If you are a coffee connoisseur and frequently visit your local Starbucks coffee shop, then you must be a great fan of Starbucks iced coffee for sure.
I am too a die-hard fan of this amazing coffee.
Whenever I visit my nearest Starbucks shop with my friends, I order it at least once and share the cost with my friends..ha ha.. I want to save money too!
So, although it is very expensive at the Starbucks shop; you still can save a great deal of money by ordering Starbucks VIA Instant Iced Coffee online and preparing it at your home.
Before learning how to make this iced coffee at your home, you will have to first know few important things about it.
One of them is to know whether this Starbucks iced coffee go bad.
Is it spoiled when you keep it overnight or in the fridge as it is?
Usually Starbucks iced coffee packets come with certain expiration dates.
If you open the packet and don’t use the coffee for a day or two, then it might go bad due to the exposure to external environment. The main factor responsible for making this iced coffee go bad is its milk and cream content.
If it gets spoiled after opening the packet, then your entire coffee could be spoiled quickly. The other content of the coffee such as water, sugar and Arabica coffee beans do not get affected easily.
Once you open the packet, you need to consume it quickly; preferably within a day. If you store it in your fridge, then it might remain drinkable for a day.
So, 1 day is okay to use the Starbucks iced coffee if you open it and refrigerate it for a day.
Now you know how much longer your Starbucks iced coffee lasts after your open the packet.
But it is not enough.
You must also know the right way to store it safely and few more do’s and don’ts.
I recommend you to read this article till the end to know all of the important tips regarding the right usage of this iced coffee.
Table of Contents
- Most Frequently Asked Questions Related to Expiration of Starbucks Iced Coffee
- Does Bottled Starbucks Iced Coffee Go Bad?
- Does Starbucks Iced Coffee have to be Refrigerated?
- How Long Does Starbucks Iced Coffee Last in Fridge?
- Is It Okay to Drink Expired Starbucks Iced Coffee?
- How Long Does Starbucks Iced Coffee Last After Expiration Date?
- Final Thoughts
Most Frequently Asked Questions Related to Expiration of Starbucks Iced Coffee
Does Bottled Starbucks Iced Coffee Go Bad?
Starbucks iced coffee is made from high quality Arabica coffee beans. So, the overall shelf life of this type of coffee is usually higher.
But as mentioned above, the other ingredients of this coffee such as milk and cream could go bad in a day after opening of the bottled coffee.
Usually Starbucks iced coffee contains cream and sugar to enhance its taste and flavor.
Once you open the packet before its expiration date, the clock starts ticking.
In my opinion, you must consume it within 12 hours or at max 1 day to prevent it from spoiling.
If you want to consume it in 1 day, then you have to store it in your fridge.
As far as bottled and sealed iced coffee is concerned, it usually does not go bad before its expiration date.
It is often mentioned on the packet so you should not worry about it too much.
You will have to always check the expiration date before buying them either online or offline.
Does Starbucks Iced Coffee have to be Refrigerated?
When you talk about the refrigeration of iced coffee you purchased recently, it all depends on whether you have opened it or not.
If the seal packed iced coffee is unopened, then there is no worry about going it bad.
If the product is within its expiration date and you have not opened the packet yet, then you don’t have to store it in your fridge.
These iced coffee packets are usually shelf stable and you can store it outside the fridge till they are unopened.
Once you open the seal and start to consume it, then you will have to store them in your fridge to consume the left over coffee.
And that left over coffee must be consumed within 12 hours to prevent it from going bad.
So, the answer is yes it must be refrigerated once you open its seal. Before that, no need to store it in the fridge.
How Long Does Starbucks Iced Coffee Last in Fridge?
If you love to drink Starbucks cold brew coffee, then you must consume it before its shelf life is over. Once you open its seal, it usually lasts for 5 days or a one week at max.
And you will have to store it in your fridge to keep it spoil free.
When it comes to Starbucks iced coffee, it usually has very less shelf life as compared to the cold brew coffee.
The reasons are obvious. Due to its milk, sugar, cream and water content, the iced coffee could be spoiled very quickly once you open its seal.
In order to prevent it from going bad after opening its seal, you can store it in your fridge.
But remember you will have to drink it before 12 hours to 24 hours max once you refrigerate it.
So, basically 12 hours to max 24 hours is the time period for which your Starbucks iced coffee can remain spoil free in the fridge.
After that I will not recommend you to consume it.
Recommended Articles for You:
Know When Brewed Coffee Go Bad and How to Prevent it
Learn How to Properly Open Any Coffee Bad and Reseal It to Increase its Shelf Life
2 Methods to Freeze Any Liquid Coffee Creamer and Enhance its Shelf Life
Is It Okay to Drink Expired Starbucks Iced Coffee?
If you have bought Starbucks iced coffee few days back and now you see that the packet is gone ahead of its expiration date, the questions arises whether should you consume it or not.
The technical answer is “No”. You should not consume any product if it goes beyond its expiration date.
But the fact is Starbucks iced coffee usually does not go bad for 24 hours max after you open its seal.
Even when its expiration date is crossed and you refrigerate it for 24 hours, you can still consume it without any health problems.
So, the answer to the above question is “Yes” only when you don’t mind drinking expired iced coffee and your immunity is very strong.
But if you ask my opinion, I would not recommend you to consume the coffee if it goes beyond its expiration date.
How Long Does Starbucks Iced Coffee Last After Expiration Date?
As mentioned above, if you refrigerate the iced coffee, then it could survive for a week or 7 days at max without opening the packet.
If it is opened just a day before its expiration date, then usually you need to finish it before 12 hours to 24 hours max after its expiration date is crossed.
You can even tell whether it has gone bad just by smelling the coffee and tasting it a little bit.
If it tastes bitter and smells bad then just throw it out.
Due to its sugar, milk and cream content, it could go bad very quickly after you open the packet and after its expiration date is over.
I would not recommend you to drink the iced coffee after its expiration date is finished.
But some folks still like to consume it after its expiration period is over.
For them, I would recommend to drink it after 12 hours to max 24 hours after the expiration date.
For this purpose, you will have to refrigerate it and should not keep it outside the fridge no matter what.
Final Thoughts
Your Starbucks Iced coffee usually don’t get spoiled before its expiration date.
However, if you open its seal then I would highly recommend you to refrigerate it and consume it before 24 hours max.
In some cases, you can consume it after its expiration date is over.
But for this, the coffee must not taste bitter and should not smell bad.
If it passes this criterion, then you still can consume it after its expiration date is over.
But drink it within 24 hours once its expiration date is finished.
The best way to prevent this iced coffee from going bad is to store it in your fridge and not outside.
But I still recommend you to prevent consuming the coffee after its expiration date and if it smells bad or tastes bitter after opening its packet, then avoid consuming it any cost.
References:
https://www.quora.com/How-long-can-I-drink-Starbucks-iced-coffee-after-the-expiration-date
https://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/comments/5ur43i/bottled_cold_brew_coffee_will_it_go_bad_outside/
https://www.reddit.com/r/starbucks/comments/56jkji/how_long_does_iced_coffeecold_brew_stay_good_for/
https://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110510160724AApOauL