What’s the deal with Cold Brew coffee?

Cold brew is coffee that’s brewed at room temperature or cold water over a 12 to 24-hour period.

Unlike regular coffee, cold brew isĀ neverĀ exposed to heat. Cold brew uses time, rather than heat to extract the coffeeā€™s oils, sugars, and caffeine.

Some interesting facts.

 

Naturally sweeter

Due to its lower acidity cold brew coffee has a naturally sweeter taste. There is no boiling water involved in the cold-press process, the chemical profile is vastly different to conventional brewing methods.

Varied levels of caffeine

Cold-brew coffee typically contains 20% less caffeine than the traditional hot-brewed coffee. This fact does depend on a number of factors though: the grind, steep time, coffee to water ratio and the amount of soluble caffeine in the bean.

Storage

Many coffee shops are now keeping their cold brews in a nitrogen-fed kegerator to save the flavor. Oxygen interacts with coffee quickly and ruins the taste.

Health benefits

Coffee prepared at low temperatures preserves a higher ratio of antioxidants.

Use the leftovers

After brewing , the leftovers can be used to make a variety of things, these being: Ice cream, coffee ice-cubes, coffee brownies, etc.

Origin unknown

Cold brew coffeeā€™s origins are still unclear. Sources state lead to an ancient Peruvian process and some state that it was introduced by Dutch traders from Indonesia in the 1600s into Japan.

Time

Cold Brews can last up to two weeks in the fridge. The chemical process doesnā€™t change, since the temperature doesnā€™t (Keep it covered though). So although the initial process takes some time, it worth the longevity.

How do you make it.

Grind the coffee coarsely, which you can do yourself at home. Combine the grounds with water, then let it steep overnight, or for around 12 hours.During this time, the coffee slowly infuses into the water, creating a strong, concentrated brew. Strain the next morning, and youā€™re ready to rock!

Here’s a great video on the process, using the AeroPress
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnqH7VFFlXE

Heading into summer, a cold brew coffee sounds like a good idea !