Cold brew coffee is one of the hottest things in coffee. It fills a nice niche in your coffee drinking schedule, is refreshing and sweet, and can be just as — or even more — convenient as popping a pod in a machine.
Interested in learning more about this delicious beverage and how it can fit into your coffee life? Read on to find out:
editors note: updated 5/13/2023 with a new Hario Switch Flash Chill recipe and a new Youtube short
Cold-brew is a wasteful process and requires much time and beans to extract a satisfactory amount of flavor and caffeine. However, it’s not a waste of coffee if you enjoy your coffee smooth with very little bitterness, and you’re not too stuck on your coffee having an intricate flavor profile.
#3 | Why drink cold brew?
- Forgiving brewing process
- Highly convenient
- Less acidic
- All the health and energy benefits of hot coffee
- Great way to use older coffee beans
Going a little deeper: Cold brewing can be very forgiving of older coffee beans, and it’s easy to prep in large quantities in advance. This creates a refreshing, convenient, and caffeinated drink for busy mornings.
Folks who drink cold brew also buzz about one other cold brew feature: mild and low acidity! Cold brew coffee tastes less acidic than hot brewed coffee from the same beans, and it’s famously mellow and smooth––not just on the palate, but also the stomach. But why?
Well, science. Heat has a huge effect on extraction*. Cold brewing leaves behind some acids that hot coffee pulls out easily. This not only creates a coffee that is flavorful, smooth, and mellow, but also one that can hold up for days and still taste fresh.
*Science corner:Want to know more about how this works? Hot water is simply better at dissolving soluble solids. Hot water is also better at weakening molecular bonds and creating oxidative reactions that release–extract!–a ton of the organic compounds locked up inside a coffee bean. But cold brew is a lot less efficient at this, meaning smaller yields of some compounds in coffee, particularly specific acids and oils. While these compounds help create depth and aroma in a hot cup of coffee, they are what’s known as “volatile”, and can disappear or degrade once that hot coffee cools. ACID TRIP Even more, hot coffee and cold brew from the same exact beans may share a similar pH value, but studies have suggested that pH doesn’t correspond to the actual titratable acidity and total acids differences between the two brew methods. Cold brew’s acids are basically weaker and might be why folks with more sensitive stomachs can enjoy it more than a hot cup of coffee. |
Cold brew isn’t just convenient and easy on the stomach, but like all coffee, it has some healthy compounds too:
- chlorogenic acids
- antioxidants
While cold brew coffee will typically extract less of these organic compounds than a corresponding hot coffee of the same origin/roast, these helpful compounds are still present in most cold brew coffees.
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Before we get started:
Cold brew concentrate is cold brew with a very high coffee to water ratio. The drip coffee youre used to is anywhere from 1 part coffee to 16 to 20 parts water. We also call this “strength”.
Cold brew concentrate is often 1:4 to 1:8. It is literally a concentrated coffee drink and is much stronger – and has much more caffeine – than the same amount of drip coffee liquid.
You will see us reference these terms a few times, so this is worth a primer!
Why Does Cold Brew Coffee Taste Better?
FAQ
Is cold brew healthier than regular coffee?
Why do people prefer cold brew coffee?
Why does cold brew use so much coffee?
How long does cold brew coffee last?
Cold brew will usually last 7-10 days in the fridge. If your coffee tastes funky, you might want to give it a toss. If you notice that your coffee seems to be spoiling quicker than it should, it might be time to clean your brewing equipment.
Cold brew vs Iced coffee: Which is healthier?
Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for an entire day to make coffee concentrate at room temperature after brewing. Regularly brewed coffee over ice is iced coffee. Both are same, only the temperatures differ. Coffee is rich in caffeine which acts on heart muscle, central nervous system as a stimulant. Caffeine also functions as cerebral vasoconstrictor and diuretic. Coffee decreases iron stores and iron absorption in the body. Hence drinking coffee regularly don’t give any health benefits.
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold brew coffee is a method of brewing coffee that uses cold or room temperature water over an extended period, typically 12 to 24 hours. Unlike traditional hot brewing methods like drip coffee, cold brew doesn’t involve heat during the extraction process. Instead, it relies on time to slowly extract the flavors from coarsely ground coffee beans.
Is cold brew coffee bad for You?
Limit yourself to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, or less if you are sensitive. It’s also brewed at room temperature, which can create a favorable environment for bacteria to grow. Such bacteria could lead to foodborne illnesses. Practice good hygiene when brewing and storing cold brew coffee to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.