How Fresh Is Starbucks Coffee (How Long Does Starbucks Coffee Last After Roasting+ More Information)
Regular Starbucks customers know that an adequately whipped cup of coffee at Starbucks is just the way to start your day, and it never disappoints. Out of mere curiosity, you may tend to wonder how fresh is Starbucks coffee?
Starbucks coffee beans lasts up to 34 weeks after being roasted, since it is stored in airtight flavor lock bags, and once opened, they are ground and brewed within one week for maximum freshness.
Being a massive fan of coffee for years, I had made it a routine to stop over at the Starbucks coffee near my workplace every morning before I went to work to get my coffee. I always enjoyed the flavorful coffee and often wondered how fresh the Starbucks coffee was, but I never really bothered asking until I decided to do some research to find out more.
Table of Contents
How long does Starbucks coffee last after roasting?
After roasting the coffee beans for about 15 minutes to maximize their flavors, Starbucks classify the coffee into different roasts, including; blonde roast, medium roast, and dark roast. The roasters then put the coffee beans in airtight, opaque flavor lock bags, which have a one-way valve that releases carbon dioxide in the roasted beans without allowing oxygen and are sealed, so no air gets in. Air in these bags would oxidize the coffee, making it spoilt. The coffee can last up to 34 weeks unopened in these bags.
Once these bags are opened, the coffee beans are ground and put in airtight containers. This ground coffee is classified in different flavors, such as the Starbucks salted caramel flavored off coffees and the Starbucks maple pecan flavored coffee, and is brewed within a week for maximum freshness.
Opposite to the beliefs of many people who believe that coffee should be stored in a refrigerator, Starbucks holds its coffee in airtight containers at room temperature, away from the sun and any other form of heat. Storing coffee in the freezer condenses the coffee due to its moisture and may reduce the flavor of the coffee. This storage method is a significant contributor to the freshness of their coffee.
How long does Starbucks ground coffee last

After opening the flavor lock bags containing the roasted beans, the beans are immediately grounded and put in airtight containers. Starbucks brews this ground coffee after a week for maximum freshness. If you purchased the ground coffee to take home, you should consume it in a week or two for the best flavor. However, you can still bring it long after this, though the quality will not be as good.
What does fresh coffee taste like?
As the phrase goes, fresh is always better; hence fresh coffee is considered the best you can consume, blending flavors of acidity, sweetness, and aroma. Coffee is considered to be fresh within two weeks after it is roasted. Though different types of coffee vary in taste, all new coffees have a natural sweetness that goes from chocolate and nut to fruity and floral. The citrus acidity is balanced and refreshing, making the cup explode with flavor.
Can I drink Starbucks coffee after it has expired?
Yes, you can consume iced Starbucks coffee within 24 hours of the best before date indicated on the package with no side effects if it has not been opened and adequately refrigerated. Several people have reported consuming frappuccino days after it expired and did not experience any adverse side effects. However, if your coffee is opened, it is not advisable to finish it for more than 48 hours after unsealing the container.
What should I do if I taste spoilt coffee at Starbucks?
Starbucks has a sour drink policy, so if you are not satisfied with your drink for whichever reason, you should let them know, and they can remake it for you. After receiving your order at Starbucks, which tastes spoilt, you can try talking to the barista who made it; if you are in a physical store, they can remake it for you. If you ordered online, you can report this through their online page or contact the number provided. Just don’t be rude about it.
How would I know if Starbucks coffee has gone wrong?

Immediately you open the seal of your coffee; its shelf-life starts to decrease as oxygen enters the bottle, making it spoil quickly. If you have tasted fresh coffee from Starbucks, you are likely to notice a change in taste in spoilt coffee. The coffee may taste sour or bitter, have a weird smell, or tastes moldy. In this case, you should throw the coffee out as it might lead to health complications.
Does longer roasting extend the shelf life of Starbucks coffee?
Roasted coffee beans last longer than they usually would when fresh, so roasting them is a sure way to extend their shelf life. Starbucks roasts its coffee in a rotating roasting machine, producing three different roasts, the blonde roast, medium roast, and dark roast. All of the above have different roasting times and different flavors. After roasting, they are stored in flavor lock bags and are distributed to Starbucks stores and other retailers.
FAQ Section
What does Starbucks do with spoilt coffee?
Starbucks has a ‘grounds for your garden program,’ which gives away the spoilt and waste coffee grounds to registered local farmers to use their farms.
How long does Starbucks coffee stay fresh?
Coffee with milk products can stay one to two days in the refrigerator, while black coffee can stay up to two weeks in the fridge and be safe to drink if it’s in an airtight container.
What is the taste of spoilt coffee?
Spoilt coffee changes its taste and becomes sour or bitter like a lemon. It may also taste moldy or rotten and has a weird smell.
What should I do if I taste spoilt coffee at Starbucks?
You should talk to the barista who made it about it politely, and they will remake it for you without any charges as they have a terrible drink policy that covers such incidents.
Can spoilt coffee cause food poisoning?
No. Drinking coffee from old beans does not make you sick, as coffee doesn’t go bad even after its expiration date. However, if you have added dairy products to your coffee, you can quickly get food poisoning from consuming that spoilt coffee.
Will spoilt coffee make you sick?
No. Consuming spoilt coffee cannot make you sick if the coffee does not have dairy products such as milk. Drinking spoilt coffee that had dairy products, however, can make you sick.