Exact Answer: 6 Months
Made with ingredients like cream, milk, Irish whiskey, cocoa, certain herbs, and spices, Baileys is a well-known Irish cream liqueur. It contains dairy products in itself and thus does not last for ages after it is opened. It is extremely common in almost all houses in the UK to have Baileys at home when the Christmas season is around the corner.
It is considered an essential supply during festivities, especially Christmas. Being an alcoholic liqueur that is flavored with whiskey, cocoa, and cream among other ingredients, it is stocked up by people who consider Baileys as their favorite drink and make it a tradition it enjoy it on every special occasion. However, if one purchases Baileys on an occasional basis and preserves the half leftover bottles of the drink, one should be aware of the ideal time Baileys last once opened.
How Long Does Baileys Last Once Opened?
| Condition | Duration |
| If it is opened | 6 months |
| If it is unopened | 2 years |
A bottle of Baileys has a best-by date of 2 years from the date of manufacturing of the drink. Thus, if the Baileys is not opened, it has a shelf life of about 24 months i.e 2 years. However, on the other hand, an opened bottle of Baileys should be consumed as soon as possible to experience the drink’s maximum taste and authentic flavor before it starts turning stale and go bad.
Baileys, when opened, can last for approximately 6 months after opening, before it starts spoiling. This duration can vary depending upon the conditions in which the drink is stored. Refrigeration helps the drink to stay good for a longer period.
It must be noted, just like expired food should not be consumed, one must not have Baileys after its best-by date of two years has been passed from the date of manufacturing of the drink. It is of vital importance to never consume any product beyond its expiration date as expired items can potentially make the consumer ill.
The alcohol present in Baileys might help the drink to remain fresh during the time it is not being consumed and stored in the refrigerator, but after a time of a maximum of 24 months, the dairy items in the Baileys will eventually start going bad and could make the beverage taste disgusting, bad, and sour.
Why Does Baileys Last This Long Once Opened?
Baileys is an Irish cream with a considerable amount of alcohol in it. As it is a cream liqueur, it contains items like milk, cream, etc that do not have a very long shelf life. Even though alcohol can stay good for a long duration, Baileys don’t as they also include milk products in it as well.
One can easily comprehend by the smell of Baileys whether it is fit for consumption or not. Generally, a foul, unpleasant, or sour kind of smell denotes that the Irish cream has gone bad and won’t last thereon.
Another indicator of spoilage of Baileys can be concluded by observing the texture of the drink. If the drink has coagulated due to the presence of dairy items, such a bottle of Baileys should immediately be discarded and not be consumed. One must remember that generally, Baileys does not last longer than 2 years even if stored cautiously as milk products eventually go bad and so does Baileys due to their presence in the beverage.
Thus, an unopened bottle of Baileys lasts up to 24 months without affecting its quality for consumption. However, if the Baileys has been opened but one wants to store it, such a case necessitates that it must be stored inside a refrigerator so that it stays good for at least 6 months after the bottle is opened.
Conclusion
Baileys is an Irish cream liqueur with a maximum shelf life of 2 years. It is also used to make alcoholic milkshakes that taste rich, creamy, and elysian. It consists of about 17% alcohol.
One should store the Baileys away from direct sun exposure as excessive heat might spoil the beverage. It should ideally be stored in a refrigerator as a temperature range of 0 – 25 degrees is considered ideal for the storage of Baileys. For experiencing the best taste, one must consume the Baileys as soon as possible once opened or store it for a maximum of 6 months after opening.
References
- https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/eb008598/full/html
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4899-7671-0_4
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1509/jmkr.42.1.43.56889
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