Liqueurs: Types, History, and How to Store

What are liqueurs?

Liqueurs are alcoholic beverages produced by melding spirits with herbs, fruit, and flavoring agents. More than 2.5% of its weight consists of sugar. Liqueurs are often used as aperitifs. They are also ideal for savoring as an after-dinner digestif, making it the perfect nightcap. Liqueurs are also used to make desserts. 

Types of liqueurs

Some of the most popular liqueur types include:

• Campari
• Amaretto
• Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Cointreau
• Frangelico
• Kahlúa
• St-Germain
• Sambuca

Where did liqueurs originate from?

Recipes for liqueurs were discovered in ancient Greek scrolls and Egyptian tombs. However, it was the Italian monks of the 13^th century who first developed liqueurs as medicine. French monks later created the popular Green Chartreuse, containing an excess of 130 herbs and spices.

How are liqueurs made?

Liqueurs are made the following way.

• A liquor or base spirit is combined with some flavoring ingredients.
• The ingredients are added to the base spirit. This helps to draw the essence from the ingredients. This step is referred to as maceration and is usually used with soft fruits.
• The following step to making these is percolation. Here the base spirit is dripped via the flavoring ingredients to help extract essences. This step is similar to coffee brewing. The base spirit is then heated at the bottom of a tank.
• The next step is distillation, where all the ingredients are melded with alcohol and distilled.
• The liqueurs are then sweetened after adding some flavor.

What is the shelf life of liqueurs?

Note that the higher the sugar content of a liqueur, the quicker its quality will dwindle. Cream liqueurs expire after 18 months and should be thrown away then. Here are a few rules to follow regarding liqueur shelf life.

• If your liqueur is correctly sealed after opening, it can last for months. This is, however, largely dependent on the number of preservatives in the product.
• The shelf life is likely to diminish when exposed to the air, so keep it sealed if you don’t plan on drinking your liqueur immediately.
• If you have cream liqueurs containing dairy, it’s best to throw away your bottle within 18 months.
• Baileys cream liqueur has a shelf life of one year.
• When handing a liqueur-like rumchata, consume the liqueur within 6 months of opening.
• Remember that fruit-based cream liqueurs tend to spoil quicker than plain or non-fruit-based cream liqueurs. 
• Be on the lookout for an expiry date, too, as some liqueurs may have one on the bottle. 

How do you pick liqueurs at the grocery store?

Seeing that the shelf life of liqueurs is sometimes not known, try to opt for a liqueur that has an expiry date on its bottle. If you want to add some versatility to your drinks, where you want to make shooters or coffee-infused drinks, you could Amaretto. For delicious, creamy cocktails, two of your best choices would probably be Kahlua or Bailey’s Irish Cream. If you’re looking to add some more flavor, Bailey’s is great, as it comes in crème caramel, coffee, mint chocolate, besides its original flavor.

If you are looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for liqueurs via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products.

How to store liqueurs

The following are some tips on how to store your liqueurs.

• Always ensure that your bottle is tightly shut, as if air gets in the bottle, it may affect the quality of the liqueur.
• Try not to store your liqueurs near excessive heat or cold. Try to always keep your liqueur away from your heat vents and walls.
• Always store your liqueurs in a tightly capped bottle.
• Steer the bottle away from harsh light. If you are storing in an area with intense light, try using tinted glass bottles for storage.

How to tell if liqueurs are bad

You will need to note the smell, hue, and texture of liqueurs to ascertain whether it has turned bad. Watch out for the following signs. 

• If you sniff the liqueur and it smells a bit like old custard, it probably is off.
• If the liqueur tastes sour or like spoiled cream, the alcohol has gone bad. 
• Always watch the texture and hues of your liqueurs. If your cream liqueur has formed white chunks and separated from the liquid, then your cream liqueur is spoiled. You should also be on the lookout for liquid that has turned uncharacteristically dark.
• If you think that your liqueur has not been stored correctly and it’s showing signs of oxidation, it probably has gone bad.
• If your liqueur has an expiry date and has reached it, there’s a good chance it’s not good to drink.

What can I substitute for liqueurs?

If you’re using a coffee liqueur to make a dessert, use coffee extracts or instant coffee instead. An excellent chocolate liqueur substitute is chocolate syrup or some chocolate extract with water. If you’ve been using liqueurs as aperitifs, you could substitute this with beer or wine. Brandy and whiskey also help stimulate the appetite.

Liqueurs for every taste 

Liqueurs can be used as an aperitif or digestif. They can also be used in various cocktails, as a stand-alone beverage, or in desserts. 

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