About how long does an open sherry bottle last? A 750 ml makes ~17 cocktails. I'd love to get give these a try but I don't want to end up putting pouring out a bottle because I don't drink 17 within a week to a month.
Manzanilla is tricky because it actually starts to spoil in the bottle. My experience is if the bottle isn’t too old, you get 2-4 weeks in the fridge. A few months in the fridge for amontillado. Oloroso lasts a year or so even out of the fridge, and px lasts forever.
You want to drink sherry pretty soon after you get the bottle home. Don't keep a big stockpile of stuff from years ago.
Put a bottle in the fridge as soon as you open it. If you don't chill it, dry sherry will maybe last a few days, a week tops. But dry sherry should always be served chilled. Sweeter sherries will last several weeks, maybe longer, without chilling.
In the fridge, a very dry sherry will last at least a week, usually more like a month, before it goes off. Off doesn't mean "bad" -- a fino or manzanilla will still be drinkable after six or eight weeks, but you'll notice that, compared to a fresh bottle, it's not all there. It's similar to vermouth in this respect.
In the fridge, a sweet sherry like a PX will last much longer - at least a month, and maybe six, especially if you're using in cocktails. I'm not saying there will be no difference at all between day one and day 100, but as long as you've actually kept it in the fridge the whole time (except to pour), PX sherries are perfectly usable for a while.
Sherry obsessives might gripe about longer bottle-open times, and I probably wouldn't treat a super expensive bottle of sipping sherry like this. But for a basic $25ish bottle of sherry meant primarily for use in cocktails, I think the basic rule of thumb is to treat it roughly like vermouth: Always put it in the fridge, then understand there will be some drop off in quality over time, give it a sniff before you pour it, and don't obsess too much about it.
Also -- Lustau seems to have a bunch of offerings in 375ml bottles, which can reduce the worry about wasting a bunch of the bottle if you don’t use if often enough before spoiling. Not sure if other brands also do the smaller bottles.
Broken record on this, but the La Perla with sherry, tequila, and pear liqueur is a true modern classic. Anyway I was fortunate enough to visit Jerez a few years ago, and the Lustau bodega is honestly the most wonderful-smelling place I’ve ever been. Highly advise a trip there!
Loved the Flor de Jerez - with Washington apricot schnapps and El Dorado 5. And it’s a beaut to look at! Appleton has become hard to come by in the PNW; suggested alternatives?
This isn't about sherry (though feel free to make a connection!), but...we just received a dozen Meyer lemons from a California relative. Any suggestions beyond basic sours?
Meyer lemons are mostly available during the cold months, and what's great in the cold months? Maple syrup. So with Meyers I really like a whiskey sour made with maple syrup and an extra hit of salt, which offsets the mild sweetness of Meyer lemons. Make it with Evan Williams white label or Wild Turkey 101, if you can.
What makes me sad is that I cannot make a bunch of drinks for you over my home bar. I love taking a strange drink concept and helping someone come to appreciate it.
But. We will move past sherry drinks next week. I hope you like Cynar.
I made the Tequila/Sherry eggnog you shared a while back, and it was delicious. I didn't know what to expect, but makes me enthused to try more of these.
The whole Hidalgo line is so good, especially at the price point. The Faraon oloroso drinks like an extra acidic young rye. Also appreciate the 500ml bottles.
My appreciation for dry sherry came along with my appreciation for gin Martinis and variations, especially the Gibson (which I'm going to write about in a couple of months). I don't know your feelings about Martinis, but I know not everyone loves them - and indeed, it took me a while to come around. (Before I built my home bar, I briefly considered putting in a "no Martinis" sign.) But once I learned to appreciate the bite, the sneer, the bracing thinness of a really cold gin Martini, it helped me appreciate the briny, acidic bite of dry sherry.
About how long does an open sherry bottle last? A 750 ml makes ~17 cocktails. I'd love to get give these a try but I don't want to end up putting pouring out a bottle because I don't drink 17 within a week to a month.
Yes, came here with the same question. I assume an open bottle needs to be refrigerated?
Manzanilla is tricky because it actually starts to spoil in the bottle. My experience is if the bottle isn’t too old, you get 2-4 weeks in the fridge. A few months in the fridge for amontillado. Oloroso lasts a year or so even out of the fridge, and px lasts forever.
Jake is correct!
You want to drink sherry pretty soon after you get the bottle home. Don't keep a big stockpile of stuff from years ago.
Put a bottle in the fridge as soon as you open it. If you don't chill it, dry sherry will maybe last a few days, a week tops. But dry sherry should always be served chilled. Sweeter sherries will last several weeks, maybe longer, without chilling.
In the fridge, a very dry sherry will last at least a week, usually more like a month, before it goes off. Off doesn't mean "bad" -- a fino or manzanilla will still be drinkable after six or eight weeks, but you'll notice that, compared to a fresh bottle, it's not all there. It's similar to vermouth in this respect.
In the fridge, a sweet sherry like a PX will last much longer - at least a month, and maybe six, especially if you're using in cocktails. I'm not saying there will be no difference at all between day one and day 100, but as long as you've actually kept it in the fridge the whole time (except to pour), PX sherries are perfectly usable for a while.
Sherry obsessives might gripe about longer bottle-open times, and I probably wouldn't treat a super expensive bottle of sipping sherry like this. But for a basic $25ish bottle of sherry meant primarily for use in cocktails, I think the basic rule of thumb is to treat it roughly like vermouth: Always put it in the fridge, then understand there will be some drop off in quality over time, give it a sniff before you pour it, and don't obsess too much about it.
Also -- Lustau seems to have a bunch of offerings in 375ml bottles, which can reduce the worry about wasting a bunch of the bottle if you don’t use if often enough before spoiling. Not sure if other brands also do the smaller bottles.
Broken record on this, but the La Perla with sherry, tequila, and pear liqueur is a true modern classic. Anyway I was fortunate enough to visit Jerez a few years ago, and the Lustau bodega is honestly the most wonderful-smelling place I’ve ever been. Highly advise a trip there!
Loved the Flor de Jerez - with Washington apricot schnapps and El Dorado 5. And it’s a beaut to look at! Appleton has become hard to come by in the PNW; suggested alternatives?
Rum is so varied, it's always hard to find an exact comp. But if you can find it, you might try Hamilton Jamaican Gold.
This isn't about sherry (though feel free to make a connection!), but...we just received a dozen Meyer lemons from a California relative. Any suggestions beyond basic sours?
Slightly complex basic sours, actually.
Meyer lemons are mostly available during the cold months, and what's great in the cold months? Maple syrup. So with Meyers I really like a whiskey sour made with maple syrup and an extra hit of salt, which offsets the mild sweetness of Meyer lemons. Make it with Evan Williams white label or Wild Turkey 101, if you can.
I’m so frustrated with all the low-ABV sherry drinks I see because, despite many attempts... I just don’t enjoy sherry that much. Makes me sad.
What makes me sad is that I cannot make a bunch of drinks for you over my home bar. I love taking a strange drink concept and helping someone come to appreciate it.
But. We will move past sherry drinks next week. I hope you like Cynar.
I’m sad too! I’m sure I’d like the cocktail fine, but I think AJ : sherry :: Suderman : Fernet Branca.
Cynar, on the other hand, I bought on your recommendation and have been substituting it in anything where an amaro makes sense. It’s delightful.
I made the Tequila/Sherry eggnog you shared a while back, and it was delicious. I didn't know what to expect, but makes me enthused to try more of these.
Yeah this is not exactly in the same vein but it shares some DNA.
To the storage question: do you use wine vacuum sealers for your vermouths and sherries when you stick them in the fridge?
Have you tried the Hidalgo manzanilla?
The whole Hidalgo line is so good, especially at the price point. The Faraon oloroso drinks like an extra acidic young rye. Also appreciate the 500ml bottles.
Yeah, I was not a huge dry sherry fan at first.
My appreciation for dry sherry came along with my appreciation for gin Martinis and variations, especially the Gibson (which I'm going to write about in a couple of months). I don't know your feelings about Martinis, but I know not everyone loves them - and indeed, it took me a while to come around. (Before I built my home bar, I briefly considered putting in a "no Martinis" sign.) But once I learned to appreciate the bite, the sneer, the bracing thinness of a really cold gin Martini, it helped me appreciate the briny, acidic bite of dry sherry.