Unless you’re a daily coffee drinker, there are probably times when you have leftover coffee that is about to expire or already expired. Perhaps you bought a bag of fresh beans and didn’t finish it.
Whatever the case may be, if you find yourself with leftover coffee then it’s probably a good idea to ask, can you drink expired coffee? If not, what are the consequences of drinking expired coffee? And should you throw it away? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know!
Can You Drink Expired Coffee?
The answer is yes, When trying to find out if you can drink expired coffee you need to know how long fresh ground coffee is good for after the “best by” date. Most ground coffees are best consumed within 14-21 days after the grind date for maximum freshness.
This is because coffee has a high level of humidity which will speed up the oxidization process and cause the coffee to go stale quickly. If you have fresh ground coffee in your home and you’re not going to finish it within a couple of weeks, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot use it after the freshness date has passed.
If you have whole bean coffee then the rule of thumb is to finish it within nine months. Otherwise, any coffee that is kept longer than that is not going to taste good. If you have a lot of coffee in your home and don’t think you’re going to finish it all within a couple of months, then it’s best to throw it away if the taste and aroma are not the best anymore and buy some fresh beans.
Otherwise, you’ll be drinking coffee that is past the expiration date and won’t taste fresh anymore.
Why Is There a Lot of Confusion About Drinking Expired Coffee?
There is a lot of confusion about whether or not expired coffee is safe to drink because a lot of people don’t know the answer. What many people don’t realize is that coffee has a reputation for being one of the edibles that are best after the expiration date.
This is because coffee is quite robust, meaning it can withstand a lot of abuse and still taste good. That being said, you can’t just drink expired coffee at any point in time, keeping it in the fridge won’t extend its shelf life, and it’s not recommended to drink coffee that is more than about a month after the expiration date.
The confusion around whether expired coffee is safe to drink or not comes from two sources. The first one is that coffee contains caffeine and caffeine is a toxin. The second one is that there are different recommendations online on how long coffee is good for after the expiration date.
Coffee usually contains caffeine in the range of 100-200mg per 8oz cup. Going back to taste, you decide if it is good enough.
How Long Does Coffee Stay Good For?
As mentioned above, whole coffee beans are good for about nine months and fresh ground coffee is good for about two weeks. However, coffee is one of the edibles that is known for having an almost indefinite shelf life.
If coffee is stored properly, it will continue to be good for consumption many years after the grind date. If coffee is kept in a cool and dry place, it will be good for up to 10 years. In fact, if you are a collector of rare coffees, you can use them to extend the shelf life of your collection.
For example, if you have a rare bag of coffee beans, you can store them in a coffee bag for up to 10 years to keep them fresh. You can also store coffee beans in an airtight container as long as they’re not exposed to moisture.
Conclusion
As you can see from the article, drinking expired coffee does not matter at all. Coffee tastes good after the expiration date if it’s stored in a dry and cool place. You should not drink expired coffee if it’s stored in a fridge or other humid place.
If you want to drink the best-tasting coffee, you should always buy the freshest beans and grind them right before you make your coffee. If you find yourself with leftover coffee that is about to expire, you do not have to through it away.
