While the pros and cons of caffeine are debated regularly, many of us still enjoy a daily cup (or three) of coffee. Even if it doesn’t do much for you in the way of energy (I personally don’t see a huge effect) it is still a comforting and delicious beverage.
If you brew your own drip coffee each morning, you may often be left with more than you need. And, if you’re heading out for the whole day, you might not get a chance to finish the pot until the next morning.
In this case, you may be wondering how long it’s ok to leave coffee out? Can you still drink coffee the morning after it has been brewed?
Brewed black coffee can be left out at room temperature for about 24 hours. The sweet spot for the best tasting coffee is around 30 minutes to an hour after it has been brewed, so day-old coffee might not provide the best flavor experience. Coffee with milk should be refrigerated after 2 hours.
Now that we know the basics of leaving coffee out, let’s jump into some of the finer details. I’ll be going over the specifics of leaving coffee out as well as the details of how long can keep it when stored properly. Keep reading to become a master of not wasting a drop of your favorite bean juice!
How Long Can You Leave Coffee Out at Room Temperature?
When it comes to leaving out or storing coffee, the rules are different for plain, black coffee and that with added milk or creamer. Let’s look at both options individually.
Black Coffee
You can leave your plain, black coffee in the pot or carafe you brewed it in for up to 24 hours at room temperature.
This means that if you brew a large pot in the morning and find yourself needing an afternoon pick me up, you can pour yourself a cup without any added fuss.
I wouldn’t recommend making large pots of coffee with the intention of having it the next morning, unless you are planning to properly store it and have it iced.
Coffee tends to lose its rich flavor after about 30 minutes, so while it is still safe to drink if it has been sitting out, it probably won’t taste great.
You can store black coffee in your fridge for 3-4 days in a glass container or mug with a lid. It’s not recommended to store your coffee in a stainless steel travel mug or thermos because it can develop a metallic flavor.
Coffee With Milk
Milk, in general, is safe to leave out for up to two hours. After that, it can begin to harvest harmful bacteria. This applies to both dairy and non-dairy milk.
However, if you’ve mixed up a glass or mug of milky coffee and for some reason can’t finish it in that moment, you don’t have to discard it!
Simply store it the same way you would plain coffee, in the fridge in a covered container. You can keep it there for up to 48 hours.
What Happens to Coffee If It’s Left Out Too Long?
As I mentioned several times now, the first thing that happens to coffee that is left out at room temperature is a deterioration of the rich flavor we all love.
After a few hours, coffee can start to become bitter or just develop a really flat and stale taste. This isn’t an indication that it has gone bad but it might put you off from drinking it.
Because coffee is still a natural food product, it can also begin to grow bacteria and even become moldy and musty after a few days if it is ignored for that long.
Ground coffee beans, even before being brewed, can go bad as well if they are improperly stored or kept in the wrong conditions.
You also shouldn’t leave your coffee on a warming plate for a long time or with the warming function activated on your coffee maker because it can develop a burnt and bitter flavor.
How Can You Tell If Coffee Has Gone Bad?
The easiest way to tell if anything has gone bad is via its smell. Since coffee has such a distinct scent that lends to its taste, any changes in smell will likely be noticeable.
If your coffee smells flat after a few hours of being left out, it isn’t necessarily bad. If the scent has simply diminished and isn’t as strong, the coffee has probably just aired out and gotten a little stale. You can still drink it, just know that it won’t be as tasty.
It’s when the smell turns really pungent and rancid that you have to discard the coffee. At this point, you may also see mold growing on the surface or other changes in texture.
How Long Can Brewed Coffee Be Stored In the Fridge?
Brewed black coffee can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. To preserve its freshness as much as possible, you’ll want to store it in a sealed container (like a mason jar).
You can also keep your coffee in the pot you brewed it in if it has a lid or covering. Those pots might still let in air so I’d recommend this only for short-term storage (a few hours up to a day).
You can also leave your coffee in a travel mug or bottle. I recommend using plastic or glass for this because metal might make your coffee taste strange.
If you’ve already added milk to your coffee, it can be stored in the same ways as plain coffee but only for up to 48 hours.
How Long Can Coffee Creamer Sit Out?
Traditional, liquid coffee creamer generally contains dairy so it shouldn’t be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. This time frame can be extended to four hours if the room it’s left in is not too warm.
Non-dairy coffee creamer falls into the same category of rules if it was sold already chilled. However, if you buy a creamer that wasn’t refrigerated at the store then you can leave it out for longer.
This can be kind of a gray area and you should always store your liquid coffee creamers in the fridge from the moment you buy them.
Powdered coffee creamers are a different story. These types of creamers can be kept for 18 to 24 months at room temperature. They should be stored appropriately in a dry, cool, and dark area such as a pantry or cabinet.