A 750ml bottle of Baileys or larger is frequently available, which is great if you want to host guests or have a wild night. But it’s likely that you won’t consume it all in a single day, or even a single week or month. Baileys is a liqueur, which has a shorter shelf life than liquor. It won’t spoil over time like that old bottle of gin or vodka in your cabinet because it contains dairy.
When you are drinking Baileys, you want to keep it at a cool temperature. The ideal temperature for Baileys is 0-24 Centigrade (32-77 degrees Fahrenheit) and it should be stored in the fridge. Expired Baileys may go bad and cause a stomach upset, so it is important to store them at the appropriate temperature.
How Long does Baileys Last in the Fridge Opened?
Although manufacturers claim that Baileys has a two-year shelf life, we strongly advise consuming it within six months for the greatest flavor and taste. No matter when it is opened or where it is kept, this applies.
However, keeping your Baileys out of direct sunshine is also ideal for them. You don’t want it to be fried and heated since Baileys doesn’t like that.
The Baileys whiskey serves as a natural preservative, giving the beverage an amazing shelf life. As a result, the cream may be stored for longer than you might think.
Baileys is seen to be at its best within the first six months, with the most health in its quality, delicate flavor, and smooth texture.
It can begin to gradually decline after the first six months. However, the date manufacturers note on it as well as your own; smell, texture, color, and taste tests are the most important markers of life for your Baileys.
Even though it is quite improbable that your Baileys would spoil the day after its expiration date, it is still a good idea to consider the best-before date.
To prevent your Baileys from warming, it is advised not to store them anywhere with a temperature higher than 25C (77F). Also, keep it away from direct sunlight.
While some people’s Baileys may still be good years after the best-by date, others weren’t as fortunate and theirs went bad sooner, giving them only a few weeks to enjoy it after opening.
After Opening, Should Baileys be Kept Chilled?
There are manufacturer instructions on every bottle of Baileys that explain how to maintain the product safe and highly consumable. Although the bottle should be stored at 0-25C/32-77F, the company advises refrigeration after opening for the optimum flavor.
If you plan to preserve your bottle for that long, keeping it in a liquor cabinet or home bar is also acceptable as long as the temperature is cold enough and you do not have particularly hot summers.
Keep in mind that Baileys does not necessarily need to be refrigerated in order to stay fresh; it can just be kept cool.
Although Baileys, like many other Irish Cream beverages, is best served chilled, you might store your Baileys in the refrigerator for temperature control and to avoid having to remove it and put it in the refrigerator each time you want to serve.
Since it contains cream, it is advised to keep it chilled after opening because, like all dairy products, it might spoil if not properly preserved. However, as stated before, Baileys is simply best stored below 25C/77F. Although refrigeration is encouraged for this type of beverage, doing so won’t harm it.
What are Several Fascinating Baileys-Related Details?
They added a hot chocolate powder mix because the whisky and cream concoction on its own wasn’t quite good enough. This ultimately turned into a crucial component. Although the mixture was somewhat altered before it was made public, it is still excellent.
Focus groups were conducted to test Baileys, and although the guys emptied their glasses, they referred to it as “girls drink.” When presented to ladies, they complained that the drink’s appearance was unattractive and that it resembled medicine. A test bottle was consumed in full by two police officers after it had been unsuccessful for a while, and soon after Baileys was made available to the general public.
Although drink tycoons said it wouldn’t succeed when it was first made public, it swiftly overtook other liqueurs as the best-selling beverage in the world.
It is a component in the well-known “prank shot,” which consists of two shots: one of Bailey’s and one of lime. When you take the lime shot while holding the Baileys in your mouth, the Baileys will start to curdle in your tongue. Ew! How Absurd!
Real Irish cream is used in Bailey’s cream. The cream that gives Baileys its silky texture and delicious flavor is made from 220 million liters of fresh milk annually. This milk is produced by 38,000 dairy cows on 1,500 family-run farms, mostly in the eastern United States.
Can you Consume Baileys that have Gone Bad?
You can still consume Baileys after the best-before date has passed because it should last for a few weeks or possibly even months. Even though the flavor might not be as excellent as previously.
On the other hand, if your Bailey’s has curdled in addition to expiring, we do not advise drinking it, just as you wouldn’t if the milk had gone bad.
It would probably be sour and have an odd flavor and texture. So, we absolutely do not suggest that. Drinking it wouldn’t be enjoyable.
Additionally, it is probably going to give you a stomach ache or make you feel sick.
Although it won’t harm you permanently, it will make you feel ill for a while, so it isn’t worth it.
How do you Know Whether Baileys has Spoiled?
The majority of the time, you toss away your Baileys because the taste and texture have diminished and it no longer has the delicious flavor you remember. So, it is discarded.
Throwing it away at this stage is perfectly acceptable because you will avoid drinking stale Baileys and reduce the possibility that you will accidentally consume the mixture.
How can you determine if it has genuinely curdled and gone bad?
You should perform the following three checks:
Smell
Similar to how we would with milk, we begin by smelling the food.
It may smell somewhat like custard or sour, much like milk, if it has gone bad.
Keep in mind that the smell will just have changed from the past.
Texture
Baileys will be creamy and smooth when it is at its best, which is why we all adore it so much, right? On the other hand, if food has expired, it will be exactly the opposite—thick, lumpy, or congealed.
There will be no consistency at all. There is nothing worse than lumps in something that is not supposed to have lumps, so check it like you would with milk or dessert cream.
Color
Obviously, color is important. If your Baileys passed the test for texture and scent, move on to the color test.
The cream and whisky will start to separate if it has gone bad or is starting to, which will cause the beverage started to look dark.
It is preferable to discard it right immediately if it is black since you are close to coagulation.
Naturally, if your Baileys passes each of these requirements, taste it. You may learn a lot about your food and drink by how it tastes. You know how it should taste, so if it doesn’t, it’s probably on its way out.
However, if the flavor is beginning to wane and you don’t mind, there is no reason to immediately toss it out; it hasn’t yet gone bad, and if any tiny changes in flavor don’t bother you, you can still keep it.
What will happen if I Consume Baileys that have Curdled?
Strangely, the presence of curd in Baileys does not always indicate that it is no longer good or safe to consume. Sometimes, the flavor and texture can simply be unpleasant.
However, if your Baileys has curdled, is past its expiration date, was improperly stored, or has been tainted by outside elements, it is usually best to throw it out and get a new bottle.
If you consume it at this time, you’ll probably feel nauseous, develop a stomachache, or experience other digestive issues. Like drinking out of milk or eating curdled cream, it won’t be fatal, but it will only be short-lived.
However, if your Baileys has gone bad, it won’t taste good and won’t have a pleasant texture from curdling, so it’s hardly worth getting sick over.
There are a few additional issues with drinking Baileys that has gone bad.
One thing to keep in mind is that Baileys should be fine and fresh if you’re mixing it with other beverages.
Although, because of the heavy cream component in Bailey’s mix, blending may be challenging or problematic.
Another thing to keep in mind is that acid can curdle Baileys. Therefore, it is not a good idea to mix Baileys with Sprite and a slice of lemon because it would probably curdle it. This is especially true if you are mixing flavors, drinks, and other things.
Having said that, a skilled mixologist or bartender may know how to combine Baileys with a soda to make an Irish soda without causing the cream component of the Baileys to curdle.
Avoid it if you are a novice or inexperienced drink mixer because you will probably dish out a lumpy drink. Nevertheless, as long as you don’t mind drinking a lumpy beverage, you are free to try it for yourself.
In mixers, Baileys is most frequently paired with coffee or hot chocolate due to how quickly it can curdle with many common mixers. These taste great and are not too acidic to cause them to curdle.
Conclusion
Baileys is a dairy product, so it’s not a great idea to store unopened bottles in the fridge. This makes the alcohol go bad faster. The bottle should be kept in a dry place and away from direct sunlight. Look for the Best Taste Before date on the back label of the bottle, which is generally two years after the manufacture date.
Baileys can last for up to 24 months in the fridge. When storing them, it is important to check the expiration date and store them in a cool dark place away from sunlight and heat. If you plan to use them in recipes, it is recommended to keep them in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.
