Soju’s popularity with American drinkers has skyrocketed of late, and with good reason. It’s typically made with rice, which is gluten-free, and, unlike grain-based vodkas, it’s lower in calories. To get the most out of this delicious spirit, it’s important to know how to store soju once opened, and how long it will last. Thankfully, soju is easy to store once opened, making it a good choice for drinkers on a budget.
Can I store soju once opened?
Yes, you can absolutely store soju once it’s been opened.
There’s a common misconception that once you’ve opened a bottle of soju, you can’t store it and you need to drink it straight away. This is not true, and we’re here to debunk the myth!
However, there are a few guidelines you should follow for storing an opened bottle of soju.
- Store in a cool and dark place to prevent sunlight from affecting the flavour. Don’t leave the bottle in the sun. Extreme heat is bad for any spirit.
- Store away from strong-smelling foods. There’s a small risk this could contaminate the flavour of the drink.
- Keep the bottle securely screwed up and fastened. After opening a bottle of soju, it’s possible for the alcohol to oxidize, and this process can be hastened if the beverage is exposed to air.
- Keep it upright. You don’t want any to leak out by mistake!
How long does soju last once opened?
Because it’s distilled alcohol, it doesn’t expire. This means if you store it suitably, by following our guidelines above, it will last for quite a while.
This is much like vodka, whisky or tequila. In theory, it will last indefinitely as the ingredients don’t go off. As long as you follow the guidance above, you can keep opened soju until you’re ready to drink it again.
So in general, you can keep it for as long as you like. It shouldn’t go off, though if you have a bottle of flavoured soju, it’s best to drink that within a year or two of purchase due to the slightly higher sugar content in some varieties.
Can you drink opened soju?
Yes, you can. There’s no risk to drinking opened soju. As we’ve talked about above, it doesn’t expire.
You don’t need to finish all your bottle of soju in one sitting if you don’t want to. If you have some left, you can safely screw the cap back on, and come back to it after days or weeks have passed.
But what about if you’ve lost the lid?
As long as you cover the bottle with something like cling film, it should still be fine. But clearly, this isn’t as preferable as twisting the original cap back on.
We wouldn’t recommend that you leave the bottle open to the elements. After all, there’s no way of knowing what might fly or fall its way inside!
So if you are going to leave a bottle of soju opened and uncovered for any length of time, please make sure you pour it into your favourite clear soju glass so you can double-check nothing has contaminated your booze.
Do you need to refrigerate soju after opening?
No, you don’t need to refrigerate soju after it’s been opened. It can be served at room temperature without any issues.
In the same way that means soju doesn’t expire, the distilled alcohol means it’s pretty impossible for any nasties to occur by keeping a bottle of soju that you’ve started out in the open.
But despite this, it’s probably best to keep your soju in the fridge if you’re ready to serve it. As all Koreans will know, soju is best served chilled.
Unless you have a particular aversion to chilled drinks, because soju tastes strong and quite bitter, dishing it out ice-cold reduces the alcohol burn.
But is it a necessity? Absolutely not. Popping soju in the refrigerator after it’s been opened won’t prolong its shelf life by any significant degree.
Of course, it will be sitting somewhere where outside influences are less likely to taint it. But this isn’t considerably different to keeping it in a cupboard instead.
How long does opened soju last in the fridge?
Opened soju will last indefinitely in the fridge. Because soju doesn’t expire, and you’re keeping it stored safely in a cool, refrigerated environment, it will last as long as you want it to.
It’s possible that, because it’s in the fridge, the taste may change slightly over time. But this shouldn’t be significant – after all, the flavour profile of soju typically isn’t too complex. This is particularly true for the cheaper, mass-produced end of the market which is more commonly found in bars and liquor stores.
Just remember to keep it sealed. Given you’ll have lots of other things in the fridge (probably – we won’t judge!), you don’t want the booze to get contaminated with other flavours.
If you don’t keep the lid screwed on tightly, there’s also a small chance it might oxidise a little. This is only a remote danger, but why expose yourself to it?
Does soju go bad in the fridge?
Soju doesn’t go bad in the fridge. If it’s sealed, it will be fine for ages. Soju doesn’t expire so if you leave it in the fridge, it won’t spoil.
But even if it’s open, it will still stay good for a year or even longer. The refrigerator will keep it away from anything that could get in, as well as any direct sunlight.
Whilst it won’t go bad in the fridge, we recommend you keep it upright, just in case you haven’t screwed the cap back on properly!
Do you need to refrigerate flavoured soju after opening?
No, you definitely don’t need to keep flavoured soju in the refrigerator after opening.
However, it will help keep it fresh, and prevent any fruit juice or sugars in the alcohol from spoiling the flavour. A bit like how you’d want to keep your orange juice in the fridge, it’s not a bad idea to pop your flavoured soju in there too.
That said, most of the fruity flavour in your lychee or strawberry soju is flavourings. Combine that with the preservative effect of the alcohol, and it’s pretty difficult for it to go off.
That means it’ll unquestionably survive fine outside of the fridge, if you don’t have one handy (or it’s full!).
But if you do put it in the fridge, try and make sure you store it upright to prevent any leakage.
Conclusion
In summary, make sure you follow these easy instructions to keep your soju fresh and ready for drinking.
You can absolutely keep it once it’s been opened, and you don’t even have to keep it in the fridge if you don’t want to.
But please make sure you store it securely if you’re keeping hold of it, and keep it out of direct sunlight. If you make sure you do that, you’re good to go for a while!