over the top to increase storage and enhance steven tyler injuries the design. Oxidation will begin to change a wine’s color and taste, but that doesn’t always mean your wine has gone bad. “In fact, this process is the reason we decant wines before drinking, as the flavors are often enhanced by oxygen,” says Hoel.
Get handy organizational tips and space-saving hacks delivered straight to your inbox. Nix the reds and whites and use the shelf solely for the hard stuff. “I’ve got several bottles of single malt in various cellars that I’ve had open for 25 years and they’re just about as good as I remember when I opened them,” says Lumsden. We’ll grab everything from your home and transport it to our secure, temperature-controlled storage facility. After all, who doesn’t love to sip a glass of whiskey while curling up with a good book? It’s no-brainer storage, plus it adds a fun stylistic element to what could easily be a very plain shelf set-up.
- “It is not necessary to refrigerate liqueurs which are spirit-based, and they usually have a high enough sugar content so they will not oxidize,” says Daniel Warrilow of Campari America.
- But what happens when you open a new bottle of vermouth or vodka, and don’t polish off the bottle in one go?
- For long-term storage, vodka can be stored in the freezer or in a dark, cool place away from direct light.
- Keep your wine on its side, like in a wine rack, to make sure the cork doesn’t dry out, shrink, and let air in.
- While most spirits have enough alcohol content to be fine when stored at room temperature, there are a few items that belong in the fridge.
- Avoid storing it in areas like the garage, where fumes and changing temperatures could affect its taste.
Pick a Dark Location
Just avoid storing bottles in pockets of high heat or in locations where temperatures fluctuate drastically, such as next to the dishwasher or stove. Above all, don’t stash a collection on top of the refrigerator, says Robinson. Overhead lighting and refrigerator exhaust give off a lot of heat, and the constant vibration can adversely affect taste. You’ve sought the expert advice of a service like Winc’s Wine Club and now you have a few bottles customized to your tastes—how long will they last? Champagne and sparkling wine will only last one day in the fridge. But bottled spirits will be comfortable at a wider range, especially if they are stored away from direct sunlight and humidity.
How to Store Gin
At the same event, the Bacardi researchers also presented some of their findings on the effects of oxidation – the effect of air on alcohol. Since exposure to air can kill some of the flavors of wine and spirits, often leaving behind the more severe, acidic ones to overpower the taste, you’ll want to take some precautions to counteract this. Obviously, use the stoppers or caps that come with the bottles – that’s a no-brainer. Buy smaller quantities when possible, especially if it’s a liqueur or something else you won’t use very much of at a time. And try not to leave the last couple of ounces by their lonesome – the less liquid in a bottle, the faster it will oxidize.
You can choose shelves from a standard shop, you can go online, or you can build your own. If you’re at the point of no return, consider turning your leftover wine into vinegar. “All you need is raw vinegar, a clean jar, and an old bottle of wine,” says Hoel.
No one wants to be treated to a pricey bottle of booze, only for its quality to decline before you even get to try it. “Avoid direct sunlight as well as temperature variations,” says Hendrick’s Gin ambassador Mark Stoddard. “Light from lamps or fixtures will not affect the liquid.” Store gin at a little cooler than room temperature, if possible. Reiner recommends storing wine-based aperitifs—sherry, vermouth, port, Lillet—in the fridge to extend their life. Showcase your prettiest liquor bottles alongside your book collection. Not only does liquor make a unique decorative addition to a bookcase (or China cabinet, like in the photo above), but it’s also a surprisingly convenient storage spot.
Another element that affects the longevity of spirits is alcohol content. For common distilled spirits, such as whiskey, vodka, gin, rum and tequila, the general rule of thumb is to store them at room temperature. Though some experts say the ideal range is slightly lower, between 55 and 60 degrees. As temperatures rise, the alcohol begins to expand and can evaporate more quickly.