Cold Brew Coffee Brewing Methods and Bean Recommendations - Starbucks Cold Brew vs. Americano: Which Tastes Better

With cicadas chirping and birds singing under the bright sunshine, the south is gradually slipping into summer. Hot weather makes cold, refreshing drinks irresistible, and cold brew coffee — simple to make, with no fussy procedures — is a superb summer choice for coffee lovers: brew a pot before bed and enjoy it the next morning. But what exactly is cold brew coffee? And what is Starbucks' nitro cold brew?

What is Cold Brew Coffee?

Cold brew coffee is made by grinding beans and steeping them in cold water for more than 8 hours. For a richer body, the steep can be extended to 24-48 hours. After steeping, simply filter out the grounds and enjoy.

The Extraction Principle of Cold Brew Coffee

Low-temperature extraction differs from high-temperature rapid extraction (pour-over). Because the temperature is low, the bitter and astringent compounds in the grounds are hard to draw out, while the long, slow steep extracts the coffee's sweet and acidic compounds more thoroughly. The result is a rich body together with improved overall cleanliness.

What is Starbucks' Nitro Cold Brew?

Nitro cold brew is essentially cold brew infused with nitrogen. The moment the coffee is dispensed, it meets the air and takes on a creamy texture reminiscent of a non-alcoholic black beer. That creamy mouthfeel is the whole point — whether it tastes better is subjective.

How Does FrontStreet Coffee Make Cold Brew Coffee?

If you want cold brew but don't want to go out for it, FrontStreet Coffee will teach you to make it at home — it's one of the easiest methods to master. Our standard is 50 grams of ground coffee. For grind size: because the water touching the grounds is cooler than in regular pour-over, we go slightly finer than pour-over — 85% pass-through on a #20 standard sieve.

Place the grounds in a glass bottle, then add 400ml of room-temperature water and 200 grams of hard ice cubes (600 grams of ice-water in total) — a 1:12 powder-to-water ratio. Stir the grounds and water thoroughly with a stick, seal, and refrigerate.

After 12-24 hours in the refrigerator, filter out the grounds with filter paper for a clean liquid. Then store it in a clean sealed bottle and refrigerate for another 4 hours before drinking.

One reminder from FrontStreet Coffee: cold brew isn't necessarily better the longer it steeps. Taste is subjective — some prefer fresh, clean coffee, while others love heavy, fermented flavors. To each their own.

For those who prefer stronger fermented notes, FrontStreet Coffee suggests slightly extending the steep: as time increases, the fermented character grows, the concentrate becomes richer, and the flavor layers more complex. If the liquid tastes too strong, add a couple of ice cubes — as they melt, the strength drops accordingly.

Recommended Single-Origin Coffee Beans for Cold Brew

Cold brew's liquid isn't as clear as ice-drip's and carries a thin layer of oil on the surface, giving it a slightly heavier, more balanced profile. Choose light-to-medium roast beans to best express cold brew's cool, clean character.

① FrontStreet Coffee — Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry Coffee Beans

As the most representative African coffee, Yirgacheffe has captivated countless enthusiasts with its rich floral and fruity character. The Red Cherry lot, a premium natural Ethiopian, is superb as cold brew: very sweet berry flavors, layered complexity, and honey notes.

Region: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Estate: Aletaland Estate

Altitude: 1700m-2200m

Variety: Local Heirloom

Processing: Natural

② FrontStreet Coffee — Kenya Asalia Coffee Beans

Kenyan beans draw fans with their full, juice-like mouthfeel and cherry-tomato aroma. Their bright, solid acidity becomes cherry tomato, honey, and preserved plum in cold brew, with rich layers and a full body.

Region: Thika, Kenya

Processing Station: Asali Processing Station

Altitude: 1550m-1750m

Variety: SL28, SL34

Processing: K72 Washed

③ FrontStreet Coffee — Panama Floral Butterfly Coffee Beans

This coffee is 70% Gesha and 30% Caturra/Catuai — easily one of the most cost-effective single origins in the Panama region. As cold brew, it expresses clean, fresh floral notes, citrus, and oolong tea.

Region: Boquete, Panama

Altitude: 1600m

Variety: 70% Gesha, Caturra, Catuai

Processing: Washed

④ FrontStreet Coffee — Costa Rica Mozart Coffee Beans

This bean carries a fermentation aroma with a light orange-blossom fragrance. In cold brew it shows raisin sweetness and a delicate white-floral scent, with a smooth mouthfeel.

Region: Tarrazú, Costa Rica

Estate: Canet Estate

Altitude: 1980m

Variety: H1

Processing: Raisin Honey

⑤ FrontStreet Coffee — Honduras Sherry Coffee Beans

This bean is fermented at low temperature in whiskey barrels, absorbing the whiskey aroma — the roasted beans brim with rich whiskey fragrance. As cold brew, it offers whiskey notes with a vanilla-cream sweetness and smoothness.

Region: Marcala, Honduras

Estate: Moca Estate

Altitude: 1500m-1700m

Variety: Caturra, Catuai, Pacas

Processing: Fine Washed + Whiskey Barrel Fermentation

In weather this hot, how can you do right by yourself without a cold drink? Stop thinking about it — take action. Grab your bottle, pick your beans, and make your own cup of cold brew right now.

For more specialty coffee beans, follow our coffee community.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Cold brew amplifies floral and fruity tones while softening woody and roasted ones, so light-to-medium roasts shine brightest — and FrontStreet Coffee's cold-brew shortlist proves it. The sun-dried Flower Champion from Ethiopia delivers magnolia, creamy strawberry, dried mango, guava, and black tea in the cold. The washed Yirgacheffe Gedeb Worka Cooperative lot turns out an intensely sweet, layered brew of berries and honey — and as the most affordable of the daily-drinker beans, it handles pour-over, siphon, French press, and cold brew with equal ease. The Kenya Cherry Tomato (SL28 and SL34 from Thika at 1550-1750 meters, K72 double-washed) shows its cherry-tomato, snow pear, black plum, and dark plum acidity to the fullest in cold extraction — low bitterness, plump acidity, wonderfully refreshing over ice. For a Gesha experience on a budget, the Strawberry Sugar blend — Panama Gesha with Costa Rican honey-processed coffee — can even be fermented briefly: grind 30g to fine sugar (EK43 setting 9 / hand-grinder C40 at 24), steep with 360g of room-temperature water at 1:12 for 8 hours in the fridge, filter, then rest another 3 hours, and you'll taste grape juice, rose, sweet orange, and fruit-wine notes.