Post #385450 by woofmutt on Sun, Jun 8, 2008 8:32 AM

Some really useful information popped up in the Cruzan 2 year old light rum becomes 14 month. The subject seemed worth its own thread so with a little cut & paste...

Registered Astronaut asked:

"...Does anybody know about heat and alcohol and negative side effects? I keep my good liquor in a bar in the living room, but my everyday stuff, which is most of my mixing rums (including that Cruzan 2 year) in a cabinet above the fridge. On really hot days (i have no AC) the fridge works extra hard, giving off a lot of heat which rises and warms the cabinet. Some hot days my rums are like probably near body temperature. I know it ruined my chambord for sure. I know heat ruins beer too, but I can't seem to tell if it's hurting my rums. It makes the ice melt a lot faster, which sucks."

bewarethe151 replied:

"Not a good spot for storage of any bottles which you intend to keep more than, say, a month. The cycle from warm to cool, warm to cool, ... aids the change of a molecule. Certainly, liquors are the most effected with the breakdown of sugar. With spirits, the amount of air in the bottle (how much has been drunk) is a major factor in stability and the ill effects of thermo-cycling. A full bottle is better suited for storage in adverse conditions than one which is half full. A stable cool spot is best for long term storage. One side note, direct sunlight, even in a cool place is bad, too."

martiki replied:

"All true- especially pronounced as mentioned with a hi-sugar product, regardless of proof. Best just to put them into a low dark cabinet away from a heat source. Better still to drink them, thus providing the excuse to get more, which will have less air in the bottle, at least for a while. Then repeat. It's a vicious circle."