Does Meths go off?

[Arch]

I got my bottle of meths out this morning to pack with the trangia, and it's turned from purple to a sort of dirty looking yellowy colour.  Is this ok?  I had a tentative sniff and it still smells of meths. It's been at the back of a shelf on a bookcase, so not entirely dark, but certainly not in direct light, and not in indirect light much.

[Ian H]

The colour is added as a warning. It might fade under UV. Try lighting some?

[border-rider]

I doubt there's much in it that'd go off. Not enough to make it non-burny, anyway.

[Kim]

Mine's gone like that.  It still burns fine and tastes of meths.

Only mechanism by which I can reasonably see it 'going off' would be by absorbing water, which isn't going to have happened in a sealed container.

[Polar Bear]

I have noticed occasionally that meths left in my trangia burner is reluctant to light sometimes.   Meths out of a bottle has never been a problem.   The stuff I have atm is over two years old.  I got a load on sale in 2009.

[Arch]

Cheers, it'll be ok then I reckon, it's had the childproof lid on all the time.

I didn't think to taste it...

[Kim]

It's meths, you're going to end up tasting it sooner or later.  Vital part of the camping experience, innit.   

[Jaded]

It tastes like Bishop's Choice.

sits back and waits for those that know what Bishop's choice is.

[rogerzilla]

I've never been insane or put my baby on a plane
with a suitcase that's alive and kicking
And Your Honour I confess that I've never tasted meths
or hid a gun in a box of fried chicken
I've never been to Amsterdam, left my heart in Vietnam
or sold gum on the streets of Mexico
never smuggled pot or been murdered in my squat
two stories from the top of a no go

[Bigsybaby]

It depends on how slowly you drink it!