How well spirits are stored has a direct impact on how well they taste and this is the experience everyone longs to have when sipping glasses of whichever spirit they love. Spirits typically have higher alcohol content compared to other alcoholic beverages like wine and beer. They are best stored under normal room temperature. This is not the only thing you should bear in mind when storing your liquor.
This article explores in detail how best spirits can be stored at home. It is important to first mention that there are three main factors that affect the quality of your spirits and these are
- Oxygen
- Heat
- Light
Therefore, proper storage will certainly be based on these three factors. Overexposure to these three is bound to change the taste and appearance of your spirits for the worse.
Here is how you should store your spirits to keep their taste, aesthetics, and quality intact if not better.
1. Store them under tight seals
It is not all the time you take your drinks that you will sip them down to the last drop, emptying the entire bottle. You don’t have to worry about storing your unopened spirit bottles. Those that you have opened, on the other hand, are the greatest concern because oxidation can happen easily. Alcohol tends to evaporate which changes the chemical structure of changes and this reflects in the flavor and color change of the spirit. Consider the following when storing your opened spirit bottles.
- Keep their bottles sealed tightly using quality closure with a no-air-in guarantee. Most bottles use cork tops and these close well except when they are damaged or dented. Check your corks and replace those with any signs of damage.
- After drinking your spirit to a third of the bottle, it is best to finish it off. This is because, by the time you have taken two-thirds of it, no matter how well you store your drink, it will have been exposed enough to air which causes oxidation and deterioration of its quality.
- Alternatively, transfer the remaining third of your drink to a smaller bottle and seal it off tightly.
- Opened spirits should never be stored beyond eight months.
2. Always store your spirits at room temperature
Heat causes your liquor to evaporate faster which in turn leads to oxidation. Avoid positioning your shelve or storing your spirits near heating vents, on the refrigerator, near the oven, or dryer. Secondly, avoid keeping them in a place where they are exposed to direct sunlight like at the window seal or in rooms that tend to heat fast like the attic.
In an experiment experts from Bacardi left bottled exposed to the sun for 15 days. Later they discovered that bourbon lost 10% of its color while scotch lost 40%. If possible, store your bottles in a room whose temperature you can control so you can maintain the room temperature. Alternatively, simply keep your drinks in a cool dry, and dark place.
Should you freeze your spirits?
Most spirits including tequila, gin, vodka, rum, and whiskey do not need chilling or freezing even though some would prefer them, particularly gin and vodka, chilled. Freezing over a long time would be pointless because alcohol naturally does not freeze. You could throw them in your freezer an hour before indulging to serve them chilled.
Some experts do not agree with freezing your drinks for whatever reason. They argue that low temperature flattens the flavor of your spirits and advice that if you have to, maintain the temperature at between 55 °F (12.8 °C) and 60 °F (15.6 °C). Well, the jury is out there.
3. Keep your bottles upright and your cork wet
Storing your liquor bottles upright prevents your drinks from coming into contact with the cork. This is for the simple reason that the cork may break down over time and mix with your spirits. However, you are allowed to turn your bottle occasionally to wet the cork and prevent it from cracking.
From the outside, keep them wet with water to prevent them from cracking. Cracking gives room for your liquor to evaporate and oxidate.
4. Keep them out of reach of children
Conclusion
Lovers of liquor will definitely notice the slightest change in flavor or appearance and may end up not enjoying their favorite drinks for these reasons. Plus such individuals will typically have enough stock of liquor in their cabinets at any given point. Proper storage helps your liquor maintain the quality taste and appearance so that you can enjoy it and have the best experience.