Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world. Many of us think of coffee as a hot beverage we can take whenever it’s cold to keep warm and energize ourselves.
What happens in Summer when you need something cold to cool you down? At that time, drinking hot coffee is the last thing on most people’s minds. All we want is a cold drink to quench our thirst and lower our body temperature.
You don’t have to miss out on your coffee on hot days. There is always iced coffee! It’s the best way to get your caffeine kick and quench your thirst during hot weather.
And because you can’t always go to the cafe to get an iced coffee. Making it at home is a better option. You can make as much as you want and store any coffee that is left over after you’ve had your fill.
A question that lingers in many people’s minds is “how to store iced coffee?” Let’s explore this issue.
What is Iced Coffee?
Iced coffee is a caffeinated beverage made by brewing coffee and pouring ice into it. All you have to do to make iced coffee is to prepare coffee as you usually do in your coffee maker and pour some ice into it. You can also let it cool down slightly and add milk, sweetener, or syrup, depending on your preference.
Some people also make iced coffee by adding ice cubes to cold brew. And there are those who prepare iced coffee with milk to make cold beverages such as iced macchiato and vanilla ice latte.
There are also those who prefer to make cold brew over ice coffee whenever they require a cold caffeinated beverage. That’s because it has a smoother flavor and is less acidic than iced coffee.
Cold brew is made by soaking coffee grounds and coffee beans in cold water. Using cold water ensures the caffeine and flavors in the coffee grounds or beans are extracted without releasing any bitter flavor notes. That’s why cold brew is often used as a base drink when making iced coffees.
What Happens When You Leave Coffee Out In The Open?
Leaving any type of coffee beverage out on your kitchen counter gives microbes like mold, yeast, and bacteria time to grow on it as temperatures change. It also leads to oxidation which ruins the coffee flavor and aroma.
Coffee can also go stale if left out in a carafe or jug for a day or two in hot weather. Fungus or dirt in the air can get into it, altering its taste and giving it a musty smell or flavor.
It’s also important to note that some bacteria, such as Listeria, can grow in cold coffee. Bacteria that thrive in foods or beverages if it is mishandled in kitchens, such as E.Coli may also find its way into your coffee if other people touch it.
And if you make your iced coffee using cold water, there are chances that microbes will form on it if you store it the wrong way because it is not heat processed.
That’s why it’s essential to store iced coffee correctly in a hygienic manner that will keep any kind of dangerous pathogens out of it. Here’s how.
How to Store Iced Coffee Correctly
Once you’ve prepared your iced coffee and it tastes just right, keep it in a closed jar in the fridge and let it chill for at least 2 hours. You can pour out a cup of iced coffee and add ice cubes to it anytime you feel like a cold beverage from the fridge.
The recommended way to store iced coffee is in a closed mason jar or pitcher in the fridge. You can keep a pitcher of iced coffee like this in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.
It’s vital to store iced coffee in the fridge immediately after you make it. Any coffee that you’ve left lying around in the kitchen for hours will already have undergone oxidation and is not worth storing for days in the fridge.
Always remember that freshly brewed coffee only remains flavorful and aromatic for an hour to 30 minutes after brewing. So, if you want your iced coffee to remain fresh, put it in the fridge as soon as you finish making it to preserve its goodness.
You can also make ice cubes from the iced coffee and freeze them in resealable freezer bags for up to 2 weeks. Then all you have to do is unfreeze the ice coffee cubes anytime you need a refreshing drink. These iced coffee cubes are also perfect for making cocktails, milkshakes, and dessert drinks.
Some people store iced coffee in the fridge like they are making cold brew. That means steeping coarse coffee grounds or beans in a French Press with cold water and leaving the mixture in the refrigerator for a day or two.
Storing iced coffee with coffee beans or grounds in a French Press ensures you get a brew packed with caffeine and flavor every time you reach for a cold coffee from the fridge.
All you have to do is press down the plunger, pour yourself a coffee, add some ice to your drink, and you have a nice cold caffeinated beverage. You can also add milk or water to dilute it.
The container in which you store iced coffee will affect its flavor. The best option is a glass container. Plastic is porous and made of chemicals that can alter the taste of iced coffee. Glass containers are best because they will not oxidize the coffee or give it a funny taste.
Note that coffee absorbs odors from surrounding foods easily. Make sure you cover the container where you’ve stored your iced coffee to preserve its aroma before putting it in the fridge.
It may also help to put a bowl of coffee beans or grounds in the refrigerator. It is an excellent deodorizer used by some people to absorb the smells of pungent smelling foods in the fridge, such as cheese, garlic, or spicy foods. Using coffee beans to deodorize your fridge will reduce the chances of contaminating the taste and smell of your cold coffee.
Conclusion
Now you know how to store iced coffee. Making great iced coffee and properly storing it can help you to save money because you don’t have to brew coffee everyday. If you store iced coffee in the fridge to maintain its flavor and aroma, you will have fresh-tasting coffee for up to 2 weeks.
You can preserve any type of iced coffee following the tips we’ve given you. You do not need to forgo adding milk, sweetener, or other flavorings to your ice coffee. Milky, sweetened, and flavored caffeinated iced coffees keep well in the fridge too.
That means you can have any type of cold coffee beverage all summer long. Iced coffee doesn’t have to be black and tasteless.
These tips may also come in handy during the cold months when you make a rich, delicious, and highly – caffeinated coffee concentrate for making dessert coffees and other caffeinated drinks. It will keep just as long as iced coffee retaining its flavor and caffeine content.
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