Is your daily French press coffee consumption burning through your ground coffee reserves? It can be a blow to the wallet when your caffeine-consuming habit has you knocking back two or more cups of coffee a day. And you might be standing in front of the coffee maker, wondering if you can squeeze a few more drops out of those coffee grounds.
Can you reuse your coffee grounds to make more coffee? You can, but it’s not always recommended. There are a couple of disadvantages to reusing ground coffee to make a second cup.
The Upside to Reusing Coffee Grounds Twice
Good news first. You can definitely reuse the coffee grounds that are in your coffee maker, especially if you chugged the first cup and they haven’t been sitting that long. Some caffeine remains, around ¼ of the original amount (100-120mg).
You will get a quick jolt of energy from the reused coffee grounds, but that’s about it. That’s also the only real positive to making a second cup from already used coffee grounds.
Why Reusing Coffee Grounds is Not Recommended
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. This is true for re-brewing coffee grounds.
In every coffee bean, there are oils and chemical compounds, like caffeine, that makes coffee so delicious and nutritious. Grinding up coffee beans exposes more of the bean so that when it is soaked in water, more of the compounds can be extracted during brewing.
Modern-day coffee makers are so efficient at extracting these compounds that the refuse left behind is worthless. Anything left behind is going to be acidic and bitter.
This means that, when you reuse coffee grounds, the coffee produced is going to be watery and bitter. You also won’t get the same amount of caffeine, and you will need to load up on creamer, whipped cream(link to whipped cream), or milk and sugar to make it drinkable.
Can I Reuse Day Old Coffee Grounds?
A day or two after the initial brewing might not seem like a big deal, especially if the coffee maker has remained sealed. In reality, it’s a horrible idea.
Do not reuse coffee grounds that are a couple of days old.
Soggy coffee grounds are nesting grounds for harmful bacteria, mold, and fungus. Not only will it taste atrocious, but hello, food poisoning.
Avoid the temptation and make yourself a fresh cup of coffee.
What About Cold Brew Coffee?
If reheating used grounds is a bad idea, then what about cold brew coffee? Again, it is possible, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be satisfying. Cold-brewed coffee is enough of a struggle using fresh grounds as it is. Besides, the same issue arises from the total lack of flavor.
You will have brown, slightly bitter water at the end of the brewing period. So, again, reusing the coffee grounds for cold brewing is not recommended.
Wrapping Up
When it comes to making a pot of coffee, while you can use coffee grounds twice, those who want the rich flavors and depth of a great cup of coffee will be left wanting. And remember, never, ever reuse the coffee grounds a day or two after brewing them the first time. You will get a cup of mold and bacteria as this is a perfect breeding ground . Whatever your preferred brewing method, even if you want to reuse the coffee grounds, don’t. Spend those few extra cents and taste a refreshing pot of coffee, you’ll end up with the perfect cup to wake you up.
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