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 coffeeās 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 coffeeās 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 doesnāt change, since the temperature doesnāt (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 youāre 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 !