How Long Does Malt Vinegar Last? Does it Go Bad?

Malt vinegar is a widely known condiment as it is used to add flavors to the sides.

One can make their meals more delicious no matter they are eating chips, fries, or fish.

Therefore people store them in their homes, but then people get confused that do malt vinegar go bad.

That is because they begin to decline in quality if you store them for a prolonged period.

Vinegar generally does not go bad if you keep them under favorable storage conditions.

However, this will lose their potency and will not offer a strong flavor like before; thus, one must have the vinegar within a certain period.

What is Malt Vinegar?

This is vinegar which is extracted from malted grains of barley.

It has a tangy and tart flavor which makes all the recipes and sides flavorful when you use them.

Malt vinegar is also called brown vinegar as it has a dark color.

One can use this in various recipes such as meat marinades, homemade pickles, salad dressings, aioli, fish, chicken, and many others.

Besides taste, we all love to have malt vinegar because of its health benefits.

Adding malt vinegar to your diet can help you reduce your blood sugar levels as it can potentially control type 2 diabetes.

One can also improve heart health by this as it has polyphenols which are effective in lowering bad cholesterol.

The vinegar also contains probiotics that help you to reduce weight and prevent obesity.

How Long Does Malt Vinegar Last? Does Malt Vinegar Go Bad?

Some people think that malt vinegar has an indefinite shelf life.

That is because the vinegar will not go bad no matter how long anyone stores it.

That means you do not have to worry about getting sick, but you have to compromise its taste after extended storage.

So if anyone is not going to use the vinegar within a short period, they need to provide it with proper storage.

If you are curious about how long it can be stored, then you can consider its best-by date.

All the brands have different shelf lives and recommendations mentioned on the bottle that one can count on.

It will provide the period till which the vinegar offers its quality at its peak.

After that, the quality and flavor both will degrade in no time.

Even though it has an indefinite shelf life, this can still go bad before its best-by date if storage is not appropriate.

Inadequate storing measures increase the pace of the oxidation process, which causes bacterial growth.

Therefore if anyone wants to retain its quality for a longer time, they need to follow suitable storing measures to preserve its flavor.

How to Tell if Malt Vinegar Has Gone Bad?

• Sediments

Even though it does not go bad, one should avoid the usage of foul vinegar as this can ruin their recipes.

So one should look for bad signs that can help them identify rancid vinegar-like sediments.

When you are storing it, then it has a clear appearance.

However, as time passes, it develops sediments indicating that impurities have entered the vinegar.

You can see that the bottom of the bottle must not contain sediments because if it has, then you must avoid its consumption.

• Changes in Texture and Color

One can notice changes in the texture of the vinegar as, at first, the texture is smooth.

However, once it goes bad, you can also notice that it has become slimy.

The content will not look desirable and will have an off-putting appearance.

You can also notice that there must not be any discoloration; if that happens, you should discard the vinegar.

• Damaged Bottles

Before using an old stored bottle, you must check that the bottle is not damaged.

Sometimes the bottle is damaged or has openings, because of which it gets a lot of air exposure.

This leads to a decline in quality, and vinegar loses its flavor.

Therefore it’s better to look for damaged and puffy bottles and discard them immediately.

How to Store Malt Vinegar?

• Avoid Storage in Direct Sunlight

For longevity of the content, you should avoid storing it in pantry areas that are prone to sunlight.

Direct sunlight will break down the components of vinegar and decline its quality.

Therefore you need to keep it away from sunlight and kitchen cupboards that are infested with pests.

So storage should be done in a cool and dark place to retain vinegar’s quality.

• Use Sealed Bottles

The container or bottle you are using for storage must be tightly sealed.

As explained above, more prolonged exposure to air will cause impurities and increase oxidation.

Thus it would be better to store this in a sealed or airtight container else it will go bad.

• Avoid Reopening

People who frequently use vinegar reopen the bottle often because of which the entire content gets exposed to air.

Therefore you should separate the vinegar used frequently from one you want to use after an extended period.

Storing them in 2 places will keep both bottles safe for use, and avoiding reopening them will secure them from exposure.

Conclusion

If excessive air enters the bottle, then develops microbes that cause bacterial growth.

This also leads to the acid reduction that oxidizes the vinegar; thus, one must follow proper storing measures if they want to increase the shelf life of their vinegar.

Do not use malt vinegar directly after prolonged storage without looking for bad signs.

One can store it in pantry, fridge or freezer as per their desire as they offer similar shelf life everywhere.