Cold Brew Storage: How Long It Lasts and How to Keep It Fresh

A big part of the appeal of cold brew is making one batch and drinking it all week. Our cold brew guide assumes you will do exactly that, so here is how to keep it tasting good from the first glass to the last.

How long it lasts

As a rough guide, stored sealed in the fridge:

• Concentrate: about 7 to 10 days.
• Ready-to-drink: about 5 to 7 days.
• With milk or cream already added: 2 to 3 days at most.

Cold brew does not usually go unsafe quickly, but it does go stale. Flavour starts to fade and flatten after the first few days, and old batches can pick up a sour, papery taste.

Strain well first

Storage starts with straining. Any grounds left behind keep extracting and pull out bitter, woody flavours. Strain through a fine sieve, then through a paper filter or cloth.

Fine sediment at the bottom of the jar is normal. Just pour gently and leave the last bit behind.

Choose the right container

• Glass is best. It does not hold onto smells or flavours from previous batches.
• Airtight lids matter. Oxygen is what makes coffee taste stale.
• Fill it up. Less air in the jar means slower staling. Move a half-empty batch into a smaller bottle.
• Avoid plastic if you can, especially containers that have held strong foods.

Keep it cold

Store cold brew at the back of the fridge, not in the door, where the temperature swings every time you open it. Do not leave it on the counter for long periods once it is brewed.

Flavoured batches keep for less time

If you steep with fruit, citrus peel or fresh herbs, drink it sooner. Fresh ingredients break down and can turn the whole batch. Our flavoured cold brew recipes note which ones keep best. Dried spices like cinnamon and cardamom hold up much better than fresh fruit.

Signs it has gone off

• A sour or vinegary smell.
• A flat, cardboard-like taste.
• Any cloudiness or film on top that was not there before.

If in doubt, pour it out and brew a fresh jar.

Freezing

Cold brew freezes well in ice cube trays. Use the cubes in iced coffee so your drink does not get watered down as the ice melts. It is also a handy way to rescue a batch you will not finish in time.

Start with good beans

Stale beans make cold brew that tastes stale on day one. Starting with fresh beans for cold brew gives you more days of good flavour.

Keep reading

• Cold brew ratio: concentrate keeps longer than drinking strength
• Cold brew steep time: straining at the right moment