How Long Does Brewed Coffee Last

Sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee and wafting its rich aromas out of a heated coffee mug is one of the best parts of the morning. However, unless you are drinking your coffee out of an Ember Mug, it is reasonable to wonder:

How long does coffee last, and how long can it sit out in the open?

The fact is that the wonderful taste of coffee has a limited lifetime, so figuring out how long brewed coffee lasts is important for maximizing flavor and enjoyability.

If you want to know how long coffee is good, settle in and continue reading.

How Long Does Coffee Last?

Surprisingly, freshly brewed coffee starts to lose its flavor after just 30 minutes. If coffee sits out for several hours, it will lose its aroma and begin to show signs of going rancid, including a sour taste. If it is simply plain black coffee without anything added to it, it can sit out for over 24 hours and still be safe to consume, though it isn’t likely to taste very good and could potentially lose some of the health benefits that coffee offers.

So, does coffee go bad if left out for some time? Yes and no. Yes, in that the coffee won’t taste or smell pleasant, and no in that it probably won’t make you sick. However, if you let the coffee sit around for too long (several days to a week), it will begin to grow mold, which can make you sick.

The reason that brewed coffee loses its taste and smell is due to oxidation. Oxidation occurs due to different coffee compounds coming into contact with oxygen, which begins the degradation process.

That said, there are some ways to extend the shelf life of brewed coffee and espresso.

How to Properly Store Brewed Coffee

There are a couple of different ways that brewed coffee can be stored. But, none are ideal.

First, for those clamoring to ask, “can you store brewed coffee in the fridge,” the answer is yes. Black coffee can be stored in the fridge for over 24 hours. Some claim that it can last in the refrigerator for more than a week. Refrigerated coffee must be stored in a tightly sealed container with minimal air space to slow oxidation.

Alternatively, if iced coffee is your thing, you can brew a pot of coffee, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it, adding the cubes to your iced coffee later.

That said, there is a better way for you to retain your coffee’s flavor and aroma beyond its typical duration.

How an Ember Mug Makes Coffee Last Longer

Part of why coffee tastes so bad when reheated is that repeatedly warming coffee over reorganizes its chemical makeup, thus changing its flavor profile. Additionally, as coffee cools, its acidity increases. So allowing your coffee to cool and then reheating it ruins the flavor.

However, thanks to its precision sensors and stainless steel core, the Ember Mug keeps coffee at a consistent temperature. So as long as your Ember Mug is on, your coffee never has the opportunity to cool and lose its flavor and aroma.

Additionally, the Ember Mug is superior to traditional coffee cup warmers that use heat plates as these allow coffee’s temperature to fluctuate, thus altering the flavors. With Ember, your coffee will remain at the temperature to which it is set using the Ember app.

Don’t let your coffee cool down, change or go rancid on the counter. Instead, keep it at the perfect temperature with the Ember Mug². Or, if you are on the go, grab the Ember Travel Mug² to take your perfectly warmed coffee with you wherever you go.