With the festive season rolling in, the parties and evenings at the pub are starting to kick off.

And while you and your colleagues sink a few drinks after work, or you have that night out with your pals ‘because you’ve got to do it before Christmas’, there’s always that one question that seems to be asked…‘Shots?’

I mean, we say it’s a ‘dreaded question’, but most of us are pretty to quick to nod yes. Maybe it’s a tequila or sambucca, or maybe it’s the biggie; the creamy Baby Guinness.

But before you go knocking them back this winter, there’s a warning issued to millions of Brits about the little stout-looking shots.

A Baby Guinness is of course made with two key ingredients: coffee liqueur and Irish cream, typically Bailey’s.

And plenty of British households tend to have a bottle of that open during the festive season.

But there’s one common problem people end up running into with the stuff – even if they’re knocking back loads of shots of it with their friends and family – and that’s the fact that we often don’t finish the full bottle

As lots of us convince ourselves we’ll be taking on Dry January, the Bailey’s ends up banished until next winter, with shots are certainly off the cards. So, it ends up sitting neglected in your fridge for months on end.

That’s a bit of a problem though, because Bailey’s does have an expiration date, and if you are getting rid of it, there’s something you absolutely shouldn’t do.

While the drink company itself says it has a shelf life of two years from the date of bottling, opened or unopened, there are others who warn that you’d better quaff the lot within six months.

The drink always makes an appearance at this time of year. (Getty Stock)

As a general rule of thumb, if the bottle is unopened, then it might be alright for two years, but once opened, you should probably finish it off within six months.

The drink contains dairy cream, which goes bad over time, and since you don’t want to chug a rancid drink, you might end up having to chuck it out.

Now, normally you’d think about pouring the expired beverage down the kitchen sink and sticking the bottle in the recycling, but according tradesmen from MyBuilder.com, that’s the wrong thing to do.

They warn that Bailey’s and similar products can ‘wreak havoc’ with your plumbing, and even end up blocking your pipes.

Since dairy cream contains a lot of fat, it puts Bailey’s in the list of things that should never go down your sink, along with fat, oil, and grease.

So, either finish off the bottle with a few more Baby Guinnesses, or dispose of it properly.

For most of us, a night out isn’t complete without a few rounds of Baby Guinness’ these days.

However, next time you’re out boozing, you might want to reconsider what tipple you are ordering at the bar when you decide to get the shots in – as millions of people might be declining one from now on.

I know, I know – how could you turn down one of the delicious drinks which look exactly like an adorable miniature pint of the Irish dry stout?

Well, if the coffee liqueur that the bar your in is using Kahlúa – which is highly likely – your vegetarian pals will probably now be politely declining your offer to sling a Baby Guinness down their throats.

That’s because the popular beverage, made up of rum, sugar, and arabica coffee, has now lost its status as a safe drink for those who abstain from eating meat or using any animal by-products.

So for vegetarians, the days of topping a shot glass of Kahlúa with a creamy ‘head’ of Baileys are over – and coffee-based cocktails like Espresso Martinis – are off limits too.

It’s all to do with the way the strong stuff is made – and believe it or not, the whole process can take up to seven years.

Kahlúa explains that its coffee cherries – which are a safety blanket for the ‘precious beans’ inside – are grown in the shade, which means they take a lot longer to sprout before they are ready to harvest.

The beans are then dried and rested in huge burlaps bags for around six months, while the rum – made from sugarcane – is extracted, boiled and mixed with water before the distillation process begins.

After all that time, the beans and rum finally meet back up in Kahlúa’s distillery in Veracruz, Mexico.

The coffee is roasted before being blended with the spirits and this concoction then ‘rests’ together for four weeks.

Which all sounds pretty above board for vegetarians, right?

Wrong – because the new refinement process of the sugar used in it’s production now doesn’t align with their values.

Bone char, which is exactly what it sounds like… porous, black material produced by charring animal bones, is used during the sugar refinement process to make Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur.

Although this is sort of standard practice in the alcohol industry, it means that Kahlúa is not vegetarian-friendly.

It’s also not suitable for vegans, of course, but it never was in the first place due to other ingredients.

Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur isn’t suitable for vegetarians or vegans (Kahlúa)

In a statement regarding the matter, Kahlúa said: “We can confirm that Kahlúa is NOT suitable for vegetarians or vegans. This is because of the sugar refinement.

“It appears there was some confusion as, prior to 2016, Kahlúa was deemed suitable. At this time, Kahlúa is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.”

But don’t be too disheartened that the go-to ingredient for your Baby Guinness is now not an option, as bartender Bryan Levato explained that it’s not the end of the world.

The drinks whizz, from Spin & Shake, said: “While the news about Kahlúa is disappointing, there are still plenty of delicious vegetarian options out there.

“Simply ask your bartender for a vegetarian coffee liqueur like Tia Maria. It’s a great alternative that won’t compromise on taste. Check the labels and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Awareness and communication are key.”