How to Store Rum

Does rum go bad?

Rum is a strong distilled alcohol. For that reason, it doesn’t go bad easily. However, there are still some rules you should follow to maintain the top quality of your rum for as long as possible.

Rum can be kept in a closed bottle for an infinite amount of time. Once you open the bottle, it doesn’t exactly go bad, but it will lose some of its quality, color, and flavor over time.

So instead of worrying about whether rum goes off, we advise you to consume it as soon as possible once you pop the bottle open. Besides, let’s be honest – why would you want to delay finishing it off?

What is the shelf life of rum?

Closed bottles of rum can be kept indefinitely. They are tightly sealed to keep air out. However, once opened, it is best to consume a bottle of rum between 6 months to 2 years.

In order to keep rum for as long as possible, store it in a dry, cool place in a closed bottle. Direct access to air or heat will cause it to lose its quality faster.

Of course, this applies to pure rum. Flavored rum or rum-based liquors go bad much sooner.

How to store rum?

Rum should be stored in a cool, shaded place without direct access to heat or sunlight. Keep rum away from heaters and windows, regardless of whether the bottle is open or not.

The best place to store rum is a designated bar cabinet, but it can also be a regular cupboard, storage room, or pantry. We cannot fail to mention that the ideal way to store rum – and any other kind of alcohol – is outside of the reach of children.

Remember that alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water – for this reason, you must keep rum in a sealed bottle. Don’t store rum in bottles with pourers as it will allow direct access to air and make the liquid evaporate faster.

Once you open a bottle of rum, don’t store it away half-full. The more space left in a bottle, the more air will gather. Even if you tightly close the bottle, some air will still get in.

Too much air can cause the rum to go cloudy, lose its color, or gain a vinegary smell. Therefore, once you have opened the bottle and drunk some of the rum, you should store the remaining liquid in a smaller bottle to preserve its properties.

Does rum age in the bottle?

No, rum doesn’t continue to age once it is bottled. The aging process happens in casks and stops the moment rum is poured into bottles. A bottle of 20-year-old rum will continue to be a bottle of 20-year-old rum even after you have had it for 10 years.

However, this doesn’t mean that bottled rum doesn’t increase in value. The older the rum, the more expensive it becomes, but there are other factors that influence the price of rum.

Premium rum brands are known for their exclusivity – they release a limited number of bottles from every vintage and collection. As a result, the demand exceeds the supply, and limited-edition bottles of rum can be sold at a much higher price than their original value on the secondary market. This is why some people buy luxury spirits as a form of investment.

How do you tell if rum has gone bad?

You can usually tell that rum has lost its quality just by looking at it. Poorly stored rum loses its color and intensity of scent and flavor. In extreme cases, it can even go cloudy or gain an unpleasant vinegary odor. The latter occurs especially if you store rum in high temperatures with direct access to heat or sunlight, for example, next to a window or heater.

While rum doesn’t exactly go bad, it can lose its flavor profile if it has been kept open for too long or stored improperly, so you will easily recognize the difference once you taste or smell it.

Can you keep rum in a freezer?

Pure rum freezes at around -27 degrees Celsius. An average freezer is usually set to a higher temperature than that, so you can keep rum in a freezer. Make sure to check the temperature of your freezer beforehand, and keep in mind that rum-based liquors freeze much easier than that, at around -7 degrees Celsius.