If you are thinking whether the
whiskey that you filled in your flask some time ago is still good to drink or
has gone bad, then this article is for you. You may be wondering how long
whiskey lasts in a hip flask. Isn’t the purpose of a hip flask to store alcohol
for a long time? Let’s discuss.
How
Long Can You Store Whiskey in a Flask?
Most hip flasks
nowadays are made out of stainless steel. Although stainless steel is a
durable material and can keep hard liquor well without giving it a metallic
taste, hip flasks are actually not made to store hard liquor for long periods
of time. Instead, they are made to only transport your liquor or whiskey in
small amounts that are meant to be drunk within a short time. The most you can
keep it in is a few days - usually three days. The period depends on different
flasks but your safest bet would be not to keep it for more than three days.
After a few days, the quality of the
whiskey may deteriorate because of the mixing with stainless steel and a
metallic taste may start to form. Furthermore, the whiskey may start to
discolor and lose its quality.
Other
Factors that Affect Storage Period of Whiskey
Besides the quality of the flask,
there are also other factors that you should consider to determine whether your
whiskey has gone bad.
●
Tightness of the seal: Flasks should always be
sealed tightly to prevent exposure to the environment as well as to prevent
oxidation from taking place. If your flask is not tightly sealed, whiskey may
go bad even within a short period of time. Environmental factors may accelerate
the process.
●
Environmental factors: These include sunlight,
heat, and temperature. If you leave your flask in direct sunlight, it may warm
up your flask quickly and affect the quality of your whiskey. Or if you leave
your flask in a hot place, it can also accelerate the oxidation process and
further deteriorate the quality of the whiskey.
You should pay attention to these
factors as it also affects your long your whiskey will last in your flask. It
is recommended that if you want to leave your flask somewhere you should find a
cool and dark place to do so. If not, it is best to keep it in your coat pocket
and finish drinking it within a day or two.
What if
I Want to Store Whiskey for a Long Time?
If you want to store whiskey long-term, you
should not consider storing them in flasks as they are made to store alcohol
only for a short period of time, enough for you to drink it. Instead, it is
best to store your whiskey long-term in its original bottle or in a decanter.
You should place them away from sunlight in a cool, dark place. In terms of
temperature, some say that whiskey keeps best at room temperature. However,
others may say that the best temperature range is about 55 to 60 degrees.
