Coffee enthusiasts – What makes cold brew coffee special?

When you love coffee as much as we do, it’s not hard to see why people are constantly coming up with new ways to brew and serve this heavenly liquid. Trending in the last few years is something called cold brew – a fresh, cool take on a traditionally hot drink. Read on to see why our readers think cold brew is so amazing.

Here’s why I consider cold brew coffee to be so special

There are numerous reasons why cold brew coffee has become so widely popular and why so many people rely on this cold beverage to start their days. It’s impossible to narrow down why this beverage is so special to just one reason because it is unlike regular hot coffee in numerous capacities. From my experience in the industry, here is why I consider cold brew coffee to be so special:

• It’s sweeter, smoother, and not bitter – The coffee grounds for cold brew coffee aren’t exposed to high temperatures, which allows the resulting cold brew beverage to be more flavorful and less bitter. This can be a great advantage for those seeking to cut out sugars and sweeteners from their diets, as cold brew coffee might not need any sugar since it is already sweet!
• Cold brew coffee has a lower acidity – Did you know that the acidity of regular coffee can cause heartburn? That acidity can also cause damage to your teeth and the lining of your stomach too. You don’t have to worry about that with cold brew coffee though! By some estimates, cold brew coffee is over 67% less acidic than hot brewed coffee. What’s not to love about that advantage?
• Higher antioxidant content – Recent research has shown that green coffee beans contain tons of antioxidants. Unfortunately, the high temperatures of the roasting process tend to destroy many of those antioxidants, so hot coffees rarely have a good amount of antioxidants. Since cold brew does not need to be roasted or heated, this concentrate will have higher antioxidant properties to benefit your oxidative stress.
• Cold brew coffee generates little waste – Since everyone has become fixated on their own carbon footprints, we are all looking for ways to reduce our waste and environmental impacts. Cold brew coffee offers a convenient way to accomplish exactly that. With cold brew concentrate, you can simply refrigerate the coffee you don’t drink and save it for tomorrow. You can’t do that with hot coffee.

Light roasts perform better when brewed with cold water

Cold brew coffee is special because the coffee is extracted using cold water. Regular coffee, whether brewed with an espresso machine, Aeropress, stovetop, or filter (or pretty much any other method you can think of) uses hot water to extract soluble compounds from coffee grounds. The coffee is subjected to hot water for a certain amount of time depending on the particular method and how coarse the coffee is ground. The result is coffee as we know, whether long or short, black or white.

If you were to use cold water for instance with an espresso machine, the soluble compounds would not be extracted and you’d be left with a weak under-extracted brew.

Cold brew is a method that has gained popularity over the last few years because of the unique brew method and even more so the unique flavors that brewing in this way produces in the end cup of coffee.

Cold brew uses a combination of cold water, coarsely ground coffee, and extended brew time to extract the desired soluble flavor compounds.

The brew has a typically muted bitterness and highlights subtle flavor notes that ‘hot water’ brew methods struggle to hit. It is perfect for the summer months, especially for an afternoon caffeine pick-me-up when the weather is too hot for lattes or Americanos.

Some prefer cold brew to regular coffee as certain light roasts perform better when brewed with cold water. It is also fairly easy to make at home and can be brewed in batches and kept in the fridge for a few days – great for folks short of time in the week.