Does Baileys Really Need To Be Refrigerated?

Baileys Irish Cream is a casual drinking staple, especially if you're into milky beverages like mudslides. It's drinkable on its own (ideally chilled). And at a 17% alcohol-by-volume (ABV), it's a drink you can sit around with and sip on. But one of its main defining ingredients is the inclusion of actual dairy cream, which means that you're probably keenly concerned about whether or not it should be refrigerated once it's been opened.

The answer, surprisingly, is no. You do not, in fact, have to refrigerate Baileys once you've opened a bottle. This bit of information comes straight from the brand itself, who simply says, "No, Baileys does not have to be stored in the fridge. The recommended storages temperature for Baileys is 32 degrees Fahrenheit to 77 degrees Fahrenheit and not in direct sunlight." The product's total shelf life is two years from its bottling date, whether it's been opened or not, so be sure to use it up before then. Now you've got an excuse to splash it into your after-dinner coffee more often.

Baileys isn't the only brand that makes Irish cream, so it's important to know that other ones might require refrigeration after they've been opened. We previously investigated why this is, but basically, if there isn't a certain alcohol threshold in the product, it can spoil since alcohol acts as a preservative. So if you're getting an alternative brand of Irish cream over Baileys, just be sure to check the label for its post-opening storage instructions. You don't want to be surprised with a sour mouthful or a traumatically curdled pour (I've been witness to this) the next time you're about to drink some Irish cream on ice.

But for Baileys, at least, you'll be able to let that sit out as long as the bottle isn't in direct sunlight, and provided where you live isn't terribly warm, over 77 degrees Fahrenheit, your Baileys should last you a couple years. If you don't polish it off much sooner, that is.