5
POWERFUL REASONS TO
CHOOSE COLD BREW
OVER HOT COFFEE
COLD BREW
COFFEE IS ON
THE RISE.
A steep rise! There wasn’t a coffee shop last summer that didn’t offer at least
one version of this (now) popular caffeinated beverage. Many call it a novelty,
we call it the new normal. Yup, cold brew conquered the coffee world. But
many are confused … what is it about cold brew coffee that is different from hot
brewed coffee and why should we even drink cold brew coffee?
H E R E A R E 5 R E ASO NS W H Y W E LOV E
T O D R I N K C O L D B R E W. M AY B E Y O U
S H O U L D T R Y I T O U T A S W E L L?
#1 COLD BREW HAS
LOW E R AC I D I T Y A N D
LESS BITTERNESS
Acidity in coffee? What the …
It’s something one needs to get used to and then never look
back. But if you still aren’t convinced, cold brew might be the
answer.
Yes, cold brewed coffee is less acidic than hot brewed coffee.
Let’s learn why. The key word here is extraction.
Extraction is the process when water dissolves soluble
components from ground coffee – sugars, acids, oils and other
stuff that can be dissolved.
Some are good, some are bad.
In general, we brew coffee with water at 195 to 205 degrees
Fahrenheit (90 – 95 degrees Celsius).
Use hotter water and your coffee will be bitter. Hot water
will destroy the acidic components and turn them into bitter
components.
Not good.
Use colder water and you’ll turn the sweet acidity into a horrible
sour taste. Cold water just doesn’t have the punch to quickly
dissolve non-acidic compounds that create balance in your
coffee.
Again – not good.
NOW
LET’S
P L AY
A LITTLE
TRICK
... Let’s use cold water and increase the time.
D R A S T I C A L L Y.
We’re taking it from 3 minutes to 20 hours. Cold brewing plays by its own rules. The
cold water slows down the extraction of the tasty parts of coffee. AND it actually
changes what is extracted and what is left in the ground coffee. Compared to hot
brewed coffee, a cup of cold brew can be 60% less acidic and bitter. That happens
because the acids that turn to bitter don’t get extracted. And the acids that add
that sharp bite to hot brewed coffee don’t oxidize.
A N D W H AT YOU G E T?
SMOOTH, REFRESHING COFFEE.
#2 COLD BREW HAS
TONS OF FL AVOR
Okay, so cold brew is less bitter and less acidic than hot brewed
coffee. And with less oxidation and degradation of flavor
compounds in coffee, you will notice a very clear change in flavor
of coffee.
There is a lot of science for professors of chemistry to explain, but
we won’t open that can of worms. Let’s just say that the chemical
picture of cold brewed coffee is different.
TRY THIS...
Brew a pour over and a cold brew with the same beans. Yes, the
base flavors are the same. But you’d be surprised how different
they taste.
A nice cup of cold brewed
coffee has a smooth flavor
that is combined with
sweetness and just a hint
of acidity. Oh and it has
almost no bitterness!
Bottom line – pour over can
be described as rich while
cold brew is smooth.
T H E SECR E T T H AT M A K E S
THESE TWO COFFEES SO
DIFFERENT ARE THE OILS.
These are aromatic oils that are stacked in coffee. And
if you heat them up (with hot water) these oils will get
volatile and evaporate quickly.
Gone forever.
Oils are unpredictable when hot. That is why dialing your
water temperature for pour over is sometimes difficult.
By brewing your coffee with cold water these oils
will remain stable and will smoothly extract into your
beverage. And because they are aromatic, these oils will
hit your nose with aromas that the brain will interpret as
vibrant floral and fruity flavors.
L O V E LY !
#3 K I N G O F M I XO LO GY!
Okay, don’t get me wrong … I love hot coffee!
There’s nothing like a nice cup of freshly brewed single
origin filter coffee.
But there are limits to hot coffee when you try to mix it with
anything else.
Not very versatile …
Cold brew coffee on the other hand, is the king of mixology!
Especially if you steep your coffee stronger, you’ll get a cold
brew concentrate that is just perfect for mixing with other
drinks and foods!
HERE ARE A FEW TIPS
F O R M I X I N G YOU R CO L D B R E W:
Iced coffee: mix it with ice and a little cold water.
Hot coffee: cold brew with a splash of hot water makes sense
when you do not have time to brew hot coffee, as you can store
cold brew in your refrigerator.
Cold Brew Latte: add ice and milk.
Cold brew cocktails: a whole plethora of recipes possible!
Play with your brew, add booze, juices or anything you might
think will fit the flavor.
Cold Brew Tonic: one part cold brew and two parts tonic +
ice. YUM!
Cold Brew Lemonade: a no-brainer!!! Even if it sounds strange.
Cold Brew Soda: Add soda water and a bit of sugar (if you
like it sweet).
#4 COLD BREW HAS
LESS CAFFEINE
Good news for coffee lovers!
Cold brew is less caffeinated than hot coffee.
WHY?
Remember #1 about extraction with hot and cold water?
Cold water does not extract as much caffeine.
That means you can drink more of it!
Of course it all depends on the type of beans you use, but
we could generally say that cold brew has about 30% less
caffeine than regular hot coffee.
#5 COLD BREW IS GOOD
F O R YO U R H E A LT H
Coffee is considered a superfood when consumed modestly.
There is research that proves positive effects of coffee when it comes
to reducing risk of heart disease, makes you more alert and alive, some
even say it can be beneficial for diabetes patients.
There’s even research that says coffee can help prevent Parkinsons and
Alzheimers disease.
Bottom line is that coffee is a strong antioxidant and that fact itself says:
drink coffee! As for cold brewed coffee it can be a solution for those who
suffer from reflux and other stomach acidity problems.
A lot of people claim that they can not drink hot coffee as the heartburn
is killing them. But cold brew can solve those problems.
O N E M O R E R E ASO N TO E NJ OY I T!
