What is Cold Brew Coffee? The Extraction Principle Difference Between Cold Brew and Iced Coffee

For more premium coffee knowledge, follow our WeChat official account: FrontStreet Coffee

Iced Americano vs. Cold Brew: Understanding the Summer Coffee Favorites

Iced Americano and cold brew coffee are arguably the two best-selling summer coffee shop items, yet there's a significant price difference between them. Cold brew coffee typically costs twice as much as iced Americano! Since both are iced coffees, why is cold brew coffee so expensive? This article follows FrontStreet Coffee to explore this crowd favorite.

What is Cold Brew Coffee?

Unlike most Americano coffee brewing methods, cold brew coffee is extracted through low-temperature steeping using water at room temperature or below. FrontStreet Coffee typically adds medium-ground coffee powder (granulated sugar consistency/75% pass-through rate on China No. 20 standard sieve) to cold water, then seals it and places it in a refrigerator for low-temperature steeping for 8-12 hours before filtering out the grounds.

The longer extraction time is a characteristic of cold brew coffee. Without thermal molecular movement, the extraction process requires more time than at higher temperatures. This is because water molecules have less kinetic energy at lower temperatures, so cold brew coffee requires extended steeping to compensate.

Due to the longer brewing time, cold brew coffee typically contains more total dissolved solids (TDS) than concentrated coffee (like Americano) or filtered coffee (like pour-over). This means cold brew coffee contains more caffeine and higher concentration than other extraction methods. Therefore, many people dilute cold brew coffee with water or milk when drinking it.

Another important note: cold brew coffee is different from iced coffee. In some coffee shops, these terms are used interchangeably, but the preparation methods for the two beverages differ. Generally, iced coffee is brewed with hot water, then quickly cooled and served with ice.

Why is Cold Brew Coffee More Expensive than Iced Americano?

First, there's the time cost. Iced Americano is made by adding appropriate amounts of water to dilute concentrated espresso after extraction. Espresso production involves grinding coffee beans into extremely fine particles, then using 9-10 bar pressure to force hot water at around 94°C quickly through the coffee grounds, requiring only 25-30 seconds.

Second, there's the cost of coffee beans. Most coffee shops use blended coffee beans for espresso-based drinks to ensure longer product stability. Blended coffee beans combine the characteristics of beans from different regions to create a more balanced, rich flavor suitable for pressure extraction.

However, cold brew coffee production aims to showcase the inherent regional characteristics of coffee beans, so single-origin coffee beans are typically used. Compared to blended beans, single-origin coffee costs more, plus factors like portion size and time, making cold brew prices in coffee shops generally higher than Americano.

Coffee Bean Recommendations for Cold Brew

Making cold brew coffee brings out the original flavors of coffee beans, so FrontStreet Coffee recommends using single-origin fresh-roasted coffee beans. You can order from FrontStreet Coffee's flagship store, where all coffee beans are shipped within 5 days of roasting.

For those who want a fruity, sweet and sour cold brew coffee, try "FrontStreet Coffee's Karmada Coffee Bean," with flavors of citrus, berries, red floral notes, and black tea;

For those who want milder acidity with light fruit fermentation, try "FrontStreet Coffee's Mozart Coffee Bean," with flavors of raisins, osmanthus, honey, and nuts;

For those who want no acidity at all with rich flavor, try "FrontStreet Coffee - Brazil Queen Manor Coffee Bean," with flavors of roasted peanuts, creamy smoothness, dark chocolate, and sucrose.

For those who want balanced flavor with sweet floral and fruity notes, try "FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy Coffee Bean," with flavors of roses, candied fruit, strawberry gummies, and nuts.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473