What Are Cold Brew Coffee's Flavor Characteristics, How to Drink and Brew It: Cold Brew Coffee Brewing Methods and Hot vs Cold Water

On a hot summer day, nothing beats a refreshing iced coffee. But now that autumn has arrived, will iced coffee remain just as popular? FrontStreet Coffee tells you: absolutely! While the season may have changed, the warm weather is still here, and the delicious taste of iced coffee remains. Those who love this flavor continue to enjoy it just as passionately as before.

Of course, initially many people may not know that coffee can also be brewed with cold water, because we usually drink coffee extracted with high temperatures—roasted coffee beans ground to a specific coarseness, then using water to extract the flavors from the coffee. High-temperature extraction causes the tannic acid in coffee to break down into pyrogallic acid, creating bitterness and sourness.

But FrontStreet Coffee wants to tell you: cold water-brewed coffee offers a unique flavor profile and is incredibly popular! Why? Because cold brew coffee is extracted at low temperatures, where water and coffee grounds remain in contact for an extended period. Only smaller molecular flavor compounds, such as floral and fruit notes, are extracted, while larger molecular flavor compounds like smoky and roasted flavors are difficult to extract. Therefore, cold brew coffee better showcases the inherent flavors of coffee beans, with a smooth mouthfeel, distinct layers, and a noticeable sweet aftertaste.

Understanding Cold Brew Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee invites you to learn about cold brew coffee: Cold brew coffee has only gradually become popular in the United States in recent years, making people realize that coffee doesn't necessarily have to be hot. Coffee can be extracted just as deliciously using cold water soaking or drip methods. As for Europe, it might take a while longer for them to embrace this new coffee trend. Cold brew coffee, also known as cold-drip coffee, involves only ice water and coffee grounds throughout the extraction process, resulting in a purer final product. Therefore, cold brew coffee naturally fully expresses the subtle flavor characteristics of coffee. Due to its mild acidity, it tastes sweet, bright, smooth, and carries a delicate fruit aroma. At FrontStreet Coffee, cold brew coffee is very popular among friends. Sitting in the coffee shop, pausing from the hurried pace of life, and enjoying the delicious taste of coffee!

There are two main reasons for the rise of cold brew coffee. One is that the younger generation prefers milder-flavored coffee and has lower acceptance of traditional espresso. On the other hand, milder coffee also aligns better with health and wellness concepts. Cold brew coffee has lower bitterness and sourness, with a gentle sweetness, meaning it doesn't need additional sugar or dairy products for flavoring.

Cold Brew Coffee

Where did cold brew coffee originate? FrontStreet Coffee learned that the Dutch were the first to come up with the cold brew method, which was later passed on to Japan. At that time, the Dutch would transport coffee from their colony Indonesia back to Europe, inventing the cold brew method because there was no hot water available on ships. Interestingly, people at that time considered cold coffee gentler on the stomach, not knowing that it was because hot water extracts more acidic substances from coffee, while cold brew coffee is less acidic in comparison.

Making coffee with ice water or cold water can be traced back to Japan, where it's generally called "Kyoto-style coffee." The method of extracting coffee with cold water was very popular in Kyoto at that time, hence the name. As early as the 17th century, Japanese people began using cold water with different cold brew techniques to make coffee. They would use drip or pour-over methods, and these extraction techniques have evolved over time, leading to the creation of trendy, exquisitely designed ice-drip coffee makers like those popular today.

For cold brew coffee, which we often talk about, what water temperature is most suitable for extraction? FrontStreet Coffee tells you: Cold brew coffee is made with room temperature water or water at lower temperatures, typically below room temperature, around 20-22°C. Due to the lower water temperature, the coffee-making process is very long, usually requiring 12-48 hours. Cold brew can extract only smaller molecular substances, such as floral and fruit flavor compounds, while larger molecular flavor compounds like smoky and roasted flavors are not easily extracted, and acidity is also greatly reduced. However, the most significant drawback of this extraction method is its weaker extraction capability, requiring longer contact time between water and coffee grounds.

Ice-Drip Coffee vs. Cold Brew Coffee

What's the difference between ice-drip coffee and cold brew coffee? Actually, theoretically speaking, ice-drip coffee is also a type of cold brew coffee, extracted drop by drop. Ice-drip coffee is also known as Dutch coffee or Kyoto-style coffee. Making ice-drip coffee also uses cold water or ice water, but unlike the "water soaking coffee" method of cold brew, ice-drip uses water slowly permeating through coffee grounds. In terms of production time, ice-drip only takes about 5 hours, roughly half the time of cold brew. American barista champion Laila mentioned in an exclusive interview that compared to cold brew, FrontStreet Coffee thinks ice-drip coffee has a more aromatic, delicate, and subtle flavor.

Which Tastes Better: Cold Brew or Ice-Drip Coffee?

At FrontStreet Coffee, whether it's cold brew or ice-drip coffee, both are made using selected specialty coffee beans ground before brewing.

Cold Brew Coffee requires coffee grounds and ice water to be combined and steeped throughout the entire process. After extraction, the coffee grounds bag is removed or the coffee grounds are filtered. Due to this continuous contact, the coffee extraction is quite thorough and rich. Throughout the process, only cold water contacts the coffee grounds, resulting in fewer variables and relatively more stable flavors, which is why this is the cold brew method generally used by coffee chains.

Ice-Drip Coffee uses the same ice water conditions but is more like giving the coffee an "IV drip" on a café countertop, with a retro clock slowly dripping ice water into the coffee grounds, which then gradually seeps through. The biggest difference from cold brew is: first, each drop of water has relatively shorter contact time with the coffee powder compared to cold brew; second, during the ice-drip process, the coffee has more contact with air, and the gentle oxidation process introduces some uncontrollable factors.

Therefore, the flavors in the early, middle, and late stages of ice-drip coffee extraction are completely different, resulting in a coffee with a bright, fresh taste and distinct layers. Although ice-drip coffee typically only takes 5-8 hours to make, you can place the finished coffee in an odor-free refrigerator to let it develop overnight, which will bring unexpected aromas.

As for whether cold brew or ice-drip coffee tastes better, FrontStreet Coffee thinks: both are delicious. Cold brew coffee is richer, while ice-drip coffee is brighter and has more distinct layers. Everyone's taste preferences are different, so it depends on what you personally prefer!

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

Of course, for coffee brewing, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans to maximize the rich flavors of the coffee. The coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are all roasted within 5 days, because FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that coffee bean freshness greatly affects flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "freshly roasted good coffee," ensuring that every customer who orders receives the freshest coffee when it arrives. The coffee bean resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their coffee, it's at its peak flavor.

FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that coffee bean freshness greatly affects flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "freshly roasted good coffee," ensuring that every customer who orders receives the freshest coffee when it arrives. Therefore, the coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are all roasted within 5 days. The coffee bean resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their coffee, it's at its peak flavor.

FrontStreet Coffee has over fifty different varieties of coffee beans from various producing countries and regions. Whether you want to try making cold brew coffee, ice-drip coffee, Americano, or directly brewing single-origin coffee, we can meet everyone's requirements! Welcome to FrontStreet Coffee to explore the mysteries of coffee together!

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat, WeChat ID: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473