Sherry, a potent wine concocted from a combination of grape varieties, is not just a beverage for the festive season anymore.
The Spanish have been making this type of wine since the 15th century, but it was during the 19th century that sherry really took off as an export product.
Its popularity spread around the world, and today it’s used in cocktails and as a cooking wine.
It’s also been linked to many health benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
But how long does sherry last?
And how can you tell if it has gone bad?
How long does sherry last?
The answer to this question depends on several factors, including the brand of sherry being consumed, where it’s stored, and how old it is.
For example, some brands are aged longer than others.
Aged sherry can go for up to 10 years before going bad.
If you buy a bottle of cheap, mass-produced sherry that’s intended to be drunk within two years, it will probably go bad within six months.
If you want to drink your sherry a little longer, then you should opt for something more expensive.
For example, a bottle of sherry costing $20 could easily last for five years.
However, there’s no guarantee that it won’t go bad after that time frame.
In general, the older the sherry, the better its chances of lasting longer.
This is because the alcohol content drops over time, which means that it’ll be less likely to go bad.
Another factor to consider when deciding whether or not to consume sherry is what kind of storage conditions it’s been exposed to.
Some types of sherry will need to be refrigerated, while others will be fine at room temperature.
You should always check the label before consuming any sherry, so make sure you know how to store it properly.
Finally, you need to consider the age of the sherry itself.
As we mentioned earlier, the older the sherry, the more likely it is to last longer.
In fact, some experts claim that it can even last forever!
How can you tell if sherry has gone bad?
The short answer is “not very long at all.” It’s only when your bottle starts to smell musty or moldy that you should worry.
In fact, there are several signs that your sherry has gone bad.
If you see any of these signs, do yourself a favor and throw the bottle away.
You don’t want to drink something that might make you sick.
Why is sherry fermented differently than wine?
Before we get into why sherry goes bad so quickly, let’s talk about what makes it special.
First, it’s made with a specific blend of grapes called Pedro Ximénez (also known as Oloroso).
These grapes produce a sweeter flavor, so they aren’t added to regular wines.
They’re usually mixed with other varieties like Monastrell and Garnacha.
Fermentation takes place over six weeks, which gives them a more complex taste profile than normal wine.
Second, it’s fortified with brandy, and then aged in oak barrels for three years before bottling.
What causes sherry to go bad?
There are two main factors that affect the shelf life of sherry.
First, it’s made with a lot of sugar and alcohol, which make it a high-risk food when it comes to bacteria growth.
Second, it’s exposed to air and light, which means that it could easily become contaminated by dust particles and microorganisms.
These microorganisms could include mold, yeast, and bacteria, which would lead to unpleasant flavors and odors.
In addition to these factors, there are some specific conditions that affect the aging process of sherry.
For example, temperature fluctuations, exposure to sunlight, and storing bottles at extreme temperatures can cause the wine to turn sour.
Sherry is usually stored in oak barrels, which can also accelerate the degradation of the wine.
In fact, the longer sherry is aged in oak barrels, the more likely it becomes that it will go bad.
However, even if your sherry is stored properly, it doesn’t mean that it won’t go bad.
It’s possible that the wine might become too old before it starts to go bad.
On the next page, we’ll look into what causes sherry to go bad.
How can you prevent sherry from going bad?
If you want to keep your sherry fresh, there are some simple steps you can take to ensure its longevity.
First off, make sure you store your bottles properly.
If you live somewhere with a warm climate, keep them at room temperature (or slightly warmer).
Don’t put them in the fridge – that will cause condensation on the bottle, which can lead to mold growth.
Next, don’t open your bottle more than once every six months.
Once opened, leave the cork in place so moisture doesn’t escape.
You should use your bottle within 12 months of opening, though some brands may say they’re good for up to two years.
To avoid oxidation, you need to keep your sherry away from light and air.
It’s better to store it in a dark cabinet rather than in the cupboard where it can get exposed to sunlight.
If you do decide to keep sherry in the cupboard, try putting a piece of cardboard between each bottle to help protect them from each other.
Finally, when you buy sherry, always check the label.
Some brands contain preservatives such as sorbic acid, benzoate, and sulphites.
These chemicals can give your sherry a metallic taste, and they’ll start to break down after only a few weeks.
Is it safe to drink sherry that has gone bad?
Sherry is a fortified wine, so it contains more alcohol than regular wine, which means that it has greater levels of tannins and sugar.
It’s also aged longer than normal wines, which means it may contain more volatile compounds, such as ethyl acetate, that can cause unpleasant odors and flavors.
So how do you know whether your sherry has gone bad?
There are some warning signs, but they aren’t always easy to spot.
For example, it might taste flat, bitter, or metallic.
You could also experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, or confusion.
These symptoms should go away after a few hours, but if they don’t then it’s probably time to get rid of your bottle.
If you think you’ve found a bad bottle, you should throw it out immediately.
If you want to keep it though, there are ways to reduce the risks associated with drinking it.
What are the consequences of drinking bad sherry?
There are two main types of sherry: fino and manzanilla.
Fino sherries come from the Palomino grape variety, while manzanillas are made from the Pedro Ximénez grape variety.
They’re both aged in wood barrels, which gives them their distinctive flavors.
Finos are usually aged for at least three years, while manzanillas are aged for six months.
But what happens when you buy a bottle of sherry that’s been sitting on someone’s shelf too long? Is there any danger in drinking it?
As with any alcoholic beverage, it depends on how much you consume.
If you drink a few glasses a day, then your body won’t notice anything.
However, if you drink enough to get drunk, then you could experience some unpleasant side effects.
Here are some of the consequences of drinking bad sherry:
How should sherry be stored?
A good bottle of sherry should taste like a fine wine, and it should keep its flavor and body for years after opening.
But what exactly happens when a bottle of sherry starts to go bad?
To find out, we need to know more about how sherry is made.
It’s made by fermenting the must (the juice) with yeast, adding sugar, and then letting the mixture sit for months until it ferments completely.
Once it’s done fermenting, it’s filtered and distilled into brandy, which makes up approximately 70% of the final product.
When it comes to storing sherry, there are three main factors to consider: temperature, humidity, and light exposure.
All three elements affect the quality of the wine, so they need to be taken into account when storing bottles of sherry.
What is the shelf life of sherry?
As with any alcohol, sherry doesn’t keep indefinitely once it’s opened.
It starts to deteriorate after three months from the time of bottling, so don’t drink it after that point.
However, you can store sherry for up to a year unopened, which means you could open a bottle now and enjoy it in 12 months’ time! If you do need to use it before then, there are ways to extend its shelf life.
To start with, make sure the bottle is sealed properly.
In fact, some experts say that opening a bottle of sherry is like leaving your car door open when it’s parked outside – you have to take extra care to ensure that nothing gets into the bottle while it’s exposed to air.
You might also want to consider storing your bottles in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
The UV rays in sunlight can cause sherry to go brown very quickly.
Another thing to think about is temperature.
If your sherry is going to be kept at room temperature, make sure it’s not directly next to something that’s hot, such as a radiator or a heater.
Otherwise, it’ll warm up too much and spoil.
This is why you see sherry being served on ice in bars and restaurants.
Ice slows down the rate of evaporation, so it keeps the wine cooler than normal.
Finally, make sure that you only buy quality sherry.
You can tell by looking at the label.
Look for a seal of approval from the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system.
This certification is awarded to producers who meet strict standards for production methods and ingredients.
These AOC-approved sherry producers must adhere to specific rules regarding the grapes they use, the process of fermentation, and the aging of their wines.
As a result, only the best sherry is allowed to carry the AOC seal.
Can bad sherry be fixed?
There are two ways to go about determining whether your sherry has gone bad.
You can either taste it yourself, or you can buy a test kit.
A simple test kit like this one from Wine Searcher will let you know if your bottle of sherry has gone bad.
This kit is easy to use, and it only takes a few minutes to get the results.
It comes with a small container of liquid and a couple of strips.
All you have to do is dip the strip into the liquid and then place it onto a white background on your computer screen.
If the strip turns blue, then it means that the sherry has gone bad.
If you don’t want to invest in a test kit, there are plenty of online tools that you can use instead.
For example, you can check the expiration date on a bottle of sherry by looking at its label or by using a website like BottleFinders.
You can also check the alcohol content and sugar levels in your sherry by using sites like WineTastingCheatsheet.com.
But what if you’re not sure if your sherry is good or bad?
Or what if you’ve already opened up your bottle of sherry, but you still aren’t sure if it’s okay to drink?
Well, you can always ask someone else.
Just ask your bartender, your waiter, or even a random stranger on the street.
They might not be able to help you, but they could give you some advice.
Or you could try asking Google.
The search engine company recently launched a new feature called “Is my wine safe to drink?” You can use this feature to find out if your sherry is safe to drink or not.
And if none of these methods work for you, then you could always take the old-fashioned route.
You could bring your bottle of sherry over to your local wine shop, where they could determine if your sherry has gone bad.
What should you do with bad sherry?
If your sherry has gone bad, there are some things you need to know.
First, it doesn’t mean that it’s spoiled, even though it may smell like vinegar.
It means that it’s lost its flavor, which could happen if the alcohol evaporates over time.
There are two ways to deal with bad sherry: You can either drink it or throw it away.
If you choose to drink it, you can add sugar (or honey) to bring back the flavor.
If you decide to discard it, you can use it to make another batch of sherry.
However, don’t try to mix it with other wines because they won’t blend well.
Also, avoid using it as a cooking wine because it could turn into vinegar.
If you want to keep your sherry around longer, you can store it properly.
Keep it in a cool, dark place, and don’t leave it open to air exposure.
California Sherry Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup sherry
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ lemon
- 4 carrots
- 4 squashes
Instructions
- Put the flour, salt, and pepper in a sealable plastic bag with the chicken. Shake the bag to coat and seal it. Take the chicken out of the bag, shaking off any extra flour.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Chicken should be golden brown on both sides after roughly 5 minutes of frying. Take out of skillet and place aside.
- Sherry, broth, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon combined in the same skillet and brought to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink inside.
- In the interim, cook the zucchini and carrots in a separate medium skillet until they are soft. Before serving, add to the chicken and sauce that are already cooking.
Video
Nutrition
I have a true passion for cooking and experimenting with new ingredients, and I have been creating and perfecting recipes for friends and family for years.
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