The hottest trend in coffee happens to be the beloved cold brew. Cold brew is smooth, sweet, flavorful, and easily customized with other coffee-based drinks. There are so many reasons why people love this drink! Add in its long shelf life, and the fact that you can quickly pour a cup anytime of day without extra work, and it’s easy to see why it’s one of coffee-enthusiasts favorite drinks.
How cold brew gained popularity
In the past, cold versions of hot coffee were presented as iced coffee, which is simply chilled coffee. But this approach makes for a watered-down and less flavorful liquid that goes bad quickly. Add ice to the drink, and the coffee loses its flavor even faster.
Why does cold brew last longer
As opposed to cold brew, an iced coffee will go bad pretty quickly. "Bad" here doesn't necessarily mean the liquid will become moldy, more that the taste will be sub-par. This isn't the case with cold brew, however. So, why is that?
The problem is in the process. When coffee is made with heat involved, quinic acid is extracted. This acid encourages oxidation even when the liquid is chilled; causing the iced coffee to become even more acidic.
As a cold brew is made with chilled or room temperature water, this oxidation process is much less significant keeping the acidity lower and giving the cold brew it's longer shelf life..
How long does cold brew coffee last?
Now, onto the important question, how long can you keep drinking the delicious brew?
Whether you're making it yourself or buying it from the store, cold brew or a cold brew concentrate can last in the refrigerator anywhere between 2 to 7 days. Ideally, the liquid should be stored in a closed-top container made of glass or plastic.
Of course, nothing tastes better than freshly brewed cold brew. But that’s not always an option as it takes quite a bit of time to make each batch. Anything older than a week will likely taste stale, flat, and more acidic.
How can you make it last longer?
One approach that can guarantee you always have fresh cold brew is to make smaller batches. This way it’s not sitting in your fridge for quite as long.
But, if you’d prefer to make a large batch and brew less frequently (which is probably why you’re here!), there are storage containers available in the market that can remove the air and seal the liquid inside. Many cafes use this method and will "flush" the drink with carbon dioxide to make it taste fresher for longer.
Make your own cold brew
If you're in the mood to make your own delicious cold brew and don't know where to start, we have just the thing for you. Try our cold brew DIY kit.
You don't need a grinder or a coffee maker as this kit has everything included. It comes with our signature Downtown Blend, a dripper to collect the liquid, and instructions on how to make a delicious concentrate.
You can also customize your purchase if you're only interested in the dripper, or want to add an Umeisho spoon to your order. In addition, this cold brew dripper can be used for hot brews as well; it's as versatile as the cold brew itself!
