How Long Does Mirin Last? Does Mirin Go Bad?

If you cook Japanese food frequently, you know how essential Mirin is.

This is a condiment that adds flavor to the dishes and makes them delicious.

Thus people buy and keep them to use when they make Japanese cuisine.

Sometimes the storage period gets extended, and people think do Mirin go bad, or are they safe to eat even after a long period?

When it comes to questions like these, it is evident that Mirin loses its quality over time if anyone prolongs its storage.

Therefore it will be great if one can have the wine within a certain period to avoid bad Mirin.

What is Mirin?

This rice wine offers a sweet texture to the dishes and balances the flavor of soy sauce correctly.

It is most commonly used in Japanese dishes and contains low alcoholic content.

The consistency of the sauce is relatively thicker, and the alcoholic content present in this is 14% which is not as high as sake which is up to 20%.

The wine is made with cultured rice, steamed glutinous rice, and some distilled rice liquor.

Once it is prepared, it is set aside for fermentation; that period ranges from 2 months to years.

The color of the wine becomes darker as its fermentation process exceeds.

The wine is consumed in different forms: sauce, salad dressing, marinades, pickles, and much more.

How Long Does Mirin Last? Does Mirin Go Bad?

The ingredients used in making Mirin are highly perishable; because of this, it does not have a longer shelf life.

Therefore one needs to focus more on storing wine and retaining its quality until it lasts.

Many people think they can only use Mirin until it’s best by date, but they are mistaken.

That is because best-by dates are the only indications that explain the time until Mirin retains its best quality so one can use it without any issue beyond that date.

However, they need to compromise with the taste as it will decline over time.

If we talk about the shelf life, then you can store its unopened bottle for an indefinite period as it depends upon your storage conditions.

On the other hand, an opened bottle of original Mirin will only last for up to 6 months.

Aji-mirin can serve you for 3 months as it contains less alcoholic content, which is 1%.

Storage at room temperature should be entirely avoided as they get crystallized due to high temperature.

When the bottle is opened, then you should finish the bottle within a month or two to experience the quality of the wine.

How to Tell if Mirin Have Gone Bad?

• Unsealed and Long Storage

Mirin does not offer many bad signs; thus, you must be careful while examining the wine.

One thing you can notice is whether the bottle or container you used for storage is still damage free or not.

That is because a lot of times, people do not seal the bottles, and their bottles have an opening that makes their wine go bad.

Therefore before consuming the wine, one should surely see that the old found jar is not unsealed or damaged.

If it is damaged, it might develop bacteria that are not good for your health; thus, you should avoid it.

• Sour Smell

One must not use the wine just by looking at it as bad Mirin can cause food poisoning.

Therefore another noticeable bad sign is the smell of wine as it changes over time.

When you have an opened bottle of Mirin, it gives an aroma, but this begins to fade away when stored.

So if your Mirin is offering a sour smell, then be sure to discard it immediately as it has gone bad.

• Alteration in Color and Texture

All you need to do is compare the initial state of wine, like its color and texture, with the after-storage state.

That will help you determine if the Mirin has gone bad; if there are any changes, you should discard the wine.

Different types of Mirin vary in color, but the original one is yellowish at first and changes into golden yellow later; it’s unsafe for usage.

How to Store Mirin?

• Refrigerate

If you want your Mirin to last longer and retain its flavor, then be sure to store the bottle in the refrigerator once they are opened.

One can safeguard their Mirin bottle from bacteria and moisture by keeping them stored correctly.

One can only retain the authentic flavors of the wine with optimal storage in the fridge.

• Direct Sunlight and Heat

When the bottle is unopened, then people store them in the pantry and kitchen cupboards which is fine.

However, they do not pay attention to direct sunlight and heat, that is making the wine contaminated.

Therefore one needs to look for a place that is not in contact with heat and light.

• Use Airtight Jar

There are times when you use the original bottles to store the wine, but if the original bottle is not sealed correctly, then it can make the wine terrible.

Thus you should use an airtight container that is sealed and keep your wine intact with all the outer elements that can contaminate it.

Conclusion

One can get their desired flavor in different dishes and save their wine for an extended period by using the above-provided storage.

Degradation will begin with the first serving; thus, be sure to store it in the fridge as soon as possible.

A cool and dark place is ideal for storing Mirin bottles, like kitchen cabinets for closed bottles.

If your old Mirin offers a strong and tangy taste, it contains bacteria, so you should throw it out.