Canned cocktails are the epitome of comfort. They’re nice for stashing in a cooler and hauling to the seashore when a tough seltzer or macro lager simply doesn’t sound prefer it’ll hit the spot, and so they make for a really perfect at-home deal with whenever you don’t have the substances — or the vitality — to fire up a cocktail by yourself. But when a number of of these cans have been crowding the again of your fridge for so long as you possibly can keep in mind, it’s possible you’ll need to suppose twice earlier than cracking one open.

Regardless of their packaging, all canned cocktails usually are not as shelf-stable as you would possibly anticipate. To find extra about their expiration dates, VinePair tapped Andrew Rodbell, co-founder of Put up Meridiem Cocktails, for extra data.

Canned cocktails usually expire inside one yr of buy, however there are a number of components which will impression their lifespan. As many pre-mixed drinks is not going to have their expiration dates clearly labeled on their packaging, Rodbell says that crucial factor to search for when figuring out their viability is the substances inside. Chilly-brew espresso, orange zest oil, and actual citrus juice are three substances that may diminish over time, whereas synthetic flavors and substances will final for much longer.

“Most canned cocktails don’t checklist a shelf life as a result of they’re made with synthetic substances that might survive a nuclear winter,” he explains. “Actual substances — 100% actual citrus, particularly — style a lot better than the pretend stuff, however the trade-off is that many actual substances can’t final without end.”

Whereas Rodbell is just capable of communicate for the shelf lifetime of Put up Meridiem’s cans (which have a best-by window of 1 yr when saved in a cool area), he says different manufacturers that additionally solely use actual citrus juice will doubtless expire in the identical timeframe. There are a number of caveats, although, and a product’s label presents very important perception.

“What the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Commerce Bureau (TTB) permits a product to say on a label could be very telling, and the extra particular, the extra genuine,” Rodbell says. “‘100% actual lime juice’ means all of the juice is definitely sourced from limes with no added flavors. [But] ‘lime’ will be something, together with the business customary of white grape juice with lime flavorings and citric acid.”

The identical goes for the spirit used: Excessive-quality liquor will likely be labeled otherwise than these made with components or different synthetic substances which will protect the cocktail longer. Tequila cocktails labeled with “100% Blue Weber agave” or “100% agave” will comprise actual, genuine tequila, whereas these merely labeled “tequila” might comprise a mixto. It’s the same case with whiskey.

“‘Straight bourbon whiskey’ means the whiskey is new-fill and barrel-aged for the minimal time interval,” Rodbell explains. “‘Whiskey’ [on a label] can imply something, together with accelerated ageing and/or added colorings and flavors.”

To protect your canned cocktails for so long as doable, Rodbell advises protecting them within the fridge, although they’ll additionally keep steady when saved at room temperature.

“[Canned cocktails] are usually effective if handled equally to beer and wine, which is to say hold them in a cool place away from excessive warmth,” he says. “Merchandise that comprise 100% actual lime juice retain a bit extra citric chunk when refrigerated fairly than saved on the shelf. And please keep away from sizzling automobile trunks in the summertime.”

*Picture retrieved from leungchopan by way of inventory.adobe.com