Will It Still Be Fine To Eat After That Long?
The answer hinges on several things I’ll discuss later in the piece. But they generally made coffee that will last about 30 minutes at room temperature. After that time, the taste and smell will start to change slowly.
If you wait a few more hours, you can tell how bitter and strange your coffee has become.
Do you need to drink the coffee lying on your desk since this morning?
Coffee that’s just black
You can still drink black coffee sitting out for a few hours. You can even drink it 24 hours after it’s made without worrying about your health.
Putting black coffee in the fridge is another way to make it last longer. After it’s made, it can usually stay good for another 3 to 4 days. Just put it in a jar that won’t let air in.
If you don’t, your coffee might take on the smells of other things in your fridge, like meat or eggs.
Milk Or Creamer For Coffee
What if you put a little milk or coffee creamer in your coffee? Consequently, you must consume it at room temperature within an hour or two.
When dairy goods are kept at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit for a long time, bacteria grow quickly. In theory, you could heat it to kill any germs that might grow, but the coffee would taste awful.
Cool Coffee
However, things are a bit unusual when it comes to cold-brew coffee. Due to the absence of boiling water in this procedure, the coffee does not perish as rapidly.
Cold brew can generally be kept in the refrigerator for seven to ten days. If left out at room temperature for three or four days, I will not drink it.
Adding milk to the chilled beverage will significantly accelerate its degradation. It is safe to consume if left outside for an hour or two. It may last for up to two days if refrigerated. Check for a foul odor or fungi to ensure its quality.
Iced Coffee
You don’t need me to notify you that once the ice dissolves, the flavor of your cold coffee will become bland. If you are sitting on your veranda on a chilly winter day, this may not happen so rapidly. During the humid summer, your chilled coffee may become watery within an hour or less.
Does it imply that you won’t be able to drink it after the ice melts?
No, not always. But the exact “window of time” you can drink iced coffee depends on whether or not you add milk. We’ve already discussed how milk can go bad in just an hour or two when it’s at room temperature.
If your iced coffee doesn’t have milk or sugar, you can drink it in the evening without thinking about your health.
Still, that doesn’t mean it will taste as good as before. And not just because the ice melted.
Instead of cold water, hot water is used to make iced coffee. In the next part, I’ll explain more, but for now, you should know that hot water makes chemicals in ground coffee work. As soon as you make them, they start to get worse. After a few hours, it makes sense that your drink won’t taste as good.
How to Keep Brew Coffee Fresh
In a perfect world, you shouldn’t make more coffee than you can drink while it’s hot. You can do a few stuff to keep brewed coffee fresher for longer.
Use A Sealed Container.
If you know that you’ve made too much coffee, you should immediately put it in a sealed container. The best option is a thermos, but you can also use Tupperware or jars if you don’t have one that’s big enough.
You must keep your coffee out of the air to slow the process.
Don’t Use Dairy.
When your favorite coffee drink is kept at room temperature, dairy makes it last a lot less time. Don’t add if you don’t want to waste the whole pitcher because of a few drops of milk.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should only drink black coffee. But don’t add milk or cream until you’ve already poured yourself a cup. If you do this, it won’t be too sad if you don’t complete the cup in the following hour or so.
Could You Put It In The Refrigerator?
Last, don’t forget that the fridge makes almost everything last longer. Even if you poured your made coffee into a sealed container and didn’t add milk, I’d recommend putting it in the fridge.
It won’t taste as good as when freshly made, but at least it won’t grow mold or germs.
In Conclusion
As you can see, the freshest coffee should always be drunk as soon as possible. That doesn’t mean you should drink it all at once while it’s still very hot. But don’t leave it on your desk for hours.
Even though you can officially drink black coffee a day after it’s been made, you should only drink milk-flavored coffee drinks within an hour.