Sake is a delicious alcoholic drink from Japan that has gained popularity all around the world. The drink is made from fermented rice, and has a unique flavor that millions of people have fallen in love with. 

If you’ve ever bought sake, you might have noticed a few interesting things about it – like the fact that it doesn’t usually have a best by date! 

Because of this, you may be wondering if sake goes bad or not! 

The truth is, it does – and quickly! To learn more about sake, including how to know when it’s gone bad and its shelf life, keep reading. We’re going to cover everything you need to know right here in this article.

Does Sake Go Bad?

Yes, sake does go bad – like all edible things. This is important to be aware of, as you can’t just leave it sitting on the shelf for twelve years!

Is There An Expiration Date To Follow?

Sake does not usually have an expiry or best before date printed out on the label. This can make it difficult for first time buyers to know their time limit with the drink. 

Instead of a best before or expiry label, you will instead see a “date of manufacturing” on the bottle! This will let you know how long ago the bottle was produced.

This is the case of alcoholic drinks around the world, as they will only deteriorate once they have been opened.

How Long Will Sake Last?

This may surprise you, but sake is not actually meant to be aged at all! While wine and many spirits may benefit from being stored for several years, sake is not made to be aged. As such, it’s supposed to be enjoyed immediately after being produced. 

Sake will usually last up to two years once it has been opened, but it’s always best to finish it within the year if possible. This isn’t for safety reasons, but for quality.

It will quickly deteriorate once opened, and leaving it for too long will result in the quality becoming poor. As a result, it won’t be as enjoyable to drink. 

The flavor of the drink will change when opened, and that classic sake flavor will escape. 

If you want to get the best results with sake, we would recommend following these rules for shelf life:

• Unopened – 2 years stored in a cabinet
• Opened – 2–4 weeks refrigerated 
• Sealed, unpasteurized – 6 months refrigerated 
• Opened unpasteurized – 1–2 weeks refrigerated 

Times may be longer or shorter depending on the brand and other factors, but these are general rules to follow for the best results.

Please bear in mind that some people prefer to drink their sake within two weeks, as this allows the flavor to remain the best.

In some cases, bottles may last some time longer and the flavors will stay intact, making sake delicious even a month after opening. 

How to Tell if Your Sake Goes Bad

Knowing how to tell when your sake has gone bad is a useful skill to have. For this, you should consider the taste, smell, and appearance of the product before consuming it. 

In some cases, the changes will be obvious. However, they may also be minimal and difficult to notice if you aren’t sure what to look out for. 

We will go through the warning signs of your sake going bad in the section below.

Appearance

Sake that has gone bad is likely to make a yellow tint to it when you pour it out. A bottle of sake that has not gone bad should be clear, so if you notice any changes in color, take note!

If you notice a change in color, it’s time to get yourself a fresh bottle and discard the old. 

The same goes if you see any settling or floating particle in the drink.

Again, the product is likely to still be safe to drink, but it won’t be nearly as delicious as it should be. It’s better to just get a new bottle and pour yourself a fresh glass.

Taste

You can test your sake by drinking just a small amount of it for a taste test. Just be sure that you know what sake is supposed to taste like! If you don’t, you may get confused, as is the case with many alcoholic beverages. 

If you’ve bought a sake with a flavor that you don’t like, don’t throw it away! You can always use it for cooking, or at least give it to a friend who enjoys the flavor. 

If you know what it’s supposed to taste like, and it tastes off, then listen to your taste buds! Time to throw it away and get a fresh bottle to enjoy.

Odor

Finally, you should always give your sake a good sniff before you drink it. If the sake has gone bad, you will notice a pungent, sour smell coming from it. If it hasn’t gone off for too long, you are likely to just notice an unpleasant or rancid odor. 

The smell alone should make you turn away, so get rid of it and get a new bottle.

How to Store Your Sake Properly

Treat it like you treat your wine – keep it in a relatively cool, dark place when it’s unopened. It should be kept away from heat and sunlight. 

We’ll briefly go through the basics below:

• Pasteurized – store in a cool, dark place away from heat and sunlight
• Unpasteurized – unpasteurized sake should be kept in a cool place like the refrigerator to ensure the drink remains safe
• Opened – all opened sake should be refrigerated

Making Sake Last Longer

There’s little you can do to extend the life of your sake once you open it. The most you can do is ensure that you keep the cap sealed tightly whenever it gets used. Try to use it within the week for the best flavor!

Final Thoughts 

Sake goes bad quickly, and should ideally be consumed within a week of opening. Improper storage can lead to the drink going off even quicker, which will result in a change in color, flavor, and odor.