Mixers?

Does anyone have an idea how long mixers are good for? Especially the non-refrigerated ones? Just got my tiki bar built after 8 years and I'm setting up shop.

Are the mixers eight years old? Ick!
Mixers tend to have awesome preservitives. Mmmmm, preeservitives. I say toss them after a year if unopened since they are usually in plastic bottles.
I know GatorAde in glass bottles lasted two years, plastic bottles one year. Coke 9-12 months, diet Coke three months. Health food sodas seem to last 2-3 years.

Which mixers? Do you mean things like Coke and Ginger Beer? Or things like Cointreau and Orgeat?

Here is a very general guideline, your mileage may vary....

Basic mixers like sodas and tonics and such will last three to six months unopened. Cans last longer than bottles.

Basic drink add-ins like sugar syrup or grenadine, things that have no alcoholic content should be refrigerated after opening, period, no discussion.

Basic Liqueurs with less than 15% alcohol by content (30 proof) will keep on the shelf unopened for three to five years. Once opened they should be refrigerated. They don't have to be, but it is better/safer if you do.

Basic Liqueurs with more than 15% alcohol by volume (30 proof) will keep on the shelf unopened for three to five years. Once opened they should be shelf stable for up to about six months. They will keep longer if you keep them under the bar where it is dark and relatively cool.

Liquors with more than 35% alcohol by volume (70 proof) will keep on the shelf unopened for longer than you want to look at on the shelf. Once opened they should be shelf stable for one to two years, but you will loose lots to evaporation once you break that seal.

Light and Heat are the two enemies to the storage of anything you have on your bar. Store all of your stuff away from windows and light and someplace that is cool, or at least a stable temperature.

Of course, it all depends on what you are storing. There is an exception for everything you are going to want to add to your bar....

Probably way more information than you were asking about... I just wanted to make sure that the bar you worked eight years to get makes you and your liver as happy as you possibly can be.

The responsibility of any tiki bar owner is to drink it faster than it can go bad. That said, understanding how quickly you'll need to drink the mixers, etc. so that they won't perish on you, is important. You should know, that many TC's drink at a rate much faster than ANYTHING goes bad, so the very idea of a bar supply going out-of-date, or losing its flavor, is a strange notion indeed. May you be of good cheer!

I don't think it's that strange of a notion. I've got lots of liqueurs that get used very sparingly. Cherry Heering, Benedictine, Creme de Cacao, etc. They will last me a LONG time, a couple of years maybe. So with that said, Chip's rules of thumb on shelf life give me some concern. But they are all kept in the dark and relatively cool storage under my bar, so I imagine they are fine for a good long while.

On 2008-02-08 20:52, Chip and Andy wrote:
Or things like Cointreau and Orgeat?

Basic mixers like sodas and tonics and such will last three to six months unopened. Cans last longer than bottles.

Basic drink add-ins like sugar syrup or grenadine, things that have no alcoholic content should be refrigerated after opening, period, no discussion.

Ooo, oo, I have question now. :)

Is it correct that a mixer is anything that is not the main ingredient? I can't believe that Cointreau and orgeat would be compared mixers. When I make my margaritas I use 2 1/2oz of Noble and 1oz of Cointreau or Grand Marnier, maybe a light squeeze of lime if I have it and a couple cubes. Would Cointreau or GM be considered the mixer?
And is Drambuie the mixer to scotch?

And what is that nasty grey spooge that is around the bottle cap and opening of the grenadine? YUCK!!

And what is that nasty grey spooge that is around the bottle cap and opening of the grenadine? YUCK!!

I have that grey yuck around my orgeat bottle cap..

Grey yuck around Orgeat is probably just fine. Homemade orgeat will separate and the lighter, foamy "gray yuck" will float to the top. Shake it up and go. Of course, it depends on how old it is.... I have kept alcohol-free homemade orgeat in a cold (34F) refrigerator for 3-4 months with no issues.

Grey yuck in a grenadine bottle would get thrown out. (All of it, not just the gray yuck.)

On 2008-02-09 08:59, Mr. NoNaMe wrote:

Ooo, oo, I have question now. :)

Is it correct that a mixer is anything that is not the main ingredient? I can't believe that Cointreau and orgeat would be compared mixers.

The more common terminology these days is Modifiers. You take a base liquor (Rum) and add modifiers to it (orgeat, lime, triple sec) to get to the final cocktail.

But the term Mixers work just as well, but would tend to indicate low-proof or no-proof additions to the cocktial. So in your example, the Cointreau would be an ingredient (30 proof or higher) and the Orgeat would be a Mixer (typically less than 12 proof).

And is Drambuie the mixer to scotch?

Basically, yes. It's base ingredient is scotch so it mixes best with scotch. It doesn't play well with too many other things.

And what is that nasty grey spooge that is around the bottle cap and opening of the grenadine? YUCK!!

That is generally not a good thing regardless of the bottle it is living on. Basic food safety applies... when in doubt, throw it out.

That is generally not a good thing regardless of the bottle it is living on. Basic food safety applies... when in doubt, throw it out.

Am I not useing the grenadine fast enough? It has been in the fridge since opening.

On 2008-02-09 20:24, Mr. NoNaMe wrote:

That is generally not a good thing regardless of the bottle it is living on. Basic food safety applies... when in doubt, throw it out.

Am I not useing the grenadine fast enough? It has been in the fridge since opening.

Well..... Grenadine is very high is sugars so things tend to 'grow' in/on/around it quicker than some other things.

What kind do you have and how old is it?

Something you can do for your next bottle.... (for a standard 750ml bottle) pour off about three ounces and replace with bacardi 151 or Wray & Nephew Overpoof and shake well. It will help slow down anything from growing in the bottle and neither rum will add anything noticeable to the taste overall.

Thanks everyone! I've been away on vaca. And the mixers I was most concern were the ones you hardly use such as Falernum, orgeat, grenadine, etc. My bar is out on my porch in FL and heat can get to things easily. When setting up shop I was looking at my grenadine bottle and wondering? I appreciate all the feed back! And no I haven't had the mixers for 8 years! I just had opened a new bottle of grenadine probably late October and didn't like the looks of it when in transit to the new bar.

On 2008-02-17 06:14, TikiTosh wrote:
... My bar is out on my porch in FL and heat can get to things easily....

I didn't even see that you are a Florida Local, my bad. Welcome from the other side of the state.

I don't recommend that you don't store anything in your outdoor bar. The florida heat will cook way too many things in bad ways. And, this time of year when you can go from a high of 80 today to a low of 45 tomorrow doesn't help.

Your best bet is to store your bar inside where the temperature is more controlled and stable. When you are ready to use the bar, bring out what you need for the cocktails and have fun. It is a bit more work, but it will be worth it in the long run.