Does Baileys Go Bad or Not?

The simple fact is that humans like alcohol. Indeed, we are living in a world where we hear health experts every day telling us that alcohol isn’t good for us. They also advise us to reduce consumption to the minimum! Nonetheless, despite all the information we have, the majority of us enjoy having a drink or two after a hard day at the office! Are you wondering why?! It is simple – alcohol temporarily reduces stress and helps us relax.

Many of us love and drink liqueurs pure or mixed with other alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages. We sometimes use them for making desserts, such as ice cream or a type of cake. Now, some people get confused about the difference between liquor and liqueur. Liquor is the same as spirits. So it is a strong alcoholic drink that comes with a very high level of alcohol. Liqueurs are flavored distilled spirits and, in most cases, are pretty sweet.

One of the most popular liqueurs in the entire world is Baileys! Many of us love it in the Irish coffee or straight over ice, as part of cocktails. In many homes, there is a bottle or two of baileys. But the question that plenty of us have is, does Baileys go bad? We were wondering the same, so we talked with some experienced people to find answers about Bailey’s expiration date and how to store it.

Before we go on, we are going to give you some information about Baileys. We believe that everyone knows this phenomenal drink. In case that you have been hiding under the rock all this time and haven’t tried this liqueur so far, this part is for you.

Baileys is a combination of Irish whiskey, cream and cocoa. It was first created by Tom Jago of Gilbeys of Ireland. However, today it is manufactured by Diageo from Dublin and Mallusk, Northern Ireland. Its alcohol content is 17%. A fun fact about Bailey is that it experienced instant success the moment it appeared. Many people, who find cognac too strong, find Baileys as an excellent substitute for cognac. It is made by homogenizing whiskey and cream to create an emulsion. The manufacturer adds an emulsifier that contains refined vegetable oil. Because of that, the whiskey and the cream don’t get separated during storage. Other ingredients used in Baileys are chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and sugar. However, the quantity of these ingredients is not known. The manufacturer says that they aren’t any preservatives added since whiskey alone is enough to preserve the cream.

How Many Calories Are in Baileys and Is it a Healthy Drink?

Baileys is delicious! But is it healthy? Generally, it is challenging to talk about any alcohol as healthy. Indeed, we love the taste of many drinks. And it certainly helps us relax after a hard day in the office or something like that. But, as we know, all alcoholic drinks can be only good for us if we drink moderately. What does it mean? According to Mayo Clinic, moderate drinking for adults’ means a maximum of one drink per day for women and two for men. One drink means one beer bottle (330ml), a glass of wine (148 ml), and a spirit shot (44ml).

Alright, but what is the situation with Baileys? Well, the delicious taste comes from cream. Thus, you can imagine that it is not the best choice for people who are dieting. A small serving of Baileys (37ml) comes with 129 calories. That is the reason why many people considered it more as a dessert than a drink. It also comes with plenty of sugar – about 20 grams in 100 ml. That said, it is necessary to point out that you shouldn’t drink too much even if it is super delicious, and we have the feeling that it is not possible to get drunk.

How Much Alcohol is in Baileys?

Many people believe that Baileys isn’t a strong alcoholic drink because it is creamy and sweet. However, as we mentioned, it contains 17% of alcohol per volume. Now you may think it is nothing compared to tequila, gin, etc. That is true! However, even if it is not as strong as spirits, Baileys contains more alcohol than a bottle of beer or glass of wine.

Does Baileys Have Caffeine?

Generally, there can be a small amount of caffeine in Baileys. It is only the caffeine coming from cocoa and nothing more than that. However, there is an Espresso flavored Irish cream that contains a higher amount, approximately 37m/8 ounces of caffeine. Although it doesn’t contain caffeine, Baileys is often used to make alcoholic coffee beverages, which increase the amount of caffeine. Other varieties may have higher amounts of caffeine but usually not much more than original Baileys unless they are mixed with coffee.

Does Baileys Have Milk?

In short, yes, there is milk in Baileys. It is made of Irish dairy cream and whiskey. However, they’re also vegan options that do not contain cow’s milk.

Is Bailey's Gluten-Free?

That is a good question. Out of all ingredients in Baileys, whiskey is the only one that contains gluten. How is that? Well, whiskey is made from malted and unmalted barley, which contains gluten. However, the distillation process should remove it. So generally, Baileys should be gluten-free. However, if you have a high sensitivity to gluten or celiac disease, the best is to avoid it. Alternatively, you can try a small amount of Baileys to see if you will have any reaction.

So, now we come to the questions from the beginning, and that is – does Irish cream go bad?! Well, the simple answer is – yes, after a while, it will go bad. As we mentioned earlier, Baileys contains 17 % of alcohol. It plays the role of preservative, so you don’t need to drink it right after opening. However, besides the whiskey, it also comes with dairy cream. That is the reason why eventually it will go bad. If you don’t open the bottle Bailey’s, shelf life will be around two years. In case you opened it, you should drink it within six months.

Does Baileys Almande and other varieties expire?

So we already mentioned when talking about whether Baileys contains milk that there is a vegan variation. It is called Baileys Almande, and it is made from almond milk and almond essence, cane sugar, real vanilla, and purified water. It has a bit lighter taste than regular Baileys. Besides being vegan, it is also gluten-free; hence, it is an excellent choice for people experiencing celiac disease or gluten/lactose intolerance.

Vegan variation, as well as, other variations have the same shelf life as original Baileys.

You should store them in the same way. The best is to keep this drink in a cool and darker place. It is advised that you avoid exposing it to direct sunlight.

How Long Does Off Brand Irish Cream Last?

Okay, but does Baileys expire when it is off-brand? Isn’t there just one Bailey’s? What does off brand mean? When something becomes super popular, different manufacturers try to copy it, right? It is the situation for many things, including Baileys! So there are drinks with the same or similar ingredients. They are usually cheaper and called off-brand. Many of them will put an expiration date on their labels. In most cases, the rule is the same as for original Baileys. The bottle can stay unopened in a cool and dry place for about 2 years. Once you decide to open it, the best thing is to drink the liqueur within six months.

How Long Does Homemade Irish Cream Last?

Are you wondering does Baileys go bad if you make it by yourself? Yes, it does. It will likely go bad before the expiration date of two years. However, the more alcohol you put, the longer it will last. Also, if you use stronger whiskey, it will last longer. If you opt to make a vegan variation and use soy or nut milk, it will also last longer as this milk has a longer shelf life.

Maybe you are unsure about Bailey’s expiration date?! You may be wondering whether there is another way to figure out it is still okay to drink? Here is how to understand if Baileys is still good.

• Pour a little in the glass and check how it smells. If you find it smelling strange, it is time to throw it away.
• If you notice lumps in the drink, the milk likely started to curdle.
• If you are under the impression that the whiskey and cream start to separate and the color has changed, it means that you can’t drink your favorite drink any longer.
• Finally, if you checked all this and still have doubts, you can take a sip. If it is sweet and creamy, feel free to continue drinking. If it tastes like yogurt, it means it has gone bad.

Is Expired Baileys Okay to Drink?

The answer is generally the same as it would be if we were talking about any other product that contains milk. You wouldn’t drink expired milk or yogurt now, would you? The same way you don’t want to drink expired Baileys. Not only that it won’t taste good, but it can also make you sick.

• Keep it away from direct sunlight.
• Once you open the bottle, keep it in the fridge.
• Make sure that you keep it in the place where the temperature is between 0 – 25 degrees.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to store it properly.

Does Baileys Need to Be Refrigerated After Opening?

Are you wondering does Baileys need to be refrigerated? If you don’t open the bottle, you don’t have to keep it in the fridge. However, once opened, it is best to store Baileys in the refrigerator.

That is all for today, folks. We hope that we successfully answered your questions regarding does Baileys go bad. As you can see, the manufacturer of Baileys guarantees a shelf life of two years regardless of whether you open the bottle or not. However, it is necessary to remember that it is best to keep the opened bottle in the fridge. Do you like Baileys? How do you store it?