So, you accidentally (or not) went overboard and bought way too much coffee for your caffeine needs. Or maybe you’ve finally decided to open that one forgotten countertop shelf after all these years and surprise, there are boatloads of coffee inside. And as a result, you’re probably wondering – can coffee go bad?
Yes, coffee can absolutely go bad, although not as quickly as you might’ve thought.
Generally speaking, ground coffee and coffee beans can last several months and even years if frozen.
Also, coffee that’s properly stored and fully sealed can last can last years and still taste good.
However, it’s advised to use roasted coffee within 2 weeks of buying it as roasted coffee has a maximum freshness period of roughly 2 to 3 weeks.
Any longer than that and you’ll be drinking stale coffee, although the caffeine kick will still be present.
And on a side note, don’t think that the coffee that’s being sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets is fresh.
In fact, it’s not uncommon for pre-ground coffee to spend months sitting on the shelves in a grocery store.
But if it’s unopened and stored in a dry place, coffee will have a lengthy shelf life.
Yes, freshly brewed coffee can certainly go bad overnight.
Then again, that depends on whether or not there’s milk or cream inside your cup of joe.
That’s because dairy products can spoil in as little as 4 hours at room temperature.
So of if you’ve brewed some coffee with milk/cream you better drink it right away or it’s going down the drain for safety reasons.
You can drink brewed coffee for up to 24 hours and even more,as long as it doesn’t have any diary products inside (milk, cream etc.)!
I’ve personally had a 1-day old cup of instant coffee (with sugar and cream inside), which was sitting on my kitchen countertop and I’m still here to tell the tale.
Sure, it didn’t taste as great but it was just as punchy and I didn’t have stomach cramps or any discomfort at all.
Even if the taste and flavor of freshly brewed coffee begins deteriorating after only a few hours, it still provides the same caffeine kick!
Still, keeping your freshly brewed coffee in the fridge will definitely help, as then it may last up to 3-4 days.
Nonetheless, the taste will most likely be affected so just make sure to drink the coffee you brew right away.
How Long Does Brewed Coffee Stay Fresh?
30 minutes tops, then your coffee can do without the word “fresh”.
Some coffee purists might even argue that fresh coffee stays fresh for several minutes only and I’d actually agree.
Because after it’s been brewed, your cup of java will start to get more stale with each passing minute (or second even).
While coffee oxidizes during the brewing process and continues to do so even after brewing is done, resulting in loss of taste and flavor so every minute counts!
This is due to a process called oxidation and organic compounds like coffee are especially susceptible to oxidation.
And since your cup of coffee is in contact with oxygen (i.e. air) as it waits for you to drink it, it will start losing taste rapidly.
The flavor compounds of your coffee (oils, acids and aromatics) will literally be released into thin air.
How Can You Tell If Coffee Is Fresh?
If your coffee has a thin layer of foam or crema, then it should be fresh.
And no, this crema or foam should be naturally occurring from the coffee itself and not the result of added milk foam, cream etc.
On the contrary, if you’re being served coffee that resembles a simple black liquid, then it’s most likely stale.
And if you’d like to know if your beans are any good, try the following ‘coffee bean freshness test’:
- Take a half-a-cup of coffee beans
- Put them in a zipper-lock bag
- Press out all the air
- Seal the bag
- Leave it overnight
Now, if the beans that you’re testing are within 7-10 days of roasting, the bag will puff up from the carbon dioxide they’re releasing.
In contrast, if the bag remains flat, the beans clearly don’t produce gas and they’re obviously not fresh.
That’s not the only way of checking the freshness of your coffee beans though.
Another great way to check if you’re dealing with fresh beans is to see how oily they are.
If they are oily and leave a residue when you pick them, it means they’re fresh.
But don’t forget that light roast beans generally aren’t as oily as darker roast beans – as a result there’s less residue and that doesn’t necesserily mean that they’re bad though!
Lighter roasts aren’t as oily, so don’t expect as much residue as you’d find with a darker roast
And keep in mind that great coffee results in a delicious balance between bitterness, acidity and sweetness, all wrapped up to bring a smooth flavor.
Quality coffee should NEVER taste like burned charcoal.
If it does, either return it or just find better quality coffee.
How To Tell If Your Coffee Is Rancid (i.e. Bad)?
Smell it – if your coffee smells like ashtray it’s gone rancid.
Or you can simply taste it. If your coffee tastes like cigarette ashes or rubber, then it needs to be dumped.
Also, bad coffee may have a light-brown color instead of the usual deep dark appearance.
FYI: 80% of your taste buds are located inside your nose!
Besides, rancid coffee won’t have any of the pleasant coffee aroma that we all love and the taste will be pretty much gone.
And even if it’ll probably not harm you, I’d personally always throw away any coffee that’s bad/rancid.
How Do You Store Brewed Coffee?
By pouring it into an insulated thermal carafe.
That’s the easiest and the best way to preserve the taste and freshness of your brewed coffee.
All that you’ll need is an affordable and high-quality thermal carafe like the top-rated Cresimo thermal coffee carafe that can keep your coffee hot for up to 12 hours.
Alternatively, you can always put the freshly brewed coffee in the fridge.
Unfortunately, when you reheat the coffee it’ll be far from fresh.
So my advice would be to heat the coffee on a hot plate once it’s out of the fridge.
This way you won’t risk boiling it because that’ll give your coffee a burnt taste.
How Long Does Vacuum Packed Coffee Last?
Coffee in vacuum containers can last months and even years (depending on the type of coffee) if store adequately.
Clearly, whole coffee beans will last several months more than ground coffee.
Instant coffee though can even outlive you because if instant coffee is properly sealed and stored, it can last decades!
Regardless, always check what the expiration date on the product label of your coffee says!
Anyway, here’s more detailed info on the supposed past-expiration-date expected lifespan of coffee:
Stored in the pantry
- Instant coffee: 2-20 years (unopened); 2-20 years (opened)
- Coffee grounds: 3-5 months (unopened); 3-5 months (opened)
- Coffee beans: 6-9 months (unopened); 6 months (opened)
Stored in a freezer
- Instant coffee: forever/unclear (unopened); forever/unclear (opened)
- Coffee grounds: 1-2 years (unopened); 3-5 months (opened)
- Coffee beans: 2-3 years (unopened); 2 years (opened)
But while vacuum-packed coffee can last months if not years, coffee that’s in an opaque container will go bad way quicker.
In fact, coffee in opaque containers can stay fresh for as long as 2 weeks, then it goes meh.
Generally speaking though, try to store your coffee in dry, cool and dark places for maximum and longer freshness.
How Long Does Coffee Last In The Fridge?
Around a week for brewed coffee and months or years if sealed (unopened) and a few months tops if opened for coffee beans, ground coffee and instant coffee.
However, putting a carafe with freshly brewed coffee in the fridge isn’t a great idea if you want to preserve the taste.
I’d personally never do that because hot coffee tastes best when served hot, logically.
But one type of coffee drink that I would put in the fridge is cold brew coffee.
You see, cold brew coffee is is brewed using cold or room temperature water, which makes all the difference.
Thus, cold brew coffee can stay in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
And to prevent the flavor from escaping or picking up any funky flavors from other things in the fridge, you can use a Ziploc bag.
Or just about any airtight container that can seal the coffee properly.
Does Coffee Go Bad In The Fridge Though?
It sure does – putting freshly brewed coffee in the fridge would go stale after a week.
That doesn’t mean that it’ll harm you in any shape or form though.
It’s just that the coffee starts to lose its flavor and it deteriorates as a whole, even in the refrigerator.
How Long Does Iced Coffee Last?
12 hours, refrigerated or not.
And especially if we’re talking about Starbucks ice coffee, I personally wouldn’t keep it in the fridge for more than 1 or two days max.
That’s because the iced coffee at Starbucks also has a diary inside (milk, cream etc.), which goes off much faster.
Now, don’t mistake iced coffee for cold brew coffee.
Iced coffee is simply regularly brewed coffee (hot) that’s poured over ice and cooled down.
Cold-brew, on the other hand, is never heated up – it’s brewed using cold or room temperature water.
Thus, cold brew can survive in your fridge for up to a full week, before losing its taste and going stale.
What To Do With Expired Instant Coffee?
If it’s sealed (unopened), you can give it a try.
Instant coffee should be safe enough since it’s moisture-free when unopened and as you know, mold likes moist places.
The worst thing that can happen to you would be sipping on a nasty cup of coffee.
However, if it has been opened and past its expiration date, be cautious.
If there’s a fine, white haze write it off.
It’s never worth it drinking awful, old coffee just because you want to save a few dollars.
Besides, most instant coffee doesn’t exactly have a gourmet-coffee taste even when fresh, so it’s not a big deal anyway.
Can You Use Old Coffee Grounds?
You can, as a fertilizer for your garden and that’s about it.
As for brewing coffee with old grounds… what about no.
Conclusion
Even though coffee can definitely go bad (as in stale), properly sealed coffee that’s stored in a dry, dark and cool place can last quite a long time.
In this regard, even if they’re past the expiration date, coffee grounds, instant coffee and whole beans may still be okay to use.
The only exception to this rule would be roasted coffee, which should be used within 2 weeks after buying it.
Simon is a coffee enthusiast who has spent years exploring the world of coffee. He has a deep passion for the art of brewing and enjoys experimenting with different brewing methods to create the perfect cup of coffee. His love for coffee has led him to become an expert in the field, and he is known for his meticulous attention to detail when it comes to selecting and brewing the perfect cup. Simon is also an avid traveler who loves incorporating new flavors and techniques into his brewing.
Last update on 2023-12-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
