Do Bitters Stay Good Forever After Being Opened?

Every now and then, you'll read something about food that has been preserved for a very long time. You might have heard of honey excavated from an Egyptian tomb that is still perfectly safe to eat or seen a video of somebody eating an MRE from World War II without suffering any ill effects. Maybe you're wondering what else could last forever. Well, if you're an amateur mixologist, you might want to take a look at your bitters; whether you use Angostura or Peychaud's, they don't really go bad in the way you might think, even once they're opened. That doesn't mean, however, that you'll like how they taste when you drink them.

Why is this the case? It has to do with the alcohol itself, which acts as a preservative. That means, even if the flavor changes in an unpleasant way, it won't go rancid or cause you any harm. In fact, this is true for just about any alcohol, especially if it remains unopened. So if you've managed to find a 200-year-old bottle of whiskey and a 100-year-old bottle of Angostura, all you need is some sugar (plus a twist of orange peel if you're feeling fancy) to make a good, strong old fashioned cocktail.

Even though a bottle of bitters that has been sitting on your bar cart for an indeterminate amount of time won't make you sick if you use it in a drink, an old, already-opened one won't taste like you just plucked it off the shelf at your local liquor store. Exactly how the taste might change depends upon a number of factors, including temperature, storage, and specific ingredients. For bitters specifically, some will just taste more bland and watery than they used to after some time, while others — especially those with high fruit and water content — will oxidize until they taste particularly sharp and metallic. 

Still, though, this won't be an issue if you keep them refrigerated and consume them promptly, which is as true for bitters as it is for other liquors. Brands that use more fresh ingredients will maintain their taste for more like six months to a year, while others can stay fresh for several years.

In general, you'll want to keep from opening your bottles of alcohol (bitters, spirits, vermouths, and so on) until you're ready to use them. It's also a good idea to store them in a cool, dry place (or the refrigerator) and make sure the cap is on securely once you put it away. That way, whether you're using sweet bitters for your bourbon drinks or both classic Angostura and orange bitters for a black Manhattan, this bold and complex cocktail must-have will be as fresh, sharp, and, well, bitter as it ought to be.