You may have even tried making a serving or purchasing a bottle. You may be wondering how long the product will last once you have it. To help you enjoy the flavor of coffee all year long, I’ll respond to these queries and explain how to extend the shelf life of your cold brew.
So how long does cold brew last? In a nutshell, it depends on whether you’re drinking store-bought or home-brewed coffee. Essentially, you’ll be safe to drink your cold brew for about a week for sure.
For more information on cold brew storage, continue reading.
Is Cold Brewed Coffee the Same as Iced Coffee?
But by promoting cold brew as an iced coffee beverage, several well-known companies, including Starbucks, have helped to perpetuate this myth. Coffee beans are soaked in cold water or ordinary water for a period of time greater than 12 hours to create cold-brew. Oils, sugars, and caffeine are all extracted with the help of this process. On the other hand, iced coffee is just regular coffee poured over ice.
One thing to keep in mind is that cold-brewed coffee never comes into contact with hot water. According to experts, this method of extraction renders the beverage less toxic and, therefore, healthier for you. Some claim that cold-brewed coffee has high antioxidant activity, which prevents many diseases.
These advantages are causing the popularity of cold brew coffee to rise. Popular all over the world Many people use it as an alternative to artificially sweetened drinks, especially soda, because it has a mild caffeine kick and is simple to drink. Another benefit of cold brew is that it can be kept in the refrigerator for a lot longer than hot coffee, and this is something we’ll talk about today.
You might be curious about how long cold brew lasts before purchasing some for yourself. In this article, we’ll examine each of these variables in order to determine how long your cold brew will last. Therefore, let’s begin.
Read More: Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine?
Does Cold Brew Go Bad?
Convenience and health advantages are the first two things that come to mind when we think of cold brew coffee. It’s brewed coffee that has been steeped in cold water for a long time, so you can make a large batch and store it in the refrigerator until you need it. However, how long does cold brew coffee actually last?
It’s good news that cold brew coffee keeps well for a very long time. Yes, there are a few factors that can affect how long your cold brew will last, but with proper storage, it can easily last for two to three weeks.
What Can Make Cold Brew Go Bad Even Faster?
A few additional factors, in addition to improper storage, can cause your cold brew to spoil. These people are the most frequent offenders, in my experience.
1. Using Old Coffee Beans.
This is a common error that people commit. They believe they can use old coffee beans and still make delicious cold brew because it is such a forgiving brewing technique.
False, your cold brew will be stale if your coffee beans are. Thus, to achieve the best results, be sure to use freshly-roasted, premium coffee beans.
2. Brewing for Too Long.
Making the error of overbrewing your cold brew is another typical blunder. A little bitterness will develop in your cold brew if you let it steep for longer than 24 hours. Although the taste won’t be as good as it could be, this doesn’t mean that it will go bad.
Therefore, limit your brewing time to 24 hours if you want to create the best possible cold brew.
3. Your Ground Coffee Beans Are Too Fine.
Your cold brew will over-extract and taste awful if your coffee beans are too fine. The truth about over-extraction is that it increases the bitterness of coffee. Make sure your grind is medium-coarse if you want to create the best possible cold brew.
Even though the majority of these factors don’t always cause cold brew to spoil, they can undoubtedly alter the beverage’s flavor. Because many coffee shops don’t know how to properly make cold brew, they often end up making it too weak or too strong, which can ruin the flavor.
Coffee is not the same as cold brew! Whenever you make it, keep that in mind.
4. Incorrect Water Temperature.
It can actually scald the coffee beans and ruin the flavor of your cold brew if you use too hot water before brewing.
Filling the cold brew coffee maker or whatever container you’re using with room temperature water is the ideal way to make a cold brew. Coffee grounds are then added, stirred, and placed in the refrigerator.
How Long is Cold Brew Coffee Good For?
So, you mastered the art of making cold brew coffee at home. How long does this drink last? is the next query.
Coffee made using a cold brew method keeps better than hot coffee. One of this beverage’s most exceptional features is its longer shelf life. It’s enjoyable for days, and the best part? There are some health advantages to cold brew as well.
Additionally, 30 minutes after water first came into contact with the ground coffee beans, the flavor quality of hot coffee begins to deteriorate. This is also true for iced coffee, which is simply hot coffee that has been chilled. Cold coffee keeps a lot longer. Additionally, some forms of cold brew can last up to 10 days, which increases flavor stability.
How Long Does Cold Brew Last in the Fridge?
However, if you keep your cold brew concentrate in the refrigerator, it can keep for up to two weeks. So, if you prepare a large quantity of concentrate and store it in the refrigerator, you can enjoy iced coffee nonstop for two weeks!
Of course, after a week or so, the quality of your cold brew will start to deteriorate. But two weeks is definitely doable if you don’t mind a little less flavorful coffee.
How to Store Cold Brew?
You have a variety of options when it comes to storage. These include the following;
The most common container for storing cold brew coffee is a mason jar. The right size is always an option, of course. They might be the best choice if you want to prepare small batches.
- Teapots: Usually, tea is made in teapots. A teapot is a great choice if you only need to prepare a small amount for yourself.
- French Press: A French press is typically used for the preparation of hot coffee Though, you can use it as a vessel for cold brew also
Making Your Cold Brew Last Longer
How long your cold brew will last is affected by a number of factors, so. to make sure that your cold brew remains fresh for a long period, consider the following tips.
Choose High-Quality Coffee Beans
Your cold brew will remain fresh longer if the beans you use are of higher quality. However, you are not required to purchase the most expensive coffee beans on the market. Check the expiration date of your coffee beans before you begin grinding them to ensure that they are not at the very least of poor quality or old.
Things that may affect the quality of your coffee beans include (but are not limited to)
- Type of beans
- Location of growth
- Elevation of growth Processing
- Roasting Storage
Grinding
The cold brew coffee’s shelf life may also be impacted by the grinding technique. Grind the beans until they are sufficiently coarse to produce the most flavor and caffeine.
If you grind the beans way too fine, your cold brew will turn out tasting awfully bitter, but if you leave the beans too thick, you won’t be able to get enough flavor out of them. A bland drink will be the end result of that.
Using the Right Ratios
The proper ratio makes a significant difference in a premium cold brew. For every single gallon of water, it is generally recommended to use one pound of coffee beans. The flavor profile would change if this ratio changed.
Simply reduce the quantity of coffee and water while keeping the same ratio if you want to brew coffee in a smaller batch.
Time of Steeping
Finally, the steeping period also plays a significant role. Keep in mind the next three recommendations for that.
- 12 hours is the least steeping time Anything time-period less than 12 hours will result in a bland drink
- 14-16 hours is the preferable time to extract just the right amount of flavor and caffeine from the coffee beans.
- 20-24 hours is way too long and will result in an extremely bitter flavor profile with a high concentration of caffeine
You can increase or decrease the above-mentioned time durations depending on the flavor profile and caffeine concentration you desire.
How Can I Tell If My Coffee’s Bad?
There are several obvious indications that your cold brew has turned sour. Coffee goes rancid quickly, so make sure to check for these signs every time you get a fresh cup:
- Less of a coffee smell
- Weaker coffee flavor
- No coffee kick
- An acrid or sour smell
- Coffee tastes stale or acidic
- Mold or mildew
FAQs
Do I Need a Cold Brew Coffee Maker?
To make this delicious drink, you don’t need a cold brew coffee maker. You can make it in a variety of ways. Simple Mason jars, French presses, Aeropresses, or filters can all be used. However, if you want a cold-brew coffee maker for yourself, you can look into a Toddy cold brew system made specifically for making cold-brew.
Do I Have to Steep Cold Brew Coffee in the Fridge?
No, making cold brew does not require steeping coffee grounds in the refrigerator. You can just do it at room temperature. Instead, steep your cold brew for a longer period of time in the refrigerator than you would at room temperature.
How Does Added Milk, Cream, Or Sugar Affect the Shelf Life of Cold Brew?
The shelf life of your cold brew concentrate will be shortened if you add anything to it, including sweeteners or even just water. Keeping the cold brew concentrate on hand is recommended. Add water and any other ingredients you’ll need when you’re ready to drink it. It is always best to include extras just before eating.
Final Thoughts on Cold Brew
One of the newest coffee trends is home cold brewing. Coffee connoisseurs should use premium coffee beans and give the cold brew process plenty of time if they want the extra caffeine in this concentrated coffee.
I’m hoping that after reading this article you’ll still be motivated to make and consume cold brew coffee! There is no season when you can’t drink this delicious beverage. If you want to learn more about cold brew, read or post on best coffee for cold brew.