Don’t call it a comeback. Cold brew coffee may seem to be the latest trend; however, this thirst trap has been around for centuries. You may be unimpressed by regular coffee that has been poured over ice, but then, you’d be doing it wrong. Cold brew coffee is a miracle in a mug (er, glass?), and we are about to shake down some facts on why. The popularity of cold brew coffee has grown steadily every year since 2015 and shows no signs of stopping through 2025. And for that, you can thank a millennial. Engaged, environmentally conscious, and lovers of convenience, millennials have elevated cold brew coffee status, and we are all welcome to savor the benefits. What is Cold Brew Coffee? Cold brew coffee is coffee made from steeping ground coffee in room-temperature water for 12 – 18 hours or longer. For convenience, you can pop it in the fridge and let it brew overnight! The grounds are then strained out and the resulting coffee is chilled. You can serve as-is, over ice, or diluted with water or milk. Cold brewing extracts the flavor of the coffee bean differently than a hot brew. The flavor and caffeine extracted from the coffee bean produce a rich, flavorful brew that is smoother and milder. Cool water does not produce the acidity or bitter flavor associated with hot coffee. Are There More Health Benefits with Cold Brew Coffee? Many of the health benefits of cold brew coffee are similar to regular coffee. Drinking a cup or two a day can offer benefits to your mental and physical health. In addition, cold brew coffee is less acidic and may be less irritating to your stomach than hot coffee. Health Benefits of Cold Brew Boost metabolism Lower risk of heart disease Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s While cold brew coffee offers many of the same health benefits as hot coffee, it may be more easily tolerated by sensitive individuals. Who knows? You may challenge some of the myths about health benefits just by slowing down and appreciating the longer brewing process. What is the Difference Between Cold Brew Coffee and Regular Coffee? The biggest difference between cold brew coffee and regular coffee is the heat used to produce the flavor profile of coffee brewed by the standard method. Pouring regular coffee over ice changes the strength of the brew as the ice dilutes the coffee as it melts. Doubling the strength of the regular coffee brew is not always a good solution, as it can also increase the acidity and bitterness of the brew. With cold brew coffee, the coffee strength can be altered simply by changing the ratio of grounds to water. Chilled coffee does not have to be diluted and therefore does not increase any unpleasant flavors. Enthusiasts of cold brew coffee even say that it is so good that there is no need to add cream or sugar. Cold Brew Coffee is All About the Grounds Cold brew coffee grounds never come into contact with hot water. Heat brings out the acidity and brightness in a coffee flavor profile, whereas cold water brings out richness and depth. A coarse coffee grind for a cold brew allows the flavor to be extracted while cold water filters through the grounds, making a perfect cup with smoother, deeper notes. It really is about patience in the brewing process. A standard brew is an immediate solution to a caffeine problem, while cold brewing is a slow, subtle coaxing of flavor from a freshly roasted coffee bean. Slowing down can net great results; just ask the people of Kyoto, Japan, who used to make cold brew coffee one drop of water at a time. Cold Brew Coffee Versus Iced Coffee Iced coffee may be the reason you haven’t tried cold brew coffee. And that’s a shame. Iced coffee is often sold by large commercial retailers as a sugary substitute for a quality hot beverage in the summer. The coffee is often brewed way too strong and then watered down, ruining any chance of tasting the flavor of the fresh, hot coffee the bean was originally roasted to become. If you are going to drink iced coffee that is not properly identified and prepared as cold brew coffee, you run the risk of paying more money for a watered-down coffee substitute. If you feel the need to add cream, sugar, or flavoring to mask the bitterness, that isn’t cold brew coffee. Save yourself the disappointment – just order iced water. How to Make Cold Brew Coffee Cold brew coffee is an experience that is worth the wait. All that is needed is a vessel for brewing, such as a pitcher or jar, room temperature water, and some freshly ground coffee beans. You can brew it in the fridge if necessary, but the cold is known to slow down the extraction process, creating a weaker coffee. The coarse coffee grounds are filtered at the end of the process, which makes a French press coffee pot or a dedicated cold brew coffee maker an added convenience. Steps to the Perfect Cold Brew: Combine the water and beans in a specific ratio. Common ratios of water to coffee (by weight) range from 4:1 to 10:1. Let the brew sit in its vessel for 12-18 hours. As you become more experienced, you will alter the time to fit the strength you desire. At the end of the brewing time, strain out the grounds. Chill and enjoy. Is Cold Brew Coffee Stronger than Regular Coffee? The short and unsatisfying answer to this question is – it depends. A higher coffee-to-water ratio in the brewing stage for cold brew coffee would lean toward it having a stronger caffeine content. But that is not necessarily so. If you drink the cold brew coffee concentrate straight, you will get a higher caffeine content. However, if you dilute the concentrate with water, you are consuming about the same amount of caffeine as an average cup of coffee. It’s up to you whether you are drinking it to savor the taste or streamline the caffeine. What is Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate? Cold brew coffee concentrate is a stronger brew, prepared to save time with a ready-to-drink strength that can be diluted to taste. Cold brew concentrate is a great idea for coffee drinkers who want immediate access to their cold brew coffee. The concentrate is meant to be brewed stronger and in larger batches, which not only saves time but also space in your fridge. Can You Use Regular Ground Coffee for Cold Brew Coffee? You can use your favorite coffee beans to make cold brew coffee! Just be sure your favorite beans are ground coarsely. A finely ground coffee roast will result in sludge at the bottom of your brewing vessel. The coarser ground beans can give the water more time to fully extract the flavor, creating the delicious drink you love. You can even reuse coffee grounds for a cold brew coffee. The brew will not be as intense and may not require any dilution. How Do I Choose the Best Beans for Cold Brew Coffee? As mentioned before, you can use your favorite medium or dark roast coffee bean for cold brew coffee. The brewing process results in a less acidic, smooth coffee that is served over ice. Standard hot water brewing brings out the higher, more acidic notes of your favorite coffee, whereas the cold brew process extracts the smoother, deeper notes. Same coffee, new flavors. I’ve Heard of Nitro Cold Brew Coffee – What’s That? Nitro coffee is cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen gas through a pressurized valve. And why do we need the infusion of nitrogen gas? The nitrogen bubbles give the cold brew coffee a thick and velvety texture, enhancing its sweetness without dairy or sugar. The nitrogen creates a frothy, milky-looking layer from the top of the glass to the bottom. It looks like a pint of Guinness to those with the familiarity and taste for a stout. And like a stout beer, nitro cold brew coffee is kept in a keg. Health Benefits of Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Lower in calories Sweet without sugars Safe for milk sensitivities Nitro cold brew coffee became a “thing” in 2013 and remains a craze of taste and convenience. Nitro cold brew coffee competes with other canned energy products but, unlike its sugary counterparts, has the support of the health-conscious set. Naturally sweet and rich, it feels like an indulgence but is widely accepted for vegan, keto, and paleo diets. Do You Need a Special Coffee Maker for Cold Brew Coffee? You do not need special equipment to make cold brew coffee. However, one of the easiest ways to make cold brew is with a French press. The pitcher makes an ideal brewing vessel, while the plunging strainer makes clearing the grounds simpler. You can purchase a cold brew coffee maker and keep cold brew concentrate readily available in your fridge at all times. Relatively simple to use and space-saving by design, a cold brew coffee maker will cost you roughly the same as a few trips to your local coffee shop for the same cold brew. Having your iced beverage at the ready will pay for itself during those hot summer months when you don’t want to leave your home, even for a shot of caffeine. Should I do a Subscription Service for Cold Brew Coffee Beans? If you are a cold brew lover who would rather brew at home, there are plenty of advantages to a subscription service to get your daily dose. Whether you are looking for convenience, to be educated about various coffee regions, or simply in saving money per cup, a subscription box is an ideal solution. If you want new coffee bean experiences or just regular deliveries of your favorite roast, a subscription service has its advantages – including discounts for customer loyalty. How Do I Sign Up for a Coffee Subscription Service? Head over to the website of a quality provider of freshly roasted coffee beans. You will find a page dedicated to subscription services, and there you can subscribe and save. Choose the products you want and how often you want them delivered, and enjoy the discount at checkout. Consider that discount as a toast to you and great coffee made simple. With a quality coffee subscription service, you can cancel at any time. But why would you? When you are getting your favorite flavors delivered right to your door, it’s hard to go back to shopping for sub-par beans at the local grocer. But it’s good to know you can break up with your subscription service if you need to. Can I Get All Cold Brew Coffee in My Subscription Service? Absolutely. The ideal service will have plenty of freshly roasted beans to choose from. With flavor profiles from Blueberry and Chocolate to perfectly balanced Pitcher Packs, the selection of medium roast and dark roast cold brew coffee will have you eagerly anticipating every delivery! Or mix it up! Order your favorite cold brew blends and add a bag or two of new coffee roast types that will further expand your palate. Order an Espresso Lover Pack and explore lattes and shots with a unique taste and style. Cue up your next obsession. Why Will I Love Cold Brew Coffee? Chances are that you have been craving a rich, smooth cold brew coffee since the first paragraph. Perhaps you were briefly distracted thinking about that sugary iced beverage you ordered once and immediately regretted, but now you can’t stop thinking about a quality cold brew experience. So, yes - you should start drinking cold brew coffee. Don’t let a past brewing mistake keep you from becoming a fan of this simple-to-make brew. Cold brew coffee can be easily fixed by adjusting brewing time for stronger coffee or adding water to a brew that is too strong. In no time, you will discover the optimal brewing time that creates the perfect cup of cold brew for you. Giving cold brew coffee a chance is like opening your mind to a whole new world of flavors you didn’t know existed. Your world will be opened to a rich coffee profile that requires less sweetener and more sweet time. You will love the convenience and the feeling of engagement with each cup – and you will be grateful that 1.8 billion millennials love cold brew coffee – because they are not wrong.
