It’s easy to see why Baileys Irish Cream liqueur…
…is such a popular addition to any liquor cabinet but it does contain cream…
…which causes some concern particularly for newcomers.
Baileys is commonly sold in 750mL bottles or larger…
…which will account for many enjoyable beverages.
Some people may not use their whole bottle in one go…
…or even over the course of a few months.
If tequila and vodka are stored in your cabinet for a long time…
…does Bailey’s last as long?
Even though Baileys is an alcoholic beverage, it contains real dairy milk …
…and cream that will eventually spoil.
It keeps fresh due to the alcohol, however.
If properly stored, a bottle will last…
…for approximately 2 years after it is manufactured…
…regardless of whether it has been opened.
This article will explain what your Baileys’ expiry date really means…
…how to tell if your Baileys is still fresh…
…how to store it to keep it safe and delicious for as long as possible…
…and to answer your question about “Does Baileys go bad?”.
So, keep reading…
An Overview of Baileys
Bailey’s Irish Cream contains 17% alcohol…
…while the cream and whiskey are homogenized.
It is a process by which two liquids are mixed together, in this case Irish whiskey…
…and cream, so that they are of the same thickness throughout.
It’s basically combining two liquids.
The two liquids are then emulsified with refined vegetable oil…
…and the emulsion is completed.
This prevents the liquids from separating, keeping the mixture tight.
Baileys is commonly sold in 750ml bottles or more…
…which is perfect if you want to have a heavy night with friends.
However, chances are you won’t drink it all in one day…
…maybe not even in one week or month.
The Baileys is a liqueur, and unlike liquor, liqueur doesn’t last forever.
As long as it contains dairy, it won’t spoil with age…
…like your ancient bottle of vodka, or gin.
In contrast to some other drinks you may have in your cupboard…
…Bailey’s goes bad because of the cream in it.
Despite its mixing with alcohol, it can still go bad…
…but at a slower rate compared to regular cream and dairy products.
Due to the fact that it contains real dairy, it is a risk…
…despite the fact that it tastes so good!
Alcohol extends the life of Baileys by about 2 years on average…
…since it keeps it fresh for a little bit longer.
Well is it true? Does Baileys go bad?…
Baileys can go bad? It is true that this Irish Cream liqueur has an expiration date. Because Baileys contain actual dairy products such as cream and milk, they will eventually become sour. Baileys’ bottles are all labelled with a minimum shelf life of two years, whether opened or unopened, chilled or not.
Emmanuelle – Culinary Writer (The Culinary Professor)
Although Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur does not claim…
…to be the only one on the market…
…it is the only one that claims to remain fresh for two years.
The batch produced two years ago is stamped as the best before date.
The best-before date is not an expiry date; it’s more like a guideline…
…so if the liquid has passed the best-before date…
…be cautious and check it before you drink it.
This does not mean it will go bad…
…the best before date is an indication of freshness…
…so after the date, it may begin to lose flavor.
It may also mean separating the cream from the alcohol gradually…
…which will affect the smoothness of the texture and the quality of the taste.
Before we jump in for next section
Let’s hear Selenas’s story,
I am Selena, a housewife
Baileys Irish Cream has been one of my favorite drinks for many years;
I enjoy it as a nightcap, add it to favorite recipes, and give it as gifts to friends and family.
Even the first dog we owned was named Bailey after my husband and I,
as we both enjoyed drinking Baileys Irish Cream.
When we opened a bottle and didn’t finish it all,
we wondered how to properly store it.
Does Bailey’s Irish Cream need to be refrigerated?
Can Baileys go bad?
Those were my two most common questions.
As it contains cream, it might seem that it needs refrigeration.
Now I know that despite its 17% alcohol content, Baileys does not require refrigeration before
or after opening due to its patented process.
Now, here’s the deal…
Is It Possible to Drink Expired Baileys?
After Baileys has gone past its best-before date…
…you can still drink it because it should remain good for a few weeks or even months.
There is no guarantee that it will taste the same.
As opposed to this though, if your Baileys is curdled as well as expired…
…then we recommend you not enjoy it, as you would if your milk was old.
It would probably taste and feel off, and it would very likely be sour.
Therefore, we do not recommend that at all.
Drinking it wouldn’t be very pleasant.
Furthermore, it is also likely to make you sick or upset your stomach.
It won’t cause long-term damage, but it will make you feel unwell for a while…
…so it’s not worth it.
How Can You Tell If Baileys Has Gone Bad?
Usually, when you throw away Baileys, it is not because it has gone bad…
…but because the taste and texture have depleted…
…and now it lacks the flavor you love.
As a result, it is thrown away.
Throwing it away now is fine, since you are avoiding unsatisfying Baileys…
…and eliminating the risk of accidentally drinking the mixture when it has gone bad.
Therefore, how can you tell if it has actually gone bad and curdled?
There are three things you should check:
Smell
We check the smell first, as we would with milk.
As it goes bad, it smells like custard, or may smell sour like milk.
You will simply notice that the smell has changed
Texture
We all know that Baileys tastes good when it is creamy and smooth…
…so what makes it so appealing?
When Baileys go bad, it will be the complete opposite, thick, lumpy, and congealed.
Its consistency will be totally out of whack.
If there are lumps in something that is not supposed to have lumps…
…check it as you would milk or dessert cream.
Color
You shouldn’t forget color either, if your Baileys passed the smell and texture test…
…then go for the color test.
The white cream will start to separate from the whisky if it is bad…
…or is starting to go bad; the drink will begin to darken.
If it is dark, then you are only a short while away from coagulation…
…so it is best to throw it out.
Obviously, if your Baileys passes these tests, you ought to taste it.
There is much you can learn about food and drinks from your taste buds.
If it doesn’t taste like what it should, then you can probably stop drinking it.
If the flavor is starting to fade, but you are not bothered by it…
…there is no need to throw it out, since it isn’t bad or spoiled yet.
If you are not worried about the changing flavor, keep it as is.
Is It Okay to Drink Curdled Baileys?
Short answer? Depending on the situation.
Irregardless of whether Baileys has curdled…
…that doesn’t always mean that it has become unsafe to drink.
You’ll find that the texture and taste can sometimes be unappealing.
The liqueur may have gone bad if it has expired…
…been improperly stored or contaminated, or if it has curdled…
…in which case you should get rid of it.
It is likely that you will get sick, get a stomach ache…
…or have other digestive problems if you drink it while it is in this condition.
Although, it will only be temporary and won’t be life-threatening…
…like if you drink gone of milk or have curled cream.
Having said that, if your Baileys go bad, the flavor will be gone and the texture…
…which will have curdled, won’t be nice, making it not worth getting sick over.
In addition, there are some other things to consider about going off Bailey’s.
If you’re mixing Baileys with other drinks….
…it should be fresh and fine if it’s put into a mixer.
It may be difficult or even impossible to mix…
…especially with Baileys mix and consistency…
…since the cream is a heavy component.
The other thing to note is that if you mix flavors, drinks, and so on…
…the acid in these items will curdle Baileys…
…so you should not mix Baileys with sprite and a slice of lemon.
However, an expert bartender or drinks mixer may know how to mix Baileys…
…with a soda without curdling the cream content of Baileys.
Unless you have experience mixing drinks…
it would be best to avoid serving lumpy drinks if you are a novice mixer.
In any case, it is not frowned upon to experiment for yourself…
…so long as you’re willing to take a lumpy drink.
Baileys is most often combined with coffee or hot chocolate in mixers…
because it curdles easily with many popular mixers.
These are not acidic enough to curdle the yogurt and also taste great.
It gets better…
Baileys Lasts for How Long?
For the best taste and flavor, we recommend drinking Baileys…
…within six months of purchasing, according to manufacturers.
It does not matter when it is opened or where it is kept.
However, it is also advisable for you to keep your Bailey away from sunlight.
Cooking and heating it up is bad for Baileys as well.
Baileys, which contains whiskey as a natural preservative…
…gives the cream a long shelf life, making it possible to store it…
…for longer periods than you might expect.
At its young age, Baileys is considered to be bright, fresh, and flavorful…
with a smooth texture and delicate flavor.
The condition may slowly deteriorate after the first six months.
You can determine the age of your Baileys by the date manufacturers note on it…
…as well as by testing the smell, texture, color, and taste.
Baileys are not likely to go bad if they have passed their expiration date…
…but it is still a good idea to check the best-before date on them.
Baileys should not be stored anywhere with a temperature higher than 25C or 77F…
…and keep it out of direct sunlight.
Baileys may still be drinkable years after the best-by date…
but for others it may have gone off sooner…
…and they will only have a few weeks to enjoy it.
Unopened Baileys Last for How Long?
A bottle of Baileys with a two-year best-by date that has been unopened…
…should last months, if not years after opening.
Since the cream has not been exposed to oxygen…
…the alcohol will help preserve it even longer, keeping it fresh even longer.
Heat is the only factor that could affect this.
Therefore, keep your Baileys in a cool dry place such as the basement, refrigerator…
…or other dark and cool places, out of direct sunlight.
It is best to keep your Bailey somewhere dark…
…to avoid any surprise consequences of a hot, sunny day…
…that might affect the lifespan of your Bailey.
When Opened, How Long Does Baileys Last?
The lifespan of your Baileys can be affected…
…by a variety of factors once it has been opened.
Nevertheless, manufacturers note that it has an average shelf life of two years.
After cracking it open, there are a few things you should know…
…about storing your liqueur for ultimate freshness and longevity.
It will need to be kept cool, so make sure it’s stored somewhere cool and dark…
…away from any heat source.
Once you have opened your bottle, it will be even more sensitive to temperature…
…so always re-seal it and return it to its cool, dark place after you have poured it out.
Besides being more sensitive to temperature, it is also more attractive to bacteria…
and susceptible to outside contamination.
Preventing premature curdling by keeping it from the outside world…
…will keep it at its freshest.
One of the hardest do nots is to never drink from the bottle…
…especially if you intend to keep it. It is not only unhygienic to drink from the bottle…
…but it also creates a breeding ground for bacteria.
The bacteria in your bottle could very easily curdle your Baileys…
…if you drink directly from it. As a result, your drink dies faster than expected.
It is also wise not to leave your bottles uncapped…
…or unsealed for any length of time longer than absolutely necessary.
As with drinking from the bottle, this will allow foreign bodies into your drink…
…and it will likely curdle.
Although alcohol kills bacteria, the cream and sugar in Baileys are too tempting…
…for bacteria and pathogens, leading to their breeding and curdling.
Having an open bottle attracts nasty foreign bodies, causes mold to grow…
…and causes curdling early on.
After Opening Baileys, Should It be Refrigerated?
In the manufacturer’s instructions that come with each Baileys…
…you will learn how to keep your Baileys safe and consumable.
It is recommended that the bottle be refrigerated after opening for the best taste…
…but should be kept at 0-25C/32-77F for proper storage.
It’s also okay to store it in a liqueur cabinet or home bar…
…as long as the temperature is cool enough…
…and you don’t get too hot summers if you plan to keep it that long.
The Baileys does not need to be refrigerated for freshness…
…it simply needs to be kept cool.
While Baileys, like many Irish Cream beverages, is best enjoyed cold…
…you could also avoid the inconvenience of putting it in the fridge…
…every time you want to serve it by refrigerating it for safety reasons.
Since it contains cream, it should be refrigerated once opened…
…as any dairy product can go bad if improperly stored.
Again, Baileys is best stored below 25C/77F.
However, refrigeration is recommended for this kind of beverage, so it won’t harm it.
Sum Up!
Bailey’s offers a 2-year warranty on its products, starting from the date of manufacture.
Nevertheless, it’s highly unlikely that the product will suddenly spoil…
…the day after the best before date passes.
Some people have been able to drink Baileys years after the date stamped…
…on the bottle by storing it as recommended, at temperatures no higher than 25C…
…or 77F and away from direct sunlight.
If you’re storing the bottles for a future date, make sure the bottles are kept in a dark…
…cool spot or in your fridge to reduce the impact of heat on these results.
Conclusion
There are many factors that can affect the freshness of Baileys once it has been opened.
It is still guaranteed for two years…
…but you have to be more cautious about how you store and use your liqueur.
Drink it as soon as you have broken the seal…
…then try to keep it cooled whenever possible.
Once you’ve poured your drink, reseal the bottle and place it in a cool, dark place.
I hope this article shows answered your question about “Does Baileys go bad?”
Now, I’d like to know what you have to say.
Have you checked whether your Baileys go bad or not?
Either way, let me know in the comment section below!
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
