Cold brew coffee has long since moved on from being a trend. It’s now a well-known coffee brewing method and one that’s easy to enjoy all year.
If you’re making a batch at home, you might wonder how long your cold brew concentrate will last.
In this article, I will answer that question in detail and give useful tips to help your delicious batch of cold brews last a little longer.
In short, cold brew coffee can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
However, before going deep into this query, let’s start by looking into the idea of cold brew coffee and seeing what it means.
If you want to find out more, I have put together a detailed guide on making cold brew coffee.
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
A more significant amount of time is needed to prepare a cold brew, in contrast to iced coffee, which is essentially simply hot coffee that has been cooled using ice cubes.
The time the coffee beans remain submerged in water ranges from twelve to twenty-four hours.
After going through the filtering process, the coffee yields a concentrate that is very powerful, flavorful, and high in the amount of caffeine it contains.
This concentration may then be diluted with liquids like water, cream, or milk to alleviate some bitterness you might otherwise feel.
| Fast Facts | |
| It is made by steeping coffee grounds in room temperature water which forms Cold Brew Coffee | |
| Smoother, less acidic flavor | |
| Takes 12 to 18 hours to brew |
How Long Does Cold Brew Last?
Generally, cold brew coffee can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It would help if you treated it like any refrigerated item with a short shelf life.
If it is kept in this manner, cold brew coffee concentrate will taste at its peak for a whole week after it has been made.
During the second week of storage, there is no question that the beverage will lose part of its potency, even though it won’t necessarily have an awful flavor at this time.
Here’s a video to help you understand where and how to store the cold brew coffee:
I would suggest preparing a quantity of this that will keep you alert and stimulated for a whole week at a time.
This is the sort of brew that I like preparing on the weekend, along with the other responsibilities I have in the kitchen, such as cooking or baking.
After you have completed the brewing process, place the beverage in the refrigerator as soon as possible to maintain its quality for the longest time feasible.
One last note. The “two-week rule” is that you merely store the concentration. Once it’s been watered down, how long can diluted coffee stay fresh in the refrigerator?
After diluting the concentrate with milk or cream, you should consume it within the next 48 hours at the very latest. After that moment, you won’t be able to ignore the fact that the drink has gone wrong!
Can Cold Brew Coffee Go Bad?
When you prepare cold brew coffee in your house’s kitchen, you are probably not operating in a sterile atmosphere because of the nature of the space.
By producing their bottles in a sterile environment, the major manufacturers may extend the lifespan of their containers.
In addition, they will have access to preservatives and techniques of pasteurization. Because of this, the bottles you buy in stores tend to have a considerably longer shelf life.
After a couple of weeks in cold storage at home, your concoction will become rancid. You know you’ve kept it too long when it’s notably more acidic and sharp.
Worse, your cold brew concentrate will accumulate mold and bacteria with enough time.
Therefore, cold brew concentrate becomes unsuitable for storing at room temperature.
Is Iced Coffee the Same Thing as Cold-Brewed Coffee?
Several well-known companies, including Starbucks, have spread this fallacy which marketing cold brew as an iced coffee beverage in their advertisements.
A cold brew is produced by soaking coffee beans in water, either cold or room temperature, for some time more than 12 hours. Oils, sugars, and caffeine may all be extracted with this technique.
Because of all these advantages, cold-brewed coffee consumption is on the rise!
Many people turn to it as a replacement for beverages containing artificial sweeteners, most notably soda.
These beverages, like soda, would contain only a trace amount of caffeine to simulate the effect of coffee, but they would be simple to consume all at once.
You may be interested in trying some cold brew coffee, but before you do, you might be curious about how long it stays fresh.
As it turns out, the shelf life of your cold brew may be affected by several different variables, all of which will be discussed in this post. So. let’s get started.
Making Your Cold Brew Last Longer
There are several elements, some of which affect the longevity of your cold brew more directly than others.
Therefore, if you want to ensure that your cold brew stays tasty for longer, you should consider the following suggestions.
Choose High-Quality Coffee Beans
If you choose beans of a better grade, your cold brew will retain its flavor for a much more extended period. On the other hand, you don’t need to get the most costly coffee beans.
Make it a point to check that your coffee beans aren’t old or of poor quality, at the very least. Also, before you begin grinding the beans, you should verify the date they were packaged.
Some of the factors that might have an impact on the quality of your coffee beans are as follows: (but are not limited to)
- Type of beans
- Location of growth
- Elevation of growth Processing
- Roasting Storage
Grinding
The grinding technique may also affect the shelf life of cold brew coffee. If you grind the beans until they are coarse enough, you will have the maximum possible flavor and caffeine concentration.
If you grind them way too delicate, your cold brew will end up with a highly bitter taste, but if the beans remain too thick, you will not be able to extract enough flavor from them.
Using The Right Ratios
The proportions of ingredients used in a high-quality cold brew significantly impact the final product.
A good rule of thumb when brewing coffee is to use one pound of coffee beans for every gallon of water. Any change in this ratio would have a detrimental effect on the flavor profile.
Reduce the quantity of coffee and water used in the brewing process while keeping the same ratio. This will result in a lower quantity of brewed coffee.
Time Of Steeping
In the end, steeping time is also essential. For that, keep these three rules in mind.
- Steeping for 12 hours is minimum Anything under 12 hours will be bland.
- 14-16 hours is ideal for extracting flavor and caffeine from coffee beans.
- 20-24 hours is too lengthy and will result in a harsh, high-caffeine flavor.
- Depending on the flavor profile and caffeine concentration that you want, you can extend or reduce the time mentioned above durations.
FAQs
Do I Need A Cold Brew Coffee Maker?
This tasty drink can be made without a cold brew coffee maker. It can be made in different ways. You can use a filter, French press, Aeropress, or a simple Mason jar.
But if you want to buy a cold-brew coffee maker, you can look into the Toddy cold brew system, made just for making cold-brew coffee.
Added Milk, Cream, Or Sugar: How Do They Affect The Shelf Life Of Cold Brew?
Let’s say you add something to your cold brew concentrates, like sugar or water. Your cold brew won’t last as long. Putting the cold brew concentrate away is the best thing to do.
Add water and Anything else you need when you’re ready to drink. The best time to add extras is right before eating.
Cold Brew Coffee: Do I Have To Steep It In The Fridge?
No, you don’t have to put coffee grounds in the fridge too steep to make cold brew.
At room temperature, you can do it. But if you make cold brew in the fridge, you need to let it steep longer than you would at room temperature.
Wrapping Up
- For several years, iced coffee beverages and hot coffee have been the beverage of choice for the vast majority of people who are enthusiastic about coffee.
- However, things are beginning to shift, and those who like drinking coffee are becoming more open to trying out novel varieties of coffee beverages.
- It is safe to keep Cold brew coffee in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- If you dilute the concentrate with milk or cream, it a necessary to consume it within 48 hours.
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