tossing out liquor

[redduck]

Around this time of year I like to "clean up the house." Today I started on the bar area in the den. We hardly ever use this area, so it was sort of like entering a strange new world. Mainly it contains old Yellow Page directories and liquor. I tossed out the directories and poured bottles and bottles of alcohol down the drain. I mean a lot of bottles. We don't drink much (although the wife is beginning to show more than a moderate interest in having a glass of wine with dinner). Some of the bottles might have been 10-15 years old. Here's what I have left: Lancer's Vin Rose; Mateus Rose; VSOP Medaillon; Louis Roederer Champagne (maybe about 3 years old) and Courvoiser (about 6 years old). All are unopened.

Are any of the above worth keeping? Are they safe to drink (regarding their age)?

 

[Amethyst]

Words fail me. I checked the date and it is not April 1st.

You tossed spirits that were only 10 years old, without evidence they had turned bad?

You have no neighbors who drink, or even cook with alcohol? Chances are they would have jumped at the chance to dispose of your aged spirits.

And yes, unless your den has been extremely hot, your remaining spirits should be just fine.

Amethyst

 

[rbmrtn]

Such a tragic waste


Here's a link with some more info

Does Liquor Ever Expire? Straight Up Cocktails and Spirits | The Kitchn

 

[imoldernu]

Are any of the above worth keeping? Are they safe to drink (regarding their age)?

Kidding, right?

 

[Koolau]

Kinda reminds me of Elaine Boosler's comedy bit: "How do you know when yogurt has spoiled? Does it start tasting BETTER?"

Seriously, white wines have a shelf life, but your taste buds will never fail you. Reds can last for 100 years or more, properly stored (trust your taste buds), and distilled spirits typically last forever (well, if you don't drink them, that is.) None of the stuff - even if it goes "bad" - is likely to harm you (again, trusting your taste buds) assuming you don't try to finish off too much at once.

Naturally, your mileage (and taste buds) may vary. Enjoy!!

 

[foxfirev5]

Gold and whisky , two things that last forever. Ask any survivalist

 

[redduck]

Well, looking on the brighter side, no one seems to be condemning me for tossing out the Yellow Page directories.

(Is this a good time to admit that I really don't rebalance my portfolio)?

 

[HFWR]

I offer old liquor disposal, free of charge, and in an environmentally friendly manner...

 

[Midpack]

I have liquor that I moved from house to house, some over 30 years old (Jack Daniels and a few liqueurs). They're still fine, most are gone now. Cheap wine might not age so well, but it wouldn't hurt to try it before throwing it out.

 

[NW-Bound]

Some of the bottles might have been 10-15 years old. Here's what I have left: Lancer's Vin Rose; Mateus Rose; VSOP Medaillon; Louis Roederer Champagne (maybe about 3 years old) and Courvoiser (about 6 years old). All are unopened.

Are any of the above worth keeping? Are they safe to drink (regarding their age)?

I do not care about the other bottles, but the ones I highlighted above in red, as far as I am concerned, pouring them down the drain is a capital offense.

Enough said!

When I was younger, and I mean a lot younger, like during the high school graduation party, a classmate declared that "It's better to spill blood than to spill Cognac" as he carefully poured me a shot. As one could see, people were willing to go to extreme sacrifice to protect these bottles, and you want to throw them away. You left me speechless (but not post-less)!

PS. I posted this as I just came back from a Thanksgiving lunch at my brother. I had a few glasses of wine, but not yet a shot of Cognac, so please excuse my violent temperament. I could not help it.

PPS. My classmate friend did make the above proclamation when he ceremoniously poured me that shot. The exact quote was "It's better to spill blood than to spill booze". At that point in life, any booze was precious to us. However, it was true French Cognac that he was pouring me, hence I appreciated it even more. By "it", I mean both the shot and the profundity coming from a fellow 17-year old.

 

[foxfirev5]

Well, looking on the brighter side, no one seems to be condemning me for tossing out the Yellow Page directories.

(Is this a good time to admit that I really don't rebalance my portfolio)?

Any investment commentary at this point would pale in comparison

 

[grasshopper]

Louis Roederer Champagne from 3 years ago at it's prime. I have Brother Jack's Old No 7 bourbon in 1/5 of a gallon bottle from, around about 1986, when regulations changed. Fellow Tennessee Squire here.

 

[Purron]

I offer old liquor disposal, free of charge, and in an environmentally friendly manner...

I can help you set up a 501(c)(3) to help you promote this act of pure charity and concern for our environment.

 

[Chuckanut]

Louis Roederer Champagne (maybe about 3 years old) and Courvoiser (about 6 years old). All are unopened.

Are any of the above worth keeping? Are they safe to drink (regarding their age)?

Send these dangerous liquids to me and I will safely get rid of them at no cost to you (other than shipping.)

 

[W2R]

Sure, as the forum teetotaler/designated driver, I think it's a splendid idea to toss them ALL out and not replace them.

Think of the money you'll save!

Plus, no risk of serving wine that has turned to vinegar. A nice glass of tap water is a delicious addition to any meal.

 

[audreyh1]

Drink the champagne for New Years if not before.

The Courvoisier is fine, lasts forever, it's the cognac of Napoleon, dontcha know! I always have some on hand in the pantry because I cook with it. It's used in desserts and sauces.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Around this time of year I like to "clean up the house." Today I started on the bar area in the den. We hardly ever use this area, so it was sort of like entering a strange new world. Mainly it contains old Yellow Page directories and liquor. I tossed out the directories and poured bottles and bottles of alcohol down the drain. I mean a lot of bottles....

I just tossed a 30+ year old bottle of Angostura bitters--bet we could have whipped up a batch of (appropriately enough ) Old Fashioneds with some of the hard liquor you likely tossed.

 

[Nords]

Around this time of year I like to "clean up the house."
Are any of the above worth keeping? Are they safe to drink (regarding their age)?

Man, your net worth just took a huge hit. I guess the good news is that your drain is cleaner.

Only yesterday we cleaned our own house by taking a half-dozen bottles of unopened wine to a friend's Thanksgiving dinner at his house. (We also brought mashed potatoes.) He immediately opened the oldest bottle of red and about 10 minutes later opened the next-oldest bottle of red. He said that he'd be saving the whites for a later [-]toilet cleaning[/-] taste testing.

I recommend that you dispose of the remaining bottles with your friends or sell them on Craigslist. The bottles, not your friends. Or whatever seems appropriate.

Well, looking on the brighter side, no one seems to be condemning me for tossing out the Yellow Page directories.

I hope you recycle both the Yellow Pages and the empty glass bottles...

 

[dmpi]

I'm in tears! How can you do this? Some of the liquors get better with age. Never the less I can guarantee that 95% of them were still good. My dream is to find a huge stash of unopened vintage liquor and to put together a real impressive liquor collection that I can show all my friends.

 

[Ronstar]

I'm somewhat like redduck - never drink hard stuff and accumulated several bottles over the years. We never threw any out. Now I'm using up the Jack Daniels by soaking vanilla beans in it as a homebrew beer ingredient. Also using vodka to put in my beer fermenter airlocks. So I might run out of Jack and vodka in about 20 years.

 

[NW-Bound]

Seriously, many of the lesser wines and hard liquors make excellent deglazing liquid when you cook. I have a bottle of lesser quality brandy that I often use to make steak sauce.

The better stuff is of course saved for after dinner sipping.

Photo linked from Wikipedia:

 

[Major Tom]

Reading through this thread, I was quite surprised at the strong attachment many here are showing to alcohol. I don't think there would have been such a widespread show of dismay had the OP mentioned that he had discarded other possessions of equal value.

I do like a glass of wine from time to time. A glass of cab with some dark chocolate often hits the spot when I'm settling down to watch something good on TV. In the winter, I like to add a shot of whisky to my hot chocolate. However, if I was told tomorrow that I can never have another alcoholic drink, I can't say it would be a great loss.

I wouldn't worry about it redduck - it's just booze

PS - Love your neck of the woods. I'm in the Bay Area now, but worked at the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights at the base of the Hollywood Hills for 16 years, right across from the where the Garden Of Allah used to be, and the parking lot that Joni Mitchell sung about in "Big Yellow Taxi."

 

[HFWR]

Brothers and sisters, take all your booze, and all your dope, and all your porn, and cast them into the river!!

Now, please turn your hymnal to page 188, and let's sing "Shall We Gather At The River"...

 

[veremchuka]

Yikes I can't believe this isn't a spoof.

Opened wine has a limited life span but unopened I'd assume it is good for a long time.

Hard liquors, I doubt they would ever go bad. Some are a decade or 2 old when you buy them you know!

I have 1 or 2 unopened bottles of ale in the basement that are at least 10 years old. Good thing you aren't cleaning my basement.

 

[NW-Bound]

I think the OP started this thread just to flush out the [-]sinners[/-] drinkers among us. He has not added to this thread, and is mostly lurking to see our reaction. So, I am just playing along.

I am not a heavy drinker, and can go for a week without even a beer. However, alcohol is something that I enjoy, just like good food or other leisures in life.

Yes, "it is just booze", but we can say that about pretty much anything. Keep saying that and before long, we turn into monks and nuns. Might as well lock ourselves up in a hermitage. No more worrying about WR, portfolio rebalancing and AA, politics, etc...