What is Cold Brew?
What is coffee brew, and how long does cold brew last? Cold brew is coffee that you brew with cold water instead of hot water. It often entails a lengthy steeping procedure that lasts anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. Cold brew typically has a smoother, lower-acid, and heavier flavor than its hot-brewed competitors. Read our article and find out Is Cold Brew Stronger Than the Average Cuppa?
How Long Does Cold Brew Last?
The best thing is that you now know how to prepare cold brew coffee at home. How long does cold brew last; is the next question.
Cold brew coffee lasts longer than hot coffee. One of this beverage’s most unique features is its longer shelf life. Days can pass as you enjoy it, and the best part is that cold brew offers a few health advantages.
Additionally, 30 minutes after the water contacts the ground coffee beans, the flavor quality of hot coffee begins to deteriorate. This is also true with iced coffee, which is simply chilled, hot coffee. Cold coffee lasts a lot longer. Some cold brew techniques can last up to 10 days and have superior flavor stability.
Does Cold Brew Go Bad?
Cold brew coffee can go bad just like any other consumable food or drink, but how long does cold brew last in the fridge? Unfortunately, not for too long:
It will degrade at that temperature, even in a refrigerator. Nothing is ever truly fresh. Tastes will evolve with time. The fresher, the better it is, just like brewing coffee using coffee beans. Yes, you can put any leftover coffee in the refrigerator. But avoid making it a habit.
Knowing how long this kind of coffee beverage keeps should help you recognize the telltale signs that your favorite brew is bad:
- A faint aroma
- The caffeine high is gone.
- Substantially less flavor
- Very acidic flavor
- Mold or a foul odor
What Else Could Hasten the Decay of Cold Brew?
How long does homemade cold brew last? The cold brew will only last for a few hours if you add milk or sugar before it starts to spoil. It is advisable not to mix milk or sugar into the entire jar or bottle of cold brew, only the glass you will sip.
However, a lot may depend on whether your cold brew is poor. For the more discriminating coffee drinker, cold brew can taste stale. It’s time to discard your cold brew if it no longer tastes pleasant to you.
Do I Need to Keep Cold Brew in the Fridge?
After you strain the coffee grounds out, how should you store your cold brew? What would be the greatest storage solution now that your cold brew coffee is ready for consumption?
Storing in the Refrigerator
The main benefit of storing your cold brew in the refrigerator after brewing is that it will extend the cold brew shelf life. It can last up to a week or perhaps a little longer in the fridge. If you make it at home, you’ll have plenty of time to finish your batch. This is generally not a problem if you’re cooking for larger gatherings of people.
The taste won’t remain the same for the same period, even though it will be safe to consume for one to two weeks. After three or four days, you’ll probably start tasting something different. However, you might prefer the flavor of freshly brewed coffee. It is still completely safe to consume.
The best option is to brew smaller batches that aren’t long enough to finish your batch. This isn’t much more challenging than making a large quantity brew. You need to do it a little more frequently, but the coffee tastes better.
For most individuals, keeping it in the refrigerator is the best course of action due to the flavor and the way most people consume it. Most people prefer to sip their cold brew cool. You may certainly add ice to cool it down.
However, if you add ice to a warm cup to cool it down, the coffee is significantly diluted. You might not even need the ice if you store it in the refrigerator.
Storing Outside Fridge
Keeping your cold brew outside the refrigerator is not a good idea. It will quickly get bad. You probably won’t want to drink it after one or two days.
Enjoy it at room temperature if you finish the batch in that amount of time. But why not keep it in the refrigerator because most people prefer chilled anyway?
Leaving it outside the refrigerator for a bit is not an issue as long as it remains somewhat chilly. It’s not like milk, which spoils in an instant.
Extending the Cold Brew Shelf Life
Does cold brew expire? On average, according to coffee experts, cold brew coffee stays in the refrigerator for one to two weeks. This version of coffee starts to lose its flavor quality and caffeine level after the first week. Coffee lovers might notice a sour smell in two weeks. It is almost probably stale if it tastes or smells bad.
Several variables cause the decreased cold brew coffee shelf life. These factors include the type of coffee containers, the storage temperature, and the coffee dilution percentages.
Does iced coffee go bad? You may enjoy your coffee’s flavor and smoothness for longer if you brew and store it properly.
Storage Temperature
The most important element affecting how long you can preserve cold brew coffee is temperature. Your cold brew concentrate will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks if you dilute it. You can freeze cold brew ice cubes to extend their shelf life; however, thawing the coffee will somewhat alter its flavor.
After brewing, do not leave cold brew coffee at room temperature since it will spoil quickly. Even a cup of coffee left out can be hazardous. Coffee loses freshness faster each time you remove it from the refrigerator; therefore, keeping it there as much as possible is essential.
Containers
To extend the shelf life of your cold brew coffee and reduce its exposure to oxygen, you should store it in completely airtight glass containers even when you keep it in the refrigerator. Coffee is no different from other items because it will last longer when you keep it in an airtight container.
Because glass is not porous, glass containers perform better than plastic ones. Plastic containers can absorb some of the compounds in the coffee, hastening flavor loss. Mason jars or other glass bottles with lids are the best containers to use when storing cold brew.
Dilution Level
Due to its rigorous brewing process, cold brew coffee has around twice as much caffeine as ordinary coffee. Due to this, the majority of coffee drinkers choose to mix their cold brew with water or milk before consuming it.
Diluted coffee degrades far more quickly than undiluted coffee, so store your coffee before adding water or cream. You can enjoy the coffee for a longer time, and it will be simpler to dilute it by serving size.
Quality of Coffee
Although temperature and container quality are the key determinants of how effectively you can store cold brew coffee, the quality of the coffee itself can also have an impact. The coffee produced with correctly ground, high-quality beans will last longer.
The typical steeping time for cold brew is 15 hours, and many drinkers prefer room temperature steeping. While cold brew coffee can steep overnight, you should store it in the refrigerator as soon as it finishes.
How to Tell When the Cold Brew is Bad
Can cold brew go bad? Of course, no one would want to consume a stale beverage, but how might novice coffee drinkers distinguish between fresh cold brew and old? Your cold brew has three main indications that it is past its prime. If you see any of these, discard the pitcher or bottle and get ready to purchase a new one. These consists of:
- The cold brew tastes quite stale: This is the first indication that the coffee is getting old.
- An odd smell emanates from the coffee: This stench could be sour or rotten woody. The cold brew is already stale at this stage.
- The flavor changes: You might not be able to smell your coffee before consuming it. However, discard the beverage if it tastes like wood vinegar or overripe fruit.
- Molds forming: Soon, they start to degrade. Your cold brew will begin to grow mold.
Always watch for the warning signs of poor coffee before ingesting your cold brew. In light of this, always verify the expiration date before purchasing any cold brew from a coffee establishment. Some coffee producers make small batches that have a lower shelf life. Normally, they only last 7 to 12 days. or 14 days at the casino.
On the other hand, other businesses might create a cold brew in greater quantities and with a longer shelf life. These businesses frequently pressurize, pasteurize, and employ similar techniques to extend the shelf life of a gallon of cold brew.
The End
One of the most recent coffee trends is home cold brewing. Coffee lovers should use premium coffee beans and allow the cold brew procedure plenty of time if they want the extra caffeine in this concentrated coffee.
Does cold brew go bad? With a higher caffeine content and a significantly longer anticipated shelf life than standard brew coffee, homemade cold brew coffee stays fresh in refrigerator storage longer. Make sure you keep it in the refrigerator in airtight containers.
In essence, you should be able to enjoy your cold brew for around a week safely. Check it after a week to ensure there aren’t any of the indicators above of spoiling and that it doesn’t smell, taste, or look moldy.
Dilute coffee that stays for longer than two weeks and either pour on plants or throw it out because it is no longer fit for human consumption.