Does blue curacao go bad?

In this brief guide, we will discuss the following question, “does blue curacao go bad?” and discuss how to know if blue curacao has gone bad and how to properly store blue curacao.

Does blue curacao go bad? 

Yes, blue curacao goes bad. It is advised to consume the blue curacao after one to two years from bottle opening. Due to the high concentration of alcohol (31% in volume) (1), blue curacao cannot support the development of microorganisms. 

However, if during storage, there is an evaporation of the alcohol and the alcohol concentration from the extract is reduced, it may be susceptible to microbial growth, if it is contaminated. Some bacteria are known to survive and grow in ethanol concentrations of greater than 18% (v/v) (2).

In addition, because the air in the bottle can stimulate the oxidation of aroma compounds, the quality of the product starts to decline with time. Oxidation and evaporation of volatile compounds are responsible for the loss of aroma of the liquors during storage (3,4).

However, an unopened bottle can last for a very long time which is around a decade or for indefinite time, when stored correctly (5). 

What factors affect how fast blue curacao goes bad?

The factors that affect how fast blue curacao goes bad are mainly the storage conditions and the opening of the bottle (3,4,5).

After opening of the bottle, oxygen diffuses into the liquor and triggers oxidation reactions, which modify the flavor and aroma of the drink. In addition, the volatilization of the aromatic compounds is facilitated, as the bottle is no longer sealed. Therefore, after opening the bottle, the shelf life of alcoholic drinks is reduced.

The exposure to light, humidity and heat accelerates the losses of aroma and the chemical reaction which can lead to the generation of off-odor compounds. Long periods of storage can also alter the aroma and flavor of the drink, as it enables more reactions to occur during time.

The color of the bottle can influence the shelf life of the drink, as colored bottles function as a filter to light. Exposure to light accelerates the oxidation reactions and therefore, transparent bottles should not be used to bottle alcoholic drinks (6).

How to store blue curacao?

You should store blue curacao away from heat, light and humidity in a cool dark place in the pantry. As mentioned earlier several factors such as oxygen, the light, the heat, and the temperature affect the quality of the liquor. 

Ideally, the temperature of the storage room should be kept between 50 and 70°F (10 and 20°C) (7).

How to know if blue curacao has gone bad?

To know if blue curacao has gone bad, you should be able to identify any possible signs of spoilage in the drink (3,4,5,6).

Loss of aroma intensity as well as altered aroma or flavor, generation of off-odors and off-flavors and production of gas are some possible signs of spoilage of the blue curacao.

Can microorganisms cause the spoilage of blue curacao?

Yes, microorganisms can cause the spoilage of blue curacao, if the alcohol concentration of the drink is reduced drastically to below 20% in volume. However, this is not likely to occur. Some bacteria are known to survive and grow in ethanol concentrations of greater than 18% (v/v) (2).

Microorganisms cannot grow in concentrations of alcohol. In fact, liquors exhibit antimicrobial properties due to the high alcoholic content. Therefore, if stored correctly, blue curacao cannot suffer the spoilage by microorganisms.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we discussed the following question, “does blue curacao go bad?” and discussed how to know if blue curacao has gone bad and how to properly store blue curacao.

References

  1. The genuine blue curacao. Manufacturers website. 
  2. Pidot, Sacha J., et al. Increasing tolerance of hospital Enterococcus faecium to handwash alcohols. Sci translat med, 2018, 10, eaar6115.
  3. Xu, M. L., et al. Characterization of Chinese liquor aroma components during aging process and liquor age discrimination using gas chromatography combined with multivariable statistics. Scientific reports, 2017, 7, 39671.  
  4. Câmara, J. D. S., Maria Arminda Alves, and Jose Carlos Marques. Changes in volatile composition of Madeira wines during their oxidative ageing. Analyt chim acta 563.1-2 (2006): 188-197. 
  5. Christoph, Norbert, and Claudia Bauer-Christoph. Flavour of spirit drinks: Raw materials, fermentation, distillation, and ageing. Flavours and fragrances: chemistry, bioprocessing and sustainability. 2007. 
  6. Karabegović, Ivana T., et al. Influence Of The Storage On Bioactive Compounds And Sensory Attributes Of Herbal Liqueur. Digest J Nanomat Biostruct, 2012, 7.
  7. Safe Home Food Storage. Texas University. 
  8. Food Product dating. United States Department of Agriculture.

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