Does Smirnoff Ice expire? - What you should know

A light and fruity cocktail with a hint of vodka, the Smirnoff Ice is a classic drink that never goes out of style. However, just like any other food and drink option, there are some guidelines to keep in mind when storing this drink.

The good news is that most alcoholic drinks last quite a long time, although many of them have recommended periods of use.

Does Smirnoff Ice expire? No, Smirnoff Ice does not expire, as long as it remains unopened. When you see that date printed on the bottle, it’s actually an indication of when the bottle was made. It will still be safe to drink much later; however, it can lose its carbonation and some of its appeal as a beverage over time.

In this guide, we will explain whether or not Smirnoff Ice expires and what you can expect from the dates that are stamped on the packaging.

We will also give you some instructions on how to properly preserve Smirnoff Ice. Read on for everything you need to know about keeping Smirnoff ice cool.

Smirnoff Ice - A Complete Guide to Coolness

It seems that this would be a simple topic. In a way, it is, but there’s still quite a bit of information you need to know to make sure your Smirnoff Ice is fresh and can be enjoyed anytime.

Where is the expiration date for Smirnoff Ice?

Smirnoff Ice is considered a malt beverage. It is not necessary to put an expiration date on them because they are considered to not technically expire.

You won’t see an expiration date stamped on it, but you may see a series of numbers on the bottle that you can’t interpret. They probably sound like gibberish, if you don’t know what you’re looking at.

This seal is put by the dealer and actually has a month and a year in the code that appears.

For example, if you see the code “ F1219DE ” on your bottle, it means that the bottle you are looking at was made on February 12, 2019 . The DE means it was bottled in Delaware.

You can consider it as an expiration date. If there’s nothing else, it at least tells you when the material in the bottle was made and bottled.

If you want to give it an expiration date that tells you when the carbonation quality may start to drop, you can add 3 months to the bottle date.

In the example above, this means that it would “expire” on May 12, 2019.

Does Smirnoff Ice need to be refrigerated?

Smirnoff Ice is considered a malt beverage. You may be familiar with the general recommendations for malt beverages, but the key is that you should not refrigerate it, let it warm up, and refrigerate it again. 

So with that in mind, you don’t have to refrigerate Smirnoff Ice. It won’t make it go bad. If your fridge is full and you can’t fit the 12 packages, you can put one or two in and replace them when you need them.

Smirnoff ice is best if you refrigerate it before drinking it. It just tastes better cold, but this too is a matter of personal preference.

If you buy Smirnoff Ice already cold and refrigerated, we recommend keeping it refrigerated.

Malt beverages can experience flavor and quality alteration if you let them cool and then let them come to room temperature and then try to chill them again.

It sounds silly, but this can really affect the taste, and it’s best to finish the drink the first time you take it out of the fridge, or toss the rest and get a fresh one next time.

Alcoholic beverages, including malt beverages, do not have to be refrigerated. They do not spoil when they are not refrigerated. However, in this case, the flavor improves a lot when chilled.

Does Smirnoff ice go bad?

We have covered this subject in quite depth up to this point. Your Smirnoff Ice probably won’t go bad.

The date stamped on the bottle indicates when the drink was made and bottled and can give you some indication of when it will be best.

However, this drink is bottled with carbonation, and carbonation may not hold for a long period of time. Smirnoff Ice is usually bottled. They do have some canned options, and the cans would not experience this side effect.

But if you have a bottle, this is what happens. The bottle stopper is not actually 100% airtight, although it does get close. Over time, gas from carbonation can leak out of the plug.

This will not cause your Smirnoff Ice to go bad, but it will cause your Smirnoff Ice to deflate. It’s safe to drink, but you’ll easily notice a difference in flavor and quality when you try to enjoy your drink.

So you might want to think twice about serving that year-old box of Smirnoff Ice at your party, even if you save a few more bucks.

How should you store Smirnoff ice?

Since Smirnoff Ice has such a long shelf life, you can store it however is most convenient for you . Most people prefer to store their bottles in the fridge to keep them ice cold and ready to use at a moment’s notice.

If you don’t have space in your kitchen fridge, you might consider getting a mini-fridge for your office, basement or bedroom, where you can keep an emergency stash for your sudden cravings at all times.

If you really want to make sure that your Smirnoff Ice can cool you down in the summer and help you beat the heat, you can even keep it in the freezer.

Since Smirnoff Ice is only 5% alcohol, it will freeze solid , but you can take out a bottle to thaw it out a bit before heading outside.

If you decide to leave a part without defrosting, it will act as an ice cube that will not water down the rest of your drink.

You can also choose to store the bottles in a room-temperature location, like a pantry or garage, but we recommend keeping them out of direct sunlight or warm places.

If you decide to take out your 12-pack for a pool party, be sure to leave the bottles in the fridge or cooler so the leftover bottles don’t get hot before you have to put them back in the freezer.

As we have mentioned above, this can have negative consequences on the overall quality of malt beverages.

Smirnoff Ice Shelf Life

In short, Smirnoff ice does not expire. However, there are a few things that could affect the overall taste and quality of your drink. Be sure not to let the cooled Smirnoff ice get hot and then try to cool it down again. This will spoil the taste.

Also, remember that the date stamped on the bottle is not an expiration date. It is an indication of how long ago the drink was bottled. You can expect your drink to remain great for at least 3 months after the bottle date.

After those 3 months have passed, your Smirnoff Ice may still be good. You don’t have to just throw it away. Take the cap off and give it a try to see if the quality still meets your needs and preferences.

In short, you will be able to enjoy your Smirnoff Ice however you want for quite some time!

Related questions

We hope this article has been a valuable resource for stocking your Smirnoff Ice and that we have answered all of your questions. We invite you to take a look at some related questions below.

Does the Kahlua go bad?

Kahlua is a strong, sweet dessert liqueur made with rum, sugar, and coffee. Although it is also alcoholic, it does not have as long a shelf life as Smirnoff Ice.

The Kahlua will wear down over time, but before that it will last up to 4 years. After only 2 years, it will start to lose its flavor.

When spoiled, it is not unsafe to eat and will not mold or go sour, but it will noticeably lose its quality.

It is important to keep the bottles tightly closed and stored in a dry, dark and cool place to prevent spoilage beforehand.

If you want to read more about Kahlua expiration , we have another article dedicated to this topic.

Does Bailey’s go bad?

As Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur contains cream, it too will spoil over time. However, the alcohol content (17%) helps keep it fresh longer than regular dairy products.

This means that when stored in the fridge with the lid tightly closed, your Bailey’s should last up to 2 years. However, it may still be safe to drink after this brand, but the quality will start to decline.

If you want to read more about the lifespan of your Bailey’s , we have another article dedicated to this question here.