There is not such a thing as having too many bottles of bourbon in your home bar, as any true connoisseur will tell you. When you open a bottle of bourbon, you’ll be treated to the distiller’s interpretation of an American classic, complete with subtle nuances and layers of flavor. One issue does arise, though, when you amass a bourbon collection: where to put it all!
While it’s possible to just leave your bottles sitting about, it’s not always the best idea, particularly if you would like your bourbon to keep its flavor. Take the mystery out of aging your bourbon with our guidance. A comprehensive guide to bourbon storage, written by Oak and Eden.
Why It’s Important to Properly Store Bourbon
You might be asking why it’s so important to know how to store your bourbon properly before we get into the specifics. What’s the worst that might happen, after all? As it turns out, though, there are some undesirable outcomes.
Improper bourbon storage can ruin the complex flavors and aromas that the distiller painstakingly toiled to create. It shortens the whiskey’s shelf life, can make the bourbon harsher, lets off undesirable flavors, and ruins a bottle before it’s even opened.
The only way to ensure a delightful product when you pour yourself a drink is to store your bourbon properly, whether you have open bottles you want to keep for as long as possible or unique bottles you are preserving for a day in the future.
How Long Does Opened Bourbon Stay Good for?
Now we can get down to business and discuss some storage guidelines. Before anything else, you’ll need a plan for dealing with any partially consumed bottles.
Keep Them in a Dark Place
Open bottles of bourbon should be kept out of light, especially direct sunlight, as soon as possible after opening. Some whisky experts claim that exposing a bottle of whisky to sunlight is the simplest way to spoil it.
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are to blame for this, as they are also the cause of sunburn and cancer in people. Because of the chemical reaction that occurs when exposed to UV light, your whisky may lose its color, flavor, and depth that it has taken years to achieve. The best place to keep open bottles is somewhere that does not get direct sunlight, but you don’t necessarily have to keep them in a dark cave or a cupboard (although those are both good suggestions).
Control Your Oxygen Intake
The clock begins ticking toward the bottle’s expiration date the moment you open a bottle of bourbon (or any other sort of whisky or alcohol, for that matter). Oxygen is a major contributor to this problem.
The oxidation process, which begins as soon as your bourbon comes into contact with oxygen in the air, swiftly leads to undesirable alterations in the whisky. There are three ways to reduce the amount of time open bottles of bourbon spend exposed to oxygen:
Reducing the amount of whisky that is exposed to air will improve its flavor, therefore try to limit the number of bottles that are open at once. To maintain your whisky tasting its best and extending its shelf life, try not to have more than two bottles open at once.
Bottles should be kept sealed at all times, thus after each use, the cap or cork should be replaced. Leaving the cap off for short periods won’t ruin your whisky, but doing so for several days, weeks or months will cause the bourbon to oxidize.
The last thing you can do to protect your bourbon from the air is to transfer it to a smaller bottle. Headspace, sometimes known as “room for air in the bottle,” grows as whisky is consumed. Whisky can be preserved for longer if it is regularly transferred from larger containers to smaller ones with less headroom.
Keep The Bottles Upright
Corks are kept from drying out by being stored horizontally with wine, but bourbon’s higher alcohol content means that storing it in direct contact with the liquid can accelerate the cork’s destruction. Make sure your bottles are always standing up straight.
Keep the Temperature Stable
Last but not least, keep your whisky at a consistent temperature once you’ve opened the bottles. The best way to enjoy your whisky over time is at its optimal serving temperature, which is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Long Can a Bottle of Bourbon Sit in Storage Before It Goes Bad?
There are a few alternatives to the traditional methods of storing bourbon (no sunshine, limited oxygen, store standing upright, stable temperature) for full, sealed bottles.
Build a Display
You may like to flaunt your extensive bourbon whisky or other whisky collection. Displaying your bourbon collection, whether in a dedicated cabinet or just on your home bar, is a great way to show off your collection and wow guests.
Ensure that the lighting in your bar or storage display is museum-quality, meaning it won’t heat the liquor or expose it to harmful ultraviolet rays. Dust will accumulate on bottles in a display case, so be sure to clean and rotate them frequently.
Future Plans
If you have a few bottles of bourbon that you plan on keeping for the foreseeable future, it’s probably best to seek out a longer-lasting storage option that will keep the bottle in the condition in which it was intended to be consumed.
Store your pricey bourbons in a safe or vault if you have one. Your vault or safe will not only provide a cool, dark area to keep your bourbons, but it will also keep your valuable bourbons safe. Anyone serious about collecting bourbon knows that the most valuable bottles may cost tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars.
Be cautious when storing your excellent, unopened bourbon whisky to avoid ruining the bottle, cap, box, or sleeve it arrived in. Maintaining the pristine state of your collection is essential to ensuring its continued worth.
Hire a Storage Unit
Commercial and off-site storage facilities could be a good alternative if you don’t have a safe or vault, don’t have enough room for your collection at home, or can’t maintain safe storage conditions for your bourbon at home.
If you want to keep your rare bottles in tip-top shape, you should store them somewhere safe and at a constant temperature. You should also keep an eye on the safety of the building and the stock you have. Checking on bottles in storage and maintaining an accurate inventory is essential for reporting any missing bottles.
Help! I Have a Bunch of Nearly Empty Bottles
While these suggestions will assist you avoid wasting whisky in the future, we also have some suggestions if you find yourself with open bottles that have been hanging around in improper conditions for storage (or many bottles that are nearly empty and have no idea what to do with them).
The best thing to do if you notice your whisky going bad is to drink it all up as soon as possible. You may be sure of getting the best flavor from an opened bottle of whisky if you drink it all up within around six months.
One option is to throw a “dregs party,” where visitors are encouraged to contribute nearly empty bottles, and the contents are used creatively. If you have a lot of open bottles and you’re having trouble finishing them all, this is a great idea.
You can also try combining the aromas of all your open bourbon bottles in a single container, such as a mason jar, decanter, or empty bottle. It’s best to give the various bourbons some time to mix and mingle together for a few weeks before tasting, and you can continue to do so until you get your desired flavor profile.
Alternately, as you slowly work your way through the drams, you may continue to include the drams of future bottles to create a home mix that is different each time you drink it. You should be doing everything in your power to preserve your bourbon whiskey supply. It would be a shame to waste whisky, especially subpar whisky.
Your Ready To Begin the Storage Process
The bourbon you possess is undoubtedly valuable. The quality, taste, and freshness of the item depend on how you store it. Keep all of your bourbon bottles out of the direct sunshine, as the whiskey’s flavor will be negatively impacted by the chemical changes caused by the UV rays. To prevent oxidation, bottles should be kept sealed when not in use.
The high alcohol level of whisky might cause the cork stopper to deteriorate if the bottle isn’t stored upright. Also, do your best to maintain a temperature of between sixty and seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Display your unopened bottle collection with pride using a case or shelf, but remember to adhere to the same safety precautions you would with any other bottle.