How to Store Bourbon the Right Way: Your Quick Guide (2024)

FAQs

How to Store Bourbon the Right Way: Your Quick Guide? ›

Keep your bottle upright and make sure it cannot fall on the floor. Keep the temperature around your bourbon in the 60s and minimize light exposure. But feel free to sample your bourbon after it has aged a few months or years. You don't have to go far for premium bourbon.

An unopened bottle of whiskey can last forever without going bad. As long as the bottle remains sealed and it remains stored in proper conditions, any special bottles you have will last for decades. But once you open the bottle, the clock starts ticking.

Store bourbon in the upright position to keep the cork stopper from deteriorating due to the hinge alcohol content of whiskey. And of course, try to keep the temperature in a consistent range between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

It's always best to store your whisky bottle upright. Whisky has a much stronger alcohol content than wine, if you leave the bottle lying on its side this will degrade the cork, which will then interfere with the character of the whisky.

The best way to store bourbon is to keep the bottle standing upright, unlike wine, which is stored on its side. You should store bottles upright to protect the cork. If the bourbon's high alcohol content is in contact with the cork for an extended period, it will destroy it.

You should always store a bourbon bottle or container upright. If you tilt a container on its side, the chemicals in the cork can seep into the drink. This will affect the taste, even if the container was only on its side for a few hours. You can place your container on the ground, against a wall, or on a shelf.

First, check the color. If the color has faded significantly, this is a sign that your bourbon is no longer at its peak, usually due to light exposure. Second, check the smell. Bourbon that has spoiled might smell moldy or sour.

The Federal Standards of Identity for Bourbon state determine what is and what isn't Bourbon. For a whiskey to be considered Bourbon, its mash – the mixture of grains from which the product is distilled – must contain at least 51% corn. The rest of the mash is usually filled out with rye or wheat, and malted barley.

Sunlight is not your friend

It is not only just a threat, but moreover probably the biggest threat as a matter of fact regarding things that can ruin your bourbon. Why? Ultraviolet light, the same thing that burns my bald head, can chemically react with your brownwater causing it to change color and flavor.

Traditionally, bourbon neat is served at room temperature. That said, bourbon generally tastes best at a relatively cool room temperature of around 60-65 degrees, so if your room is especially warm, feel free to put that bottle in the fridge for a few minutes to cool it down a bit.

How do you store whiskey for aging? ›

Fluctuating temperatures and humidity can cause liquid to expand and contract, destabilizing the whiskey. Excess humidity can cause damage to the labels and degrade the cork. Consider adding climate control notifications to your alarm system, which will alert you if the temperature or humidity in your cellar shift.

To prevent oxidation, whiskey should be stored in a cool, dry place. The best way to keep whiskey from oxidizing is to keep the bottle sealed. You can also pour your half-empty bottles into a smaller decanter or bottle to decrease headspace in the bottle and prevent exposure to oxygen.

It's recommended to consume an opened bottle of bourbon within six months to one year to prevent flavor alterations caused by exposure to air. Maintaining proper storage techniques can extend the life of your bourbon without a loss of quality, allowing you to savor its original flavor and aroma for years.

Exposing your bottles to direct sunlight, heat, and temperature changes won't make your whiskey go bad overnight, but it can affect the taste of the spirit in both open and unopened bottles. Swings in temperature cause whiskey to expand and contract in volume, picking up oxygen along the way.

The good news is that once bourbon is aged, bottled, and placed on your bar shelf, it doesn't change much at all.

Some alcohol, like wine, gets better in the bottle over time, but this isn't true for all types of booze, including whiskey. Unopened whiskey can last indefinitely, but a bottle that has been opened will eventually expire due to oxidation.

The chances of whisky going bad are very slim. While the taste might change over time, whisky doesn't technically go off. After a point, you may decide that a bottle has been opened for too many years and it tastes too different from what it originally was and consequently get rid of the remaining contents.

Unopened liquor of all kinds will generally keep indefinitely if stored properly. Store out of direct sunlight, tightly sealed, in a stable room-temperature environment. Once opened, distilled spirits like whiskey and gin won't expire or become unsafe to consume, but they may start to taste “off” after 1–3 years.