Does Brandy go bad?

[handymanstan]

I was cleaning the garage some yesterday and found this in a cabinet.

smoke 096.jpg

• handymanstan
• Feb 6, 2013

smoke 094.jpg

• handymanstan
• Feb 6, 2013

I bought this to make chocolate covered Brandy cherries some time in the early 80s and forgot all about the rest of the bottle

So this open aged Brandy is 25-30 years old.  Is it still good??  If so will the extra aging make it smoother? 

Being in the garage all that time it was in freezing cold during the winter and hot in the summer.

Please let me know should I dump it or sip it.

Stan

 

[pgsmoker64]

I'd give it a lil taste!  If it doesn't taste good, spit it out and dump it.  If it does taste good, keep on sippin'!

I hope it's good...

Bill

 

[frosty]

Brandy, if tightly sealed in an original container, should remain good for many, many years; even in the garage. If it is not tightly sealed, the alcohol will eventually begin to slowly evaporate given the heated condition in your garage. While this will probably reduce the strength of the brandy, it might still have good flavors.

There should be no ill effects of drinking the older stored brandy that has been open for a long time as long as there is some alcohol remaining in the bottle.

While not optimal storage conditions, it is probably still good.  Give it a try.

 

[handymanstan]

When I shook it up a little there are a few floaters in it that looks like dust.  I don't know the level when I put it out there so I don't know if there was any evaporation.

The things floating bother me as the bottle was opened only once and poured then put away so how could contaminates get in there.  Can things grow in Brandy?

I will try a sip tonight if no one tells me it can kill me..  Thanks for the replies.

Stan

 

[humdinger]

I know this idea will sound like one of those crazy, desperate things guys will do to consume alcohol or something on a dare,....but maybe run it through a coffee filter before tasting it. At least that will remove any dust particles. I'd try it for you if Lasing wasn't an hour and a half away...lol.

 

[1beezer]

To me brandy tastes nasty anytime. New, old ,doesn't matter.

 

[lu1847]

You have no worry of getting ill. However it won't taste nearly as good as it did 30 years ago and it won't be as potent and will probably have a little bit of a stale taste, but it won't hurt you. The floaty things you see are probably part of the cork deteriorating.

 

[venture]

That brandy is spoiled and it might kill you!

Please send it to me for proper disposal.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[handymanstan]

You have no worry of getting ill. However it won't taste nearly as good as it did 30 years ago and it won't be as potent and will probably have a little bit of a stale taste, but it won't hurt you. The floaty things you see are probably part of the cork deteriorating.

You are so right lu1847,  I tried a sip last night and it tasted like more like turpentine than Brandy....

I dumped it down the drain.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Stan

 

[pgsmoker64]

I picked up the next sink, popped the bottle out of it, and poured it down the cork...all except one little drink, which I sank....

LOL...anyone remember that ol' country song?  

 

[johgre078]

10 little bottles by Johnny Bond

I also have the original record somewhere.