curdled 1/2 & 1/2 in Keurig-type coffee
When I buy coffee (either decaf or regular) at the convenience store and add 1/2 & 1/2, it lasts for several days and several re-heatings without curdling.
BUT when I make Keurig-type coffee using ANY of several different brands I buy at the supermarket, my coffee won't last until the next day and reheating. It will curdle overnight.
So, does the coffee in the Keurig-type cups just end up having a lot more acid in it from their manufacturing process?
Might it help with my Keurig-type coffee at home if I used the little 1/2 & 1/2 containers that a typical convenience store carries? I know the chemistry in those little containers is different so that they don't curdle as easily when left out. (Hence the difference in taste vs regular chilled 1/2 & 1/2). Maybe they are made with an intentional alkali Ph?
Best Answer
The little 1/2 & 1/2 containers are ultra-pasteurized, so that they can be stable at room temperature. Ultra-pasteurized milk products will not curdle. This is why you cannot make cheese with them.
It is also possible that the Keurig coffee, being better roasted and sealed, is more acidic, but it is far more likely the UP milk. You can test this by finding UP 1/2 & 1/2 at your supermarket in a carton, and comparing.
As a side note, I do find it pretty horrifying that you are making coffee, putting cream in it, and reheating it several days later. Maybe you could consider making a fresh pot?
Pictures about "curdled 1/2 & 1/2 in Keurig-type coffee"
Why is half and half curdling in my coffee?
So why does cream curdle in coffee? As your cream ages, it develops lactic acid in it which eventually curdles your cream. Certain coffees have more acidity that could make the lactic acid act quickly and curdle your cream just as you pour it in your coffee.Why is my half and half separating?
Even though it's brand new and stored carefully, cold half-and-half poured directly into very hot strong coffee sometimes curdles on the spot. If you don't see curds when you pour it slowly down the side of the cup -or when you put the half-and-half in first and the coffee afterwards- there's nothing to worry about.Is it OK to drink curdled milk in coffee?
You always want to give your creamer a good sniff before pouring it into your cup of joe. If it smells like it's on the edge of heading south, toss it. But if it's perfectly fresh and it curdles in your coffee, there's no harm in drinking it.Why does the milk in my coffee curdle?
All coffee is slightly acidic and made up of various organic acids. Lactic acid is one of these acids. When a coffee that is maybe a little higher in lactic acid is mixed with older milk (milk continues to build more and more lactic acid as it ages), then curdling can occur.Curdled Milk - Lait caillé
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: cottonbro, Andrea Piacquadio, Peter Olexa, Vlada Karpovich