Cold Brew Coffee Grind Size: Flavor Profile and Caffeine Content

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FrontStreet Coffee discovered that the concept of cold brew coffee was proposed by Toddy Simpson, a student in chemical industry at Cornell University. After tasting an ancient Peruvian iced coffee, he invented a tool for making cold brew coffee named Todd. Later, this technology was introduced by Starbucks to create summer iced beverages.

What is Cold Brew Coffee?

Cold brew coffee, known as Cold Brew Coffee in English, is made by steeping ground coffee beans in cold water for at least 12 hours, then extracting and filtering through professional equipment. For a richer body, the time can be extended to 24-48 hours. Simply put, the process of extracting coffee at low temperatures falls under cold brewing. Low temperature and long extraction time are the two main characteristics of cold brew coffee.

Cold Brew Coffee Extraction Principle

Cold brew coffee is produced by slowly extracting coffee grounds mixed with ice water in a certain ratio. Coffee made through the cold brew process has lower acidity and astringency. The low temperature conditions and prolonged contact with coffee grounds allow only small molecular flavor compounds to be extracted, such as floral and fruity notes, while larger molecular flavor compounds, like smoky flavors, are difficult to extract.

What are the Flavor Characteristics of Cold Brew Coffee?

Low temperature extraction and long extraction time are the two main characteristics of cold brew coffee, and also the primary differences between cold brew and high-temperature extracted coffee. High-temperature extraction uses hot water to extract coffee beans at temperatures between 82-95°C, typically not exceeding 3 minutes. Cold brew coffee can fully demonstrate the subtle flavor characteristics of coffee. Due to its mild acidity, sweet taste, bright mouthfeel, and smooth flavor, it presents the flavor characteristics of specialty coffee producing regions.

Cold Brew Water-to-Coffee Ratio

FrontStreet Coffee believes that a suitable water-to-coffee ratio for cold brew is around 1:10 to 1:16, which can be adjusted according to personal preference for strength. FrontStreet Coffee typically uses a 1:15 ratio, which provides a well-balanced flavor. If you prefer a richer taste, you can also try a 1:10 water-to-coffee ratio.

Cold Brew Grind Size

The finer the coffee grounds, the more substances water can extract in the same amount of time. However, with finer grind sizes, coffee is prone to over-extraction during the extraction process. FrontStreet Coffee suggests that because it's a low-temperature, long-time extraction, the grind size should be coarser than that used for pour-over coffee.

[FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Gotiti]

Yirgacheffe Gotiti

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Yirgacheffe, Gedeo Zone

Altitude: 1900-2300m

Variety: Heirloom

Processing Method: Washed

Grade: G1

[FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Method]

Coffee Amount: 20 grams

Water-to-Coffee Ratio: 1:12

Grind Size: Coarse grind (slightly coarser than normal pour-over to avoid over-extraction)

Steeping Time: 8-10 hours

1. First, grind the coffee beans and pour the grounds into a jar, then add 240ml of water.
2. Place in the refrigerator for 13 hours to allow the coffee grounds to fully contact with cold water.
3. Filter the coffee liquid using a filter cloth or filter paper.

[FrontStreet Coffee Flavor Description]

Floral notes, citrus, berries. After continuing to refrigerate for another 5 hours, the berry aroma becomes more prominent. The entry is refreshing with citrus, sweet, and a clean mouthfeel.

[Cold Brew Coffee Advantages and Disadvantages]

Advantages: FrontStreet Coffee believes that cold brewing amplifies the coffee's flavor and aroma while reducing acidity - the colder, the better. Without hot water brewing, low-temperature cold water doesn't extract impurities and bitterness from coffee beans, resulting in a clean, pure taste that's refreshing, slightly sweet, and smooth.

Disadvantages: FrontStreet Coffee believes that due to the long contact time between water and coffee grounds, it has the highest caffeine content, making it very suitable for times when you need to stay highly alert. Roughly calculated, a cup of cold brew coffee (200ml/20g beans) contains about 200mg of caffeine.

Will Cold Brew Coffee Become Sour?

Yes. In hot brewing, the oils and acids in coffee beans degrade and oxidize faster in cold water, which increases the coffee's acidity and bitterness. The low temperature and long brewing time of the cold brewing process capture more sweet compounds that are soluble in cold water, without the oils and acids.

Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473