On many occasions people can’t drink brewed coffee in time due to work progress or they just simply forget this. So how long exactly can brewed coffee last, why its flavor become strange? Here are the answers.
How Long is Brewed Coffee Good For?
There are basically two ways that freshly brewed coffee can become spoiled. Freshness is the first factor. Drinking coffee no later than 15-20 minutes after brewing is ideal for coffee drinkers who want a flavorful cup of bold and delicious coffee.
The same reason you would buy whole beans and grind them right before brewing is the same reason for the short shelf life: oxidation results in a loss of freshness. Your freshly brewed coffee rapidly loses flavor and freshness when exposed to oxygen. Within 20 to 30 minutes of brewing, your favorite coffee will taste stale and may even have become more bitter as a result of oxidation.
While losing flavor and freshness is pretty much the worst thing that can happen, spoiled coffee is even worse. Brew coffee can actually degrade to the point where it becomes risky to consume. You should consume brewed coffee at least within 24 hours if kept at room temperature, and within 3-4 days if kept in the fridge. Within these times, your coffee will still be safe to drink but will taste much less fresh.
Why Does Coffee Turn Bitter?
It’s important to understand that after your coffee is brewed, oxidization continues.
When you leave your coffee to sit for too long, the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen will raise the pH level of the coffee, making it taste bitter or “stale”.
This is why you should never let your coffee sit in a brewing pot for longer than necessary.
If you’re not able to finish it, store the remainder in an airtight container, such as a thermos.
Another common reason for bitterness is over-extraction. Make sure your grind size isn’t too small and that you aren’t over-brewing your coffee to prevent it.
The worst thing you can do is to leave your coffee in the press after brewing, especially if you’re using a French press.
Even after you’ve pressed the plunger down, your coffee will continue to brew for as long as it remains in the press, turning horribly bitter in a few minutes. When the coffee is finished, immediately pour it into a mug, serving jug, or thermos.
Is Brewed Coffee Ever Unsafe to Drink?
It certainly can be! Beyond the timeframes mentioned above, brewed coffee can start growing bacteria that can be unsafe to consume. Additionally to tasting awful, it has the potential to make you sick.
It’s also important to remember that brewed coffee with milk can spoil even faster than we’ve already mentioned. Milk products, including dairy substitutes, can quickly boost the growth of bacteria in freshly brewed coffee. We advise drinking any black coffee with milk within 1-2 hours at room temperature or within 48 hours in the fridge. Don’t drink milk in coffee after letting it sit out on the counter for a day—you wouldn’t do that with any other food!
What’s the Best Container for Storing Coffee?
As important as how long you store your coffee can be the container in which you keep it. We’ve discovered that porcelain or glass make the best storage containers for coffee of any kind. These materials won’t impart any flavors in your coffee, so the only loss of freshness and taste you’ll need to combat will be from the time of storage.
Porcelain will work better for you because it is a better insulator if you want to consume your coffee warm within a few hours of brewing. Glass is fine too if that’s all you have. However, you might need to reheat your coffee, and doing so can make the beverage bitter.
Many travel mugs are made of stainless steel, which is the preferred material for coffee drinkers to store their coffee. Up to an hour or two, stainless steel is fine for short-term storage, but after that, you’ll notice that your coffee starts to taste a little metallic due to contact with the material.
Even though plastic is affordable and practical, it can contaminate coffee with chemicals and unpleasant flavors. For any type of storage, whether temporary or permanent, plastic is not advised. You’ll also find that plastic quickly becomes stained by the coffee and holds onto a vague coffee taste. Any other liquid you store in the container will then absorb this flavor.
What’s the Best Place to Store Brewed Coffee?
What’s in your coffee and where you store it both have an impact on the answer to this question.
If your coffee is black, you can store it at room temperature for up to 24 hours in the carafe you used to make it or another container. Better still, if you can seal it. We don’t advise leaving your coffee on a warming plate of any kind because the flavor will quickly become bitter and burnt. In addition, you can keep black coffee in a thermos or travel mug, a covered carafe in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Coffee with milk in it can be kept out on the counter for a very brief period of time. Given how quickly milk can spoil and attract bacteria, we wouldn’t advise drinking it by the time your cup has cooled to room temperature. Milky coffee can be stored in the fridge safely for up to 48 hours.
Final Thoughts
Brewed coffee will lose its flavor in just 15 to 20 minutes, with the help of fridge it can be stored for 3-4 days. But it’s better to drink it as soon as possible. And click here if you want to store your coffee beans or coffee grounds.
FAQs
How Long Can You Keep Brewed Coffee In The Fridge?
You can keep brewed coffee in the fridge for up to a week although it will not taste or smell as good as a freshly brewed cup. Just make sure to cover your cup or carafe to keep your drink from absorbing the scents and aroma of other foods or beverages inside the fridge.
Can I Drink Coffee Left out Overnight?
Hot black coffee: At normal room temperature, black coffee can last up to 24 hours before you’ve got to worry about it spoiling. However, that doesn’t mean it won’t be stale. Just thirty minutes in, plain black coffee will start to lose its flavor.
How Long Can Coffee Sit Out With Milk?
According to the US FDA, perishable products like milk should not stay out of the fridge for more than two hours. The same goes for coffee that has been sitting out with milk. So if you plan to drink your coffee with milk at a later time, make sure to put it in the fridge.
