How long do you keep your bottles open?

[Guy Debord]

Don't sweat it until after 2 years. I've had the last drop of open bottles at bars that tasted excellent. I would assume those bottles were under 2 years old. In fact the last pour of an Eagle Rare recently out at one of my favorite bars was fantastic. I have not been able to create that flavor from my own bottles (drink'em too quick I guess). In the short term air does not hurt bourbon, it has made some of mine taste better (WellerSR is a good example of needing air time... for me at least).

[TunnelTiger]

If you have vermouth open and it isn't refrigerated you are probably best served by dumping it! Remember it is a wine based spirit. You may not notice as much if you are mixing with it but try a Manhattan with an old bottle and a fresh one and see if there isn't a pretty big difference!

Even in a fridge using a vacuum seal I think the most I can hope for is 3-4 months, maybe six if I don't open it a lot in between and it still probably won't be as good.

Love this site, always learning something new. A couple of bottles will be disposed of tonight.

[dSculptor]

I've never had a bottle go bad.. I keep as many as possible open and I treat them all with the same respect, everybody gets a turn....except for a few presents...that have been open for about 2 yrs...Jameson, Jeremiah weed, Crown Royal... I think you get the picture.Oh and 1 scotch that probably is open the longest at about 3 yrs.. The glenlivet 15.

[393foureyedfox]

Don't sweat it until after 2 years. I've had the last drop of open bottles at bars that tasted excellent. I would assume those bottles were under 2 years old. In fact the last pour of an Eagle Rare recently out at one of my favorite bars was fantastic. I have not been able to create that flavor from my own bottles (drink'em too quick I guess). In the short term air does not hurt bourbon, it has made some of mine taste better (WellerSR is a good example of needing air time... for me at least).

I like ordering the last pour of a bottle when out somewhere. If there's not enough for a pour, they open another.....but if there's 1.5 pours in the bottle, they'll usually just give you the whole thing so they can be done with the bottle. win-win!

[bourboNcigars]

For my bottles once they are half full I use those gray stoppers sold for wine bottles and use the device you put in top and pull and push on to such out all the air and makes sealed so no air gets in..you keep pushing and pulling in the handle until you hear it clicking, that let's you know it's sealed air tight, you can buy it from Amazon for about $15 it comes with 4 stoppers I think, and binnys sells the stoppers in packs of 2 for $5

[GaryT]

For my bottles once they are half full I use those gray stoppers sold for wine bottles and use the device you put in top and pull and push on to such out all the air and makes sealed so no air gets in..you keep pushing and pulling in the handle until you hear it clicking, that let's you know it's sealed air tight, you can buy it from Amazon for about $15 it comes with 4 stoppers I think, and binnys sells the stoppers in packs of 2 for $5

I use the same thing, although not necessarily when they get to half full (I bought the stoppers to use for corks which weren't sealing or had broken, and then had to go buy the other piece to get the stoppers to stay in ) http://www.vacuvin.com/Wine-Saver

[bourboNcigars]

Glad I'm not alone, at first I questioned if this was OK to do to bourbon even though I had no reason to think it would harm it, but you know how it is, it's like giving medicine to your kid It's meant to help and heal but still worry about what side effects it has lol