Cold brew coffee has a great taste than is different than traditional hot coffee. When coffee is brewed in hot water, acidic / oily components are extracted and leads to a more bitter taste. That is not the case with cold brew coffee, as you will only get natural flavors of coffee beans and sweet aroma out of it without any additional components.
HISTORY:
Coffee is a brewed drink that is originated from the “coffea” (a genus of flowering plants whose seeds are called coffee beans). The coffee plant is originally an African native plant majorly in Ethiopia, Sudan, and alongside the Indian Ocean but to people’s growing likeness and due to heavy consumption of coffee, this plant is now cultivated in almost 70 countries of the world. The two most commonly cultivated coffee plants are Arabica and Robusta. Coffea Liberica and Excelsa were also once in the coffee ranges but now their plants are near to extinct and are rarely found.
Although the coffee plant was a native of Ethiopia, the drink (coffee) remained undiscovered by the Ethiopians. Coffee was first brewed in Yemen and later it was spread around the world.
Cold-brewed coffee, being a major type of coffee, also has a deep history and is a relatively older form of coffee. Cold brew coffee has its roots in Japan since the early 1600’s where the people of Japan (specifically in Kyoto) liked their coffees made this way. This highly popular way of brewing coffee definitely influenced the people of Kyoto and soon they started brewing coffee this way commercially. Since then cold-brewed coffee traveled from Japan around the world to the United States of America and is part of the U.S coffee culture.
An Overview
Cold-brewed coffee although being made diferent than traditional coffee requires minimum manual work to make. The coffee beans’ flavor is extracted through steeping it in chilled water for an extended period of time (usually around 12-hours). The flavor depends on the time given to soaking the bean, the more the time, the more the flavor. The beans are then sieved, and the flavored water is extracted out.
You can of course use a brewing machine to brew this type of coffee is a matter of personal choice. Typically, the coffee is more highly concentrated through this technique which causes many drinkers to want to add water or milk.
Cold brew coffee is also often served hot over chilled ice, making it a unique combination of extreme hot and cold. Brewing through this particular method always keeps the coffee beans and water separated through a sieve and soaking it at a lower temperature allows less acidic and caffeine content in the coffee which makes it a healthy technique and a relatively healthy beverage to consume.
TYPES OF COLD-BREW COFFEE:
Slow drip brew coffee
Slow drip brew coffee, popularly known as Kyoto-style coffee, is a coffee style in which water is slowly dripped through the grounded coffee beans, taking and extracting out flavors from the coffee beans over a prolonged time.
Nitro cold-brew coffee
To make this coffee, nitrogen is passed through the cold-brew that further concentrates it and provides a chilly temperature to the coffee.
PROS OF A COLD-BREW COFFEE:
- It is relatively more flavorful due to its method of brewing
- The coffee beans and heated water never come directly in contact with each other and the beans are separated by a sieve which allows a healthy amount of caffeine to be infused in the water
- It is 65-70% less acidic compared to espresso and other popular coffee types
Other Famous Types of Coffees:
The types of coffee also depend on the making procedure. Some famous types include:
Infused Coffee
Infused coffee is made in two different manners; the Drip-Brewed Coffee in which water is passed through the roasted coffee beans through a sieve absorbing its mineral, oil, and essence and also the sieve dripping the flavor under the action of gravity thus naming it so. The second way is known as French Press/ Cafetière, It is a type of infused coffee that is made in a French press machine that brews, grinds and extracts the coffee flavors in a classier manner.
Boiled coffee
It includes coffee beans being brewed in boiling or warm water that circulates around the coffee beans to extract flavors.
Espresso
It is one of the most popular forms of coffee that come along with a lot of foam due to the high amount of pressure and steam used to brew it. Its flavor is different from that of the general brewed coffee. Its types include Caffe Americano or long black, Cafe Lungo, Cafe Cubano, Caffe Crema, and many more.
Iced Coffee
Very similar to its name, it is a type of coffee that is served ice-chilled and contains a delicious amount of foam that increases its taste and flavors to a whole new level. Its major types are Frappe, Cappuccino, and some others.
HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT COLD-BREW COFFEE:
After reading this, one should definitely grab a cup of it from a café, or even better is to DIY. To make a cup of cold brew coffee, just follow these simple steps:
- Mix definite proportions of coffee and cold water in a jar, mug or a coffee maker i.e. 1 1/2 cup of cold water and amount of coffee to personal liking. Let the coffee soak in water for a least of 12 hours or even more if you want a strong flavor.
- Use a coffee filter or a sieve to strain the water.
- In a glass, take equal proportions of water, the concentrated coffee mixture and also a lot of ice. Stir it nicely to have yourself a perfect cup of cold brew coffee. (Milk can also be used to mild the coffee and for additional flavors)
If you’re interested in a cold brew coffee maker – check out our Guide to Cold Brew Coffee Makers. Happy brewing!