Does Malibu rum go bad?

If you like sweet drinks like rum infused with coconut, Malibu rum has you covered. This versatile rum can be a mixer to add to other cocktails. Be it simple Malibu rum and cola or pina colada. Malibu rum will make your party a success.

Did you know Malibu rum is not pure rum? Malibu rum has 21% ABV and is classed as coconut liqueur rum has to have  40% ABV to be considered rum.

In this article, we will unveil the truth about the longevity of Malibu rum to provide you with a complete insight into this tasty liqueur. We will answer frequently asked questions for your reference in one place.

Let’s dive in.

Does Malibu rum expire?

This question seems a little controversial. Some say no, and others give a definite yes to the questions, so breaking the question down into its components makes sense.

First, is Malibu rum actually rum, or is it a mixture? Malibu rum has a 21% ABV which officially makes it a liqueur and not hard liquor. For the aficionados to be classified as rum, the product needs a 40% ABV.

Now we have established it as a liqueur with moderate alcohol content, and we can get close to the truth if Malibu rum does, in fact, expire. 

Here is the next glaring clue to the expiration validity of Malibu rum, it comes with an expiration date of two years. It may seem like a smoking gun, but it is not.

It is reasonable to deduce from the component parts and some knowledge that Malibu rum has an indefinite shelf life if it is unopened, which is the same as hard liquor.

If you take care of Malibu rum in the same way as you would care for an expensive hard liquor, it will last for many years, but because liqueurs are flavored, some of the flavor profile will diminish after two years of sitting in the bottle.

Best-before dates don’t indicate the expiration of a product, and it’s an indication of the peak of the flavor profiles within the product.

However, Malibu rum will not go bad or expire if unopened.

Does Malibu rum need to be refrigerated?

No, the only liqueurs that need refrigeration are those containing egg products, like Advocaat. Malibu rum does not contain eggs, so Malibu rum can be stored outside of the fridge in a cool dark space like a pantry or cocktail cabinet.

However, Malibu rum is frequently used as a mixer for cocktails like Pina Colada, where using a chilled Malibu rum is advantageous for the drink. It’s ok to keep Malibu rum chilled if you prefer to drink the product this way.

Does Malibu rum get better with age?

Unlike wine, distilled spirits do not get better once the product is bottled. It is a fallacy that having aged liquor in a bottle improves. If anything, it degrades, and the flavor diminishes with alcohol content.

It would be easy to imagine the aging process and infusion of coconut into Malibu rum is a relatively short process. Then the infusion is diluted with rum to make the Malibu rum liqueur.

How long can Malibu rum sit out?

You can keep Malibu rum sitting out in a sealed bottle for a year or more, and it will be perfect for drinking straight or as a mixer. The key to keeping the Malibu rum in good condition is to keep the bottles sealed after you have taken a shot or two.

Alcohol can evaporate from a warm bottle rapidly. Over the course of months, you could see the potency of the liqueur drop dramatically, and the flavor profile diminishes if you are not screwing the cap fully home to seal the Malibu rum bottle.

Does leaving Malibu rum go bad if left out?

Bad is probably the wrong word to use. It’s high in sugar and has a reasonable amount of alcohol to prevent bacteria from flourishing. It could change the drink’s characteristics if the bottle is not sealed.

Any evaporation could make the coconut flavor overpowering.

How long does Malibu rum last in the fridge?

It depends on how fast you drink it! But say you take the occasional shot every now and again. Malibu rum is going to last two years, at the very least. Some say it’s less, and others say it’s more. Chilled Malibu rum in a sealed bottle will last a long time, possibly more time than you need to consume the bottle’s contents.

Does frozen Malibu rum go bad?

No. Typically the domestic freezer is set to around 0.4℉. Rum with an ABV of 40% freezes at around -17℉, so it will remain in a liquid state, but Malibu rum is a 21% ABV so it may freeze totally. Typically the domestic freezer is set to around 0.4℉. You should be aware that frozen liquids expand, and the bottle of Malibu rum could crack leaving you a sticky mess to clean up.

Malibu rum has an incredibly long shelf life unopened and opened, so the benefits of freezer Malibu rum may not be fully realized if you are freezing for less than two years.

Although most products have an indefinite shelf life in the freezer, there can still be a degradation of the flavors if freezing is prolonged, so freezing for more than six months could see the flavor profile change.

Does Malibu rum freeze?

Adding Malibu rum to an ice cube tray and freezing it could add an exciting twist to some cocktails. Yes, it freezes due to its lower alcohol content than traditional rum, but that’s not bad news. The Malibu rum ice cubes will slowly thaw quickly, infusing the cocktail with its coconut flavor.

Frozen drinks with Malibu rum?

There are so many delicious frozen cocktails to be made with Malibu rum.

Check out these deciduous frozen cocktails. 

  • Strawberry puree. For frozen strawberry daiquiri, you will need 50ml Malibu rum strawberry, 35ml fresh lime juice, and 15 ml of simple syrup. Place in a blender with a scoop of crushed ice, pour into a long glass and enjoy.
  • Bahama mama. Dark rum, Coconut rum, Pineapple juice, Lime juice, Grenadine, and Ice

You can mix any of your favorite cocktails using the same method, from Pina Colada to a Malibu rum lime soda, and don’t forget the gelatine shots to liven the party.

How can you tell if Malibu rum is bad?

Malibu rum does not turn bad overnight, and because the rum is often used as a mixer to make cocktails, it can be challenging to know if the flavor profile is changing, especially if you are not a frequent Malibu drinker.

If you consider that Malibu rum can be mixed with pure vodka or flavored vodkas, the flavor profile can become complex to recognize if Malibu rum has a diminished flavor.

If your Malibu rum does not smell right or has a funky odor, you can assume it’s gone bad and should be discarded.

Look out for color changes, but be careful. Malibu black is a brown color, and Malibu rum coconut is clear.

Different types of Malibu rum

Does Malibu rum coconut rum go bad?

No, there is a best-before date on the bottle, indicating the peak performance of the products in the battle. However, an unopened bottle of Malibu rum coconut should last indefinitely, once the seal is broken, the clock is ticking, and you have two years to consume the content.

The key to storing Malibu rum is to ensure the screw cap is always sealed, and this will prevent the evaporation of the alcohol and further degradation of the product. Keep Malibu rum in a cool dark place, and it has an incredibly long shelf life.

Does Malibu rum Caribbean rum go bad?

Like other liqueurs, rums, and hard liquors, Malibu rum products have a long shelf life, unopened, and last indefinitely of being stored correctly.

The Malibu rum lineup of products has some similarities of not always flavors, and it is this. They are all 21% ABV which brings the products into the liqueur range; rum has to have 40% ABV and above to be considered rum.

The manufacturer places a two-year date on the Malibu rum from being opened, and the shelf life is long if you follow simple storage rules of keeping the Malibu rum cool and sealed correctly.

After two years, it does not mean the Malibu rum will be bad or spoiled. It means that the flavor profiles will start to diminish, lessening the enjoyment of the product.

Final thoughts

Malibu rum is a versatile drink that can change an average alcoholic drink into something special, sunshine in a bottle. However, it’s not precisely rum but a coconut-infused liquor based on a rum base with a 21% ABV.

Unopened Malibu rum can last indefinitely if stored in a cool area like a pantry, but once you break the seal, the clock is ticking down on this versatile drink. The manufacturer recommends that the drink lasts for two years if sealed after each shot. But the truth is Malibu rum can surpass the best-before date by a long time.

There is no need to keep the bottle refrigerated. It will last at an average ambient temperature. However, Malibu rum can be frozen and used in frozen cocktails.

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