Have you bought a lot of Coffee beans, and now you wonder how long does coffee last in the fridge? In this article, you will find the answer to your question.
There is one thing common among Coffee lovers they are very fussy about the freshness and quality of the coffee. They never compromise on the taste of their morning coffee.
So, how long can coffee stay fresh in the fridge?
Brewed coffee can last for 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge without getting bad. However, the taste will get bitter and bitter with time. And it will get more bitter when you reheat it. So, if you have stored black coffee in the fridge it’s best to use it for preparing cold coffee drinks.
For the coffee beans, If you keep them in a dark and dry environment, they get worse very slowly. And it’s never a good idea to store them in the fridge.
how long is brewed coffee good for in the fridge?
In general, if you cannot compromise on your coffee’s taste and want a good and fresh taste, it’s never a good idea to store brewed coffee in the fridge.
But if you have already brewed your coffee and want to drink it later, it’s better to store it in the fridge rather than store it at room temperature. Because at room temperature, your brewed coffee is more vulnerable to oxidation.
As oxidation occurs, the taste of the coffee will get bitter. The taste of the coffee will get unpleasant day by, so it’s not recommended to store coffee in the fridge for more extended periods.
Let’s have look at different types of coffee.
Cold Brew
You can safely store cold brew in the fridge for two weeks without the fear of any degradation in taste.
As cold brew is never exposed to heat so it is very less prone to oxidation as long as you store it in a proper air-tight container.
Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is only good as long as the ice cubes in it don’t melt. After the ice cubes are melted, the taste of your coffee will be watered down and it will not remain as good as it was.
So, yes you can store iced coffee in the fridge but there is no point unless you are storing it for some other purpose. It will still be safe to drink but the taste will not be very pleasant as it is heavily watered down.
Drip or stovetop Coffee
Drip or stovetop coffee can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks. But as the coffee cools down and you reheat it for consuming you will never get the taste of fresh coffee.
Espresso
No Never store Espresso in a fridge. What kind of coffee lover are you if you can’t drink a small espresso shot in one go? There is no point in storing Espresso shots in the fridge.
The layer of crema at the top of the Espresso slowly disappears and I don’t think Espresso is capable of drinking after the crema disappears.
Milk Based Coffee drinks
You can store milk-based coffee drinks like Lattes or Cappuccinos in the fridge safely for up to 2 days.
Milk needs to be stored at very low temperatures otherwise it gets deteriorated by the bacteria.
Even if you storing milk-based coffee drink in the fridge make sure to consume it in 1 to 2 days at max. Otherwise, it will be consumed by bacteria.
Tips for storing brewed coffee in the fridge
Let it cool down to room temperature first
Let the brewed coffee achieve room temperature first. Because if you put the hot coffee at almost 100 C in the fridge, it will raise the temperature inside the refrigerator.
It will take many hours for the fridge to return to its original temperature. This will make other items in the fridge prone to degradation by bacteria.
And obviously, it will cause higher electricity consumption. You will have to pay electricity bills at the end of the month. That’s not good for sure!
Always cover the cup of coffee with a lid
As discussed earlier, coffee is a good absorber. It readily absorbs the smell of other foods stored in the fridge. Because of it, the taste of coffee becomes weird.
So, it’s never a good idea to keep a container of coffee without properly covering its top. And obviously, if the coffee is stored without some lid on it, it’s more vulnerable to oxidation.
Also read: How to brew coffee without a coffee maker?
Is it ok to reheat the coffee?
Primarily, brewed coffee is stored in the fridge to make cold coffee later. But you can also reheat it if you want. Some people don’t like the taste of the coffee when it is reheated, and to some people, it remains fine. So, it depends on the taste of the person.
But it’s not a good idea to reheat the coffee in the microwave as it will remove all the flavorful aromas of coffee. The best option is to reheat it on the stovetop.
Don’t want to store brewed coffee in the fridge? | 2 amazing tips
If you think that storing brewed coffee in the fridge is not your thing and you don’t feel the same taste, you can try these alternative approaches.
Store your brewed coffee in a Thermos
If you have made a coffee in the morning and want to consume it in some later part of the day, it is the best idea to buy a thermos flask.
Thermos flask can keep your brewed coffee fresh and hot for as long as 12 hours. So, you can enjoy the coffee at any part of the day without worrying about the taste and freshness of the brewed coffee.
Freeze the brewed coffee
You can also freeze the brewed coffee if you are a fan of iced coffee as coffee ice cubes in an iced coffee tastes very unique and differently pleasant. It’s not the solution you like to try often, but sometimes it’s fun to try it.
Is it a good idea to store coffee beans in the fridge?
Nooo! It’s never a good idea to store coffee beans in the fridge. Research shows that coffee beans are a good absorber, so they leach a smell from other foods stored in the fridge.
So, the beans lose their freshness and taste when stored in the fridge. Just imagine! Your coffee has the smell of onions in it. Isn’t it disgusting even to think about that?
But why on earth do you store the coffee beans in the fridge? The research shows that the coffee beans never get expired as long as they are stored in a relatively colder and arid environment.
So, it’s best to store coffee beans in an air-tight container at room temperature. Nothing will happen to its freshness in a year or two.
Remember oxygen (in fresh air) and coffee don’t make a good combo when mixed. So, the coffee beans get degraded in just a few days when stored in the open air.
Final thoughts
There is nothing better than fresh coffee. All types of coffee taste better when they are fresh.
That’s the whole point of going to the coffee shop, so the bartender will brew a fresh cup of coffee using a fancy large coffee grinder.
But if you are caught making more coffee than you can drink, I hope this article helps you and give you an idea of How long can Coffee Stay in a Fridge?
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