"Can I drink it" bottled black coffee edition

September 12, 2022 8:12 AM

Califia Farms cold brew black coffee says keep refrigerated, why? and is it safe to drink if I haven't (hasn't been opened)? I drink unrefrigerated canned and glass bottled coffee all the time, why is this any different? Separately, any recc's on shelf stable room temp bottled black coffee are welcome.
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee to Food & Drink (4 answers total)

Best answer: I think this is 100% about flavor, not about safety. Coffee has a lot of more and less stable compounds that give it good flavor, and they degrade over time, with temperature setting the rate. Coffee that's brewed hot and put in the fridge is ok after a few days, but coffee stored at room temp is not so good, and coffee left on a hot plate is awful (even if it's sealed to prevent evaporation). This is also part of the appeal of cold brew, it lets you extract certain fragile compounds that are broken down with heat.

I say feel free to experiment with room temp storage, you won't have any safety issues, but flavor will degrade faster over time. This may not be noticeable though, and it will save room in your fridge!
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:20 AM on September 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Here's a little more info about pasteurization and cold chain distribution for cold brew, noting preserving flavor as a primary concern, even for pasteurize or otherwise sterile products.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:30 AM on September 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Excellent, ty, will report back if I have any adverse effects in my specific instance.
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 9:04 AM on September 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Anecdotally, I have kept Califia black cold brew at room temp and then consumed it and I was fine. It definitely tastes flatter/staler and less delicious.
posted by assenav at 9:47 AM on September 12, 2022 [1 favorite]