How long does Almond Extract last?

[Mark LaPolla]

I have a gallon jug of almond extract that has been opened? How long do you think it could last?

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Mark LaPolla
Shortened the post. (log)

[curls]

Indefinitely. How does it smell?

[Tri2Cook]

I've never bought it in that quantity but the small bottles of "pure almond extract" available on grocery shelves definitely go off. Or rather, a bottle I had definitely went off. One bottle probably isn't evidence that they can go off, maybe I contaminated it in some way without realizing it. But whatever the cause, it was clearly evident when I opened it that it wasn't being used in anything I was making. There was no doubt, based on the smell, that something wasn't right. I wish I knew how long it had been on my shelf before I noticed the problem but it wasn't something that occurred to me to keep track of. Best estimate is "a really long time" because I don't use it often.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

36 minutes ago, Mark LaPolla said:

I have a gallon jug of almond extract ....

There HAS to be a story behind this. 

[pastrygirl]

Quite a while.  My bottle is at least 5 or 6 years old.

[heidih]

As with any food items the storage conditions matter (cool dark versus heat exposure) As noted  - test the taste and smell.  A jug sounds like a plastic bottle for commercial use?

[Bernie]

So you had it tucked away. What I would do is convince myself its still tucked away and then bin it. If you haven't use it in 6 years, revisit the subject in another 6 years. By that time the guilt of throwing it away will be completely forgotten🙂

[MokaPot]

These extracts seem like they're basically high-proof alcohol, like vodka is.

 

Maybe put the bottle in the freezer and see if it gets thick and syrupy like a bottle of "frozen" vodka.

 

An old friend (kind of a hoarder) gave me a super old bottle of rum. I put it in my freezer and it actually formed ice crystals. I forgot what it tasted like, but I threw it out.

[Katie Meadow]

14 hours ago, Bernie said:

So you had it tucked away. What I would do is convince myself its still tucked away and then bin it. If you haven't use it in 6 years, revisit the subject in another 6 years. By that time the guilt of throwing it away will be completely forgotten🙂

By that time you won't remember what almond extract is, anyway. 

I don't agree that extracts keep forever. I think they deteriorate like just about everything else. Flavor is fragile.