Dating old liquor bottles

How old is the date on a bottle of liquor?

This was mandated to be on every liquor bottle from the end of Prohibition until 1964. So we have a range of of about 30 years to play with, somewhere between 52 and 82 years ago. After that things get a little less obvious and Google becomes my best friend.

How can you tell how old a bottle of alcohol is?

Look for the raised letters on the bottle that say, Federal Law Prohibits the Resale or Reuse of this Bottle. This will date your bottle between 1932 and 1964, when federal law required all bottle manufacturers to have this wording in their molds. Browse the Internet for specific pages on your particular brand of alcohol.

How do you date a bottle of wine?

The Federal Tax Strips come in 4 variations, and these will give you a date-range that will identify a point in which your bottle was made ‘between’: 1934-1944, 1945-1972, 1973-1976 & 1977-1983.

Does whiskey age once it is bottled?

Unlike wines, spirits and high-proof whiskeys and liquors do not age once they are bottled. Check the bottom of the bottle for any indications of the year.

How old is my Whiskey bottle?

Depending on the precision of knowledge needed around the year, the glass date may not be enough information for you to know what exactly you have in your bottle. However, this is generally the easiest and most recommended way to help determine your whiskey bottle dates. 1985 that is the date you need to keep in mind.

When did they start putting dates on liquor bottles?

Additionally, even outside the dates during which the “Federal Law forbids” language was required on liquor bottles, some glassmakers coded the manufacture date onto all or most of their products. Owens-Illinois, for example, put a two-digit date code on almost everything they made from 1929 until at least the late 20th century.

How can you tell how old a bottle of alcohol is?

Look for the raised letters on the bottle that say, Federal Law Prohibits the Resale or Reuse of this Bottle. This will date your bottle between 1932 and 1964, when federal law required all bottle manufacturers to have this wording in their molds. Browse the Internet for specific pages on your particular brand of alcohol.

Where is the date on a bottle of wine?

This number is often located in the lower right region of the base of the bottle. Depending on the precision of knowledge needed around the year, the glass date may not be enough information for you to know what exactly you have in your bottle.

It generally wont have a use by date, but it will have the year that the wine was sealed into the bottle with a cork. How to tell if Wine is bad, rotten or spoiled? Practicing proper hygiene and food safety techniques will help prevent foodborne illness.

Does whiskey age in the bottle or in the barrel?

Does it age in the bottle? Whiskey is different to wine, in that it does not age while in the bottle. A whiskey that was aged for 12 years in a cask then placed into a bottle, remains a 12 year old whiskey — regardless of how many years later you open it.

Is the Whiskey in your bottle suspended in time?

Fair enough, but are we to believe that the whiskey in your bottle that’s been there for a year is suspended in time and has not changed, for better or worse? Isn’t the air in that bottle interacting with the liquid? Yes, of course it is.

Does 12 year old whiskey go bad?

A whiskey that was aged for 12 years in a cask then placed into a bottle, remains a 12 year old whiskey — regardless of how many years later you open it. The whiskey will not improve or deteriorate while in the bottle as long as it is kept in ideal conditions. It’s usually quite obvious if a whiskey has gone bad.

How long does whiskey last once opened?

It can sit there for years, even decades, as long as it’s stored in the right environment, particularly the right temperature (room temperature, around 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit). An opened bottle of whiskey, however, is another story.