As soon as the weather begins to heat up, coffee suddenly doesn’t seem as appetising as it does during the colder months… luckily for us, there are lots of refreshing ‘iced’ versions knocking around that are guaranteed to cool you down whilst simultaneously providing that all-important caffeine boost. One drink in particular- the cold brew coffee- is suddenly making a comeback and you’ll be seeing it everywhere on the high street this summer.
What exactly is cold-brew coffee?
Not to be confused with iced coffee, cold-brew is essentially what it says on the tin: coffee that is cold! Essentially, it is ground coffee steeped in cold water and strained, whereas iced coffee is generally brewed hot and poured over ice. As a result, iced coffee is the super quick option, whereas cold brew takes around 12-24 hours to produce- so time is definitely something you need when making this drink.
Read on to find out some of the benefits to drinking cold brew coffee, and why it’s simply better than it’s iced cousin…
So is cold brew coffee better than iced coffee?
- Iced coffee tends to be brewed to be stronger than standard coffee, to make up for the severe dilution caused by the ice. This method produces a far more bitter drink, because of the intense and rapid extraction of flavour from the beans by the hot water. This is why cold brew is naturally sweeter as the infusion process is a lot more gentle.
- Less acidity is produced with cold brew coffee, and because our bodies have a delicate PH balance of acidity and alkalinity, coffee that has a lower acidity is so much better for us as it maintains that important balance within. This is great news for those of us that suffer with sensitive stomachs and teeth, and also means that the typical burnt flavour that is commonly associated with high street coffee is eliminated.
- As the chemical process doesn’t change with cold brew, you can essentially keep the coffee in the fridge for a few days and it should taste the same. Great for making a big batch to keep you going throughout the week! (remember to keep it covered though).
- Believe it or not, cold brew coffee actually contains less caffeine that hot-brewed. Basically, caffeine is soluble in water, and the hotter the water used to brew coffee, the more caffeine is extracted ― meaning you get more caffeine out of the beans and into your coffee. Cold brew then, is perfect for when you’re craving coffee but not wanting to be up all night with the caffeine buzz.
How to make cold-brew coffee
As you can imagine, there’s not much to it, and you don’t need any fancy equipment to make some either. All you’ll need is the following:
-Coursely ground coffee (finely ground beans can result in a sludgy and cloudy outcome as it’s very difficult to filter out the small particles)
-Water
-A cafetière
There are a hundred different recommendations for the water to coffee ratio, but we recommend the following: four cups of cold filtered water to one cup of coursely ground coffee.
You then add the coffee to the cafetiere, and carefully add the water to ensure all the coffee is saturated. Then comes the patient part. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours, but time is of course key here, so it can stay for as long as 24 hours. Don’t forget to cover the cafetiere to avoid any unwanted aromas being absorbed. Finally, when the time is up, plunge the cafetiere as normal and voila… Your homemade cold brew is ready and waiting to be enjoyed (preferably out in some glorious sunshine!).
Let us know what you think to cold-brew coffee, and whether you prefer it to other options too. If you have any questions, pop down to the roastery or drop us a line.
