Generally speaking, a high-quality balsamic vinegar that's been properly stored in a cool, dark place should last for several years or even decades. However, the flavor and quality of the vinegar may start to degrade over time.
To put it simply, balsamic vinegar doesn't go bad. While the condiment is at the peak of it's life within the first three years (as long as the cap is securely tightened), the bottle can be passed down from generation to generation and still remain safe to consume.
Assuming you use and cap your bottle regularly, one can expect the Balsamic Vinegar to last for 12-18 months after opening. Towards the tail end of that range, you may begin to notice the flavor is more subtle.
While refrigeration after opening is required for many pantry staples, it is not necessary for balsamic vinegar. Putting the balsamic vinegar in the fridge can potentially cause condensation to form on the inside of the bottle, diluting the flavor.
The shelf life of balsamic vinegar should be between 3-5 years.
If the vinegar tastes flat, sour, or has a strange aftertaste, it may have gone bad. Texture: Balsamic vinegar should be a thick and luscious texture. If your balsamic seems watery or thin, it is very likely expired.
That said, you will want to consume most commercially available balsamic vinegar within three to five years. They're still safe to consume after five years (self-preserving, remember), but the quality won't be the same.
When you find a bit of stringy sediment, large or small, in a bottle of vinegar don't fret. In fact — congratulations — you have a mother. A mother of vinegar, that is. Yes, it looks rather grungy and scary, floating on the top of the vinegar like that, but this spongy mass of bacteria is completely harmless.
"Typically, vinegar is best from one to three years after opening or two to five years prior to opening it. In general, the expiration date will be listed as being about two to three years past the estimated purchasing date of the product," says Schapiro.
Once opened and exposed to air, however, harmless “vinegar bacteria” may start to grow. This bacteria causes the formation of a cloudy sediment that is nothing more than harmless cellulose, a complex carbohydrate that does not affect the quality of the vinegar or its flavor.
Vinegar does not expire. Consuming "old" vinegar will not harm you, the way other old food items might, but the flavor and quality will certainly change over extended periods of time.
Storage: Traditional balsamic vinegar will keep indefinitely, but store in a cool dark place to best preserve the complexity of its flavors, and keep away from other pungent ingredients. Balsamic vinegar will not continue to mature in the bottle.
All vinegar bottles will have a "best by" date printed on them, but don't get too hung up on it—since vinegar doesn't technically expire, these dates are simply a clue of when to expect peak freshness. For most situations, you can keep a bottle of vinegar on-hand for two to five years without cause for concern.
Balsamic vinegar is aged in barrels and exposed to oxygen as it ages. As a result, balsamic vinegar can develop black specks on the bottom of the bottle or sediment and other substances present during the aging process, such as wood chips, grape skins, and seeds raisins nuts.
Smell: If the vinegar smells off, sour, or musty, it's likely gone bad.
In addition to cloudiness or sediment, vinegar may develop a slimy substance called a “mother,” which may look and sound scary but is actually harmless. As its name suggests, the mother can even be used to make a new batch of vinegar. So, we can keep those bottles of vinegar in the pantry for another year, or longer.
While apple cider vinegar does not technically have an expiration date, it will lose its acidic nature over time. In fact, with enough time and oxygen exposure, raw vinegar “will eventually turn to water,” says Kirsten K. Shockey, author of Homebrewed Vinegar and cofounder of The Fermentation School.
Older bottles of wine-based vinegars might get sediment at the bottom, and sometimes they develop a growth of what is called Mother of Vinegar, the natural mold that is used to make new batches of vinegar. Mother looks more like a thin sheet you'll see floating in a bottle.
Store the balsamic vinegar in a cool, dark place away from heat. You may notice a sediment in the bottle—this is a natural by-product of the process and is not harmful.
A vinegar mother is a gelatinous disc that looks like a slice of wobbly raw liver. It's composed of a form of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria (mycoderma aceti) that develops on fermenting alcoholic liquids, and turns alcohol into acetic acid with a little help from some oxygen in the air.
To qualify as tradizionale, balsamic vinegars must be aged for a minimum of 12 years and have no ingredients other than grape must. The color of the label indicates the minimum level of aging: Red means 12 years, silver means 18 years, and gold means 25 years.
Often you have confused the texture of aged Balsamic Vinegar with the texture of Balsamic cream. Both look thick. Actually the real aged Balsamic Vinegar is thick, while the cream is not thick, but viscous. In fact, viscosity indicates the greater or lesser ease of flow of a liquid.
Balsamic Vinaigrette will last for up to 2 weeks when stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Shake or stir well before using.