How long can I keep ready-to-drink iced tea?

Bottles of Arizona Iced Tea, as an example, do not have a "Best Before" date on them, but they have a manufacture date. (The one we just purchased had a date of 6 months earlier). The customer service line provided these guidelines: ready-to-drink iced tea, once opened, should be consumed within 7-10 days if refrigerated, 2-3 days if unrefrigerated. You'll be able to tell when it's no longer safe for consumption, as it will start to smell like wine and may even start to get moldy. But, before you open it, you can take your time getting to it: Bottled iced tea is good for 12 months after the manufacture date, canned iced tea as long as 18 months.
 
Source(s):
Arizona Tea Company: 1-800-TEA-3775.