In this brief guide, we will answer the question, ‘Can You Drink Overnight Iced Coffee?’
Coffee is a sensational drink that can set you up for a fresh day. It can give you all the strength and the drive you need.
A good cup of coffee helps to relieve stress. The benefits of coffee are innumerable.
However, with all the types of coffee, there are different preparation models.
You might easily be embroiled in what to and what not to do with these different types of coffee.
Certainly, a fresh cup of coffee is what all baristas will ask you to take. But you can still drink overnight iced coffee. Although it will show a significant drop in flavor and ingredients, if not handled correctly.
In this blog post, we based our interest on overnight iced coffee, and especially if you can drink it or not.
How Long Is Brewed Iced Coffee Good For?
Brewing coffee is one thing, enjoying it is another. Coffee is a luxurious drink yet amazingly affordable.
But then most people do not know how to carry themselves around coffee.
In fact for beginners, they won’t even be able to tell whether the coffee is still fresh or stale.
Moreover, you can hardly tell how long brewed coffee is good for. We all know that no matter how good coffee has been brewed, it can never last forever.
At some point, it will definitely go bad. But when should that be?
Does It Lose Its Flavor?
Any standard, quality coffee will only last for thirty minutes before losing its flavor.
Coffee doesn’t cease to oxidize even after it has been brewed. That is why you need to preserve coffee well for later use.
You either put it in an airtight container, a refrigerator for the short term, or in a freezer for the long term.
Moreover, the rate at which coffee becomes stale depends on the types of coffee beans.
So, if the coffee beans used were stale, then the drink will be stale. And if fresh, then you will be enjoying a very fresh drink.
What if It Is Left in the Open Air?
If left out in the open air, coffee, especially one that has been brewed reacts with air and starts to oxidize.
A good example of oxidation happens when you leave the iron in the open air overnight.
It reacts with oxygen rapidly to cause rusting. Upon oxidation, the taste in the coffee quickly deteriorates.
Note: Normally good coffee is said to last up to half an hour after brewing. But brewed coffee can last even longer if treated and preserved properly to lower the oxidation rate.
Why Overnight Coffee Turns Bitter
If coffee is left exposed to air for too long, it will become bitter.
This is a result of the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which raises the ph levels of coffee.
A rise in ph levels makes coffee change its taste from yummy to bitter and stale.
Therefore as soon as your coffee is brewed, pour into a cup what you will be taking at the moment. Thereafter you properly cover the rest to inhibit it from oxidation.
Can You Drink Overnight Iced Coffee?
It is totally out of order and unrecommended to drink a day-old or even sleepy coffee.
Although iced coffee that has been left overnight can be drunk. This can only happen if it has been properly preserved.
If left uncovered, coffee will acquire a foul smell and become tasteless. Molds will accumulate over it.
These molds might not be clearly seen by the naked eye especially if milk was used while brewing it.
Iced coffee is brewed overnight to be drunk the next morning. Therefore there is nothing wrong with drinking overnight iced coffee.
But if it ends up tasty it depends on how you brewed it. If you do it wrongly, then you will throw it away the following day.
Below Is How To Prepare Iced Coffee To Drink The Following Morning
Things You Will Need
Overnight iced coffee doesn’t call for lots of ingredients. This is advantageous since you can readily brew a cup whenever you feel like it.
For ingredients, you will need the following.
- Milk
- Sugar
- Coffee.
- Mason jar
- Sieve
Note: Ensure that you are using the most preferred coffee for your type. It shouldn't be one of the bitter types.
Use complete coffee beans that are easy to grind. Although sugar and milk are optional in iced coffee.
If you need to add them, then use old granulated sugar. Add in any type of milk that is still fresh.
You can use almond milk, coconut, or regular milk. Detest using skimmed milk since it will milk the whole brew so watery.
How to Prepare and Keep Your Coffee Overnight
The first step is to stir your coffee. So, you have to stir the coffee in one and a half cups of cold water in a jar.
Cover it properly, locking out any air completely. Then it is safe to leave it to rest at room temperature overnight.
Another method is to blend your ice-cold coffee. In a glass filled with ice, blend equal amounts of concentrated coffee with water, milk, and sugar.
Strain the blend twice through the sieve lined with cheesecloth.
Now, Serve your coffee and cover the rest well. Keep it in a refrigerator in the freezer.
Note: Overnight iced coffee has been found to be way less acidic than coffee brewed with warm water.
How About Cold-Brew coffee?
Cold-brewed coffee is brewed by avoiding heat transfer from boiling coffee.
Heat release waxes and other bitter components from coffee beans. While using only cold water together with ice releases the sweetest components.
Now, although an iced coffee brew is great, it does not have to be kept sitting in the open for long hours.
30 minutes is enough for this. But if it should stay longer than this, then it should be properly sealed and kept in the freezer or the refrigerator.
Tip: If you can't get ice cubes, freeze the overnight coffee in an ice cube tray. The ice cube tray does not dilute the coffee.
Health Benefits Of Overnight Iced Coffee
Other types of coffee heavily rely on water for drawing out the flavor and caffeine in coffee beans while brewing.
Overnight iced coffee invests time. It takes advantage of the night when you are relaxed.
So that by the time it is morning, you can serve yourself a cup of ice-cold coffee.
Tip: Coffee brewed this way is even way sweeter and less bitter than that brewed with hot water.
Have you ever imagined that taking regular cups of overnight iced coffee would have health benefits?
Then below are the health benefits behind the consumption of overnight iced coffee.
- Boosts metabolism.
- Lowers the risks of heart diseases.
- Reduces the risks of relative diseases such as the Parkinsons’ and Alzheimer’s diseases.
- Lowers the chances of contracting type 2 diabetes
- Lifts moods.
- Helps one live longer and better
- Relieves stress.
- It is a great way to jumpstart the brain for a new day.
Can You Put Iced Coffee In The Fridge Overnight?
Ice coffee can be put in the fridge overnight. But it has to be well sealed to disrupt oxidation.
Iced coffee can stay in the refrigerator for up to seven to fourteen days.
Conclusion
I’m sure you have gotten the answer to the question ‘Can You Drink Overnight Iced Coffee,’ in this blog post.
It is absolutely okay to drink overnight iced coffee. Iced coffee takes time to extract the flavors from the coffee granules.
This is unlike that which is brewed using hot water.
It is certainly one of the sweetest and safest coffee drinks. It also comes along with innumerable health benefits.
You can as well put iced coffee in the fridge overnight where it can stay for a week or two. Are you craving coffee?
Then try overnight iced brewed coffee today!