Best Method recommended method with best effort-to-efficacy tradeoff 1-2 years
Pantry (Opened)
- Keep tightly capped in a cool, dark cupboard not in a cabinet above the stove
- Store away from heat, sunlight, air and moisture moisture getting in is the main way vinegar degrades
- Keep out of direct light
- Discard if it no longer smells sharply of acetic acid a harmless mother (cellulose) or sediment can be strained out or left alone
Alternative another good method that's just different 2-3 years
Refrigerated (Lower-Acid / Unpasteurized)
- Refrigerate unpasteurized, raw or cloudy vinegars these can slowly develop off flavors at room temperature
- Keep the cap tight to limit air exposure
- Cloudiness or a gelatinous mother is normal and safe
Fun Facts
- Commercial vinegar is standardized to at least 5% acetic acid (about pH 3), which makes it self-preserving and gives it a virtually indefinite shelf life.
- The stringy "mother" that forms in unpasteurized vinegar is actually a mat of cellulose produced by acetic acid bacteria, not mold, and it is completely edible.