Coffee Knowledge
What is cold brew coffee?
3
mins
Cold brew coffee has taken the world by storm in recent years, but is it different from an iced coffee? Find out all you need to know.
Deliciously chilled
Cold brew coffee is made by slowly steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in room temperature water for at least six hours. It can be as long as 24 hours with many choosing to do it overnight, but it depends on how strong you want your cold brew it to be. When the beans are steeped like this it creates a strong coffee concentrate that just needs to be mixed with water and milk to taste.
As the grounds aren’t exposed to hot temperatures, cold brew coffee has a more flavourful, sweeter, less bitter and acidic taste. In a recent study, cold brew coffee was found to be between 50 – 67% less acidic than the average cup of coffee. It’s a common misconception that cold brew has to be cold. It can in fact be served piping hot too! If you want it cold, simply add cold water, ice and milk to taste. If you prefer it hot, you just need to add hot water or hot milk (some will even pop it in the microwave if they’re in a rush).
Cold brew coffee origins
The earliest version of cold brew was called ‘Kyoto’ and it dates back to Japan in the 1600s. It was such an incredibly popular drink in the city that they eventually made cold brew coffee machines, and made a spectacle out of brewing the beverage in public places. There has been some argument as to whether cold brew was invented in Japan, because many believe that it was introduced to the country by Dutch traders that developed the process in order to transport large quantities of strong coffee that could later be reheated or enjoyed cold. Interestingly, there’s been many documented accounts of cold brew coffee being used for war rations too, which makes sense, as the brewing method requires little equipment and far less coffee.
Does cold brew have more caffeine?
Due to the fact it’s a coffee concentrate, many think that cold brew has more caffeine content than the average cup. However, the reality is that because you dilute this concentrate, the caffeine level drops slightly.
What’s the difference between a cold brew and an iced coffee?
Cold brew isn’t just another name for iced coffee! The key difference between a cold brew and an iced coffee is the latter is brewed hot, then chilled by pouring it over ice, resulting in a diluted coffee which many strong brew lovers don’t like. This is very different to cold brew coffee which involves creating a concentrate by slowly steeping the coffee grounds at room temperature which can then be served hot or cold.
Now you know what cold brew coffee is, and how it’s different to iced coffee, find out what a macchiato is next.
Today’s community favourites
Discover some of the most enjoyed articles from across the site
