Vermouth can be served as a cocktail, martini, or on its own, a classy and timeless drink since the Greek ages. If you’ve got a bottle of vermouth you’d like to enjoy, you’re probably wondering how long it lasts. Does vermouth go bad, or can this drink be used for years to come without worries?
Yes, like other alcoholic drinks, vermouth has a long shelf life with proper storage. However, that doesn’t mean it will never lose its quality or flavor (we learned that the hard way).
Read on to learn all about the vermouth shelf life and about how it can go bad here!
What is Vermouth?
Vermouth is a fortified wine made of white grapes with various spices and ingredients to add to its flavor. (*)
It used to be for medicinal purposes but is now a major ingredient in various cocktails. Personally, we consume it as a trendy aperitif drink!
Sweet vermouth has a 10-15% sugar content, while dry vermouth would have a sugar content lower than 5%. Its alcohol content is between 16-18%.
Does Vermouth Go Bad?
Technically, we can keep vermouth indefinitely without going bad. That’s because it’s an alcoholic product with self-preserving properties.
Because of its high alcohol content, it’s resistant to bacteria and mold growth, making it have a long shelf life, even longer compared to wine but not long enough compared to hard liquor.
Different factors cause your drink to have a dull, flat flavor over time, such as:
1. Microbial Spoilage
Bacteria and mold love live in moist environments where there is a lot of food available.
Alcohol and aromatic herbs in vermouth help fight microbial growth, but eventually, the bacteria and mold can come, especially in unopened bottles.
2. Aroma Loss
When pouring out of its bottle, you replace liquid with air. Volatile aromatics would escape from the wine that remains, filling the headspace. This results in less aromatic and bad vermouth that we won’t want you to ever try drinking.
3. The Fridge
While the fridge can help opened vermouth bottles last long, the cold temperatures can slow down both chemical and physical processes. Sometimes, the very cold temperatures in a fridge can end up in your bottle, losing its flavor and quality.
4. Oxidation
Oxygen would react with various volatile aromatic compounds that help give vermouth flavor. Compounds that will lose their electrons then bind with oxygen are reducing agents, which contain phenols. White wine from vermouth is vulnerable to oxidation compared to red wine.
Learn more: What does vermouth taste like?
How Long Does Vermouth Last?(Dry and Sweet)
So, what’s shelf life of Dry and Sweet vermouth? We recommend you to use vermouth as soon as you can since taste great fresh. However, it can last for a few years in your wine cellar or pantry.
In general, an unopened bottle has a shelf life of 3-4 years. If your vermouth bottle has an expiration date, add 2-3 years on top of that date.
That said, it doesn’t automatically mean that vermouth will go bad even after the said shelf life. It just means that its quality will decrease over time.
What about a dry or sweet unopene bottle vermouth?
Once opened, they can still last pretty long and keep their quality. Expect it to last for a few weeks to months, depending on how you store it. That said, we suggest finishing that opened bottle of vermouth within 3 weeks of opening it to ensure good quality.
Another thing to consider is the type of vermouth you are using. Dry vermouth can last for 3-4 weeks, while sweet vermouth may last for longer, around 2 months. That’s because sugar in sweet vermouth acts as a preserving agent, helping it last longer.
We need you to take note that these are merely educated guesses based on reports from dry and sweet vermouth users, so you may want to stick with consuming it within a month after opening it.
If not stored properly or sits around for over 2 months after opening it, it loses flavor and quality.
You won’t get sick since it hasn’t gone bad, but expect it not to have the same flavors it did while it was still newly opened.Â
| Vermouth | Room temperature | Refrigerator |
|---|---|---|
| Vermouth (unopened) | 3 to 4 years | – |
| Vermouth (opened) | – | 1 to 2 months |
How Can you tell if vermouth has gone bad?
Again, vermouth doesn’t go bad. However, there are chances that bottles are contaminated with air pollutants. And, of course, the loss of quality.
It’s best to double-check and know the signs that tell if it has gone bad.
We show you what to watch out for:
1. Smell and color
Smell the drink and observe. If it smells weird or the color has changed significantly since opening the bottle, it’s best to go for a newer one.
After all, you wouldn’t want your guests tasting flat spirits or off-smelling vermouths. That just kills your party’s vibe!
2. The Taste
The obvious sign is through tasting the vermouth. It needs to have that bright and aromatic flavor. Vermouth that’s been sitting for too long would taste flat and dull. Older bottles would be unpleasant to drink and taste way different than they did before.
We have heard people say they find sediments on the bottom of the bottle. No worries, as this is normal. That sediment is tartrate crystal, an acid that occurs naturally from the wine production process.
Allow that sediment to settle at the bottom before you pour or filter it using a sieve.
Drinking old vermouth that’s gone past its best-by date won’t hurt you. BUT, it’s not a pleasurable experience since it smells and tastes off!
It’s definitely not something you’ll want to add to your cocktail or drink straight up. Trust us, we know the off-flavors, and you can live without ever knowing what it tastes like.
How to Store a Bottle of Vermouth
How can you store vermouth well so it can last longer after opening the bottle? Here are a few tips you could follow:
1. Place In The Proper Place
We recommend storing vermouths the same way one stores wine. Please keep it in a cool and dark place, without any heat sources or sunlight exposure.
The best storage option is in the pantry, or you can store it in a kitchen cabinet or liquor cabinet. Just make sure that the cabinet you store it in doesn’t have any glass doors. For unopened bottles, we recommend keeping the bottle at room temperature (still cool enough to prevent heat from ruining its quality).
If you opened the bottle already, you might want to store it in the refrigerator for the quality to last a bit longer compared to room temperature.
We urge you to avoid freezing vermouth since it will lose its flavor when it thaws. Its alcohol content isn’t high enough to withstand freezing, so that it will harden at low temperatures.
2. Keep Tightly Sealed
After opening the bottle, make sure that you keep it tightly sealed when you aren’t using it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are more things you need to learn about your favorite drink:
Wrapping It Up
Whether you have dry or sweet vermouth, it’s important to use it while it’s still fresh, or at least within weeks after owning an opened bottle.
This helps your bottle last longer and has its taste good for your martini, Manhattan, or other beverage choices in your home bar!
We hope this article answers all your questions about the shelf life. Keep your vermouths in proper storage so you can continue enjoying your cocktails for a long time!
