Benefits, Effects, and Characteristics of Cold Brew Coffee: Introduction to Powder-to-Water Ratio, Flavor, and Taste Profile

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Recently, Starbucks data showed that cold beverages now account for 70% of total drink sales. Among them, cold brew coffee is increasingly favored by the new generation of consumers. Why is a simple cold brew coffee so popular? In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss with everyone the charm of low-temperature extracted coffee.

The Science Behind Cold Brew

Many people choose cold brew coffee not only for its easy-to-drink temperature but also for its smooth and full-bodied coffee taste, as well as its ability to better showcase the unique aroma and flavor of coffee beans. Unlike high-temperature/hot water extracted coffee, cold brew coffee is a coffee product made by soaking coffee grounds in cold or room-temperature water and refrigerating for 8-12 hours of extraction.

In terms of flavor, high temperatures cause tannins in coffee to break down, creating acidity and bitterness. Studies have shown that acidic compounds in cold brew coffee are 67% lower than in hot extraction methods. The lower acidity of cold brew coffee makes it widely popular.

The low-temperature conditions and extended contact time with coffee grounds allow only small molecular flavor compounds to be extracted; thus only small molecules like fruit acids and floral aromas are dissolved. Larger molecular flavor compounds, such as smoky and roasted flavors, are difficult to extract.

This is why cold brew coffee has a weak aroma when smelled but tastes much smoother when drunk. When made with the same coffee beans, cold brew coffee will have a fuller and cleaner taste than hot brewed coffee~

Single Origin Coffee Bean Recommendations for Cold Brew

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry Coffee Beans

Country: Ethiopia
Region: Yirgacheffe
Altitude: 2300m
Variety: Local Indigenous
Processing: Natural
Flavor: Berries, Lemon, Strawberry, Fermented Wine Aroma

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Flower Butterfly Coffee Beans

Country: Panama
Region: Boquete
Altitude: 1600m
Variety: 70% Geisha + 30% Caturra Catuai
Processing: Washed
Flavor: Floral, Citrus, Nutty, Tea-like, Honey

FrontStreet Coffee Sherry Coffee Beans

Country: Honduras
Region: Masaguara, Moca Estate
Altitude: 1500-1700m
Variety: Caturra, Catuai, Pacas
Processing: Whiskey Barrel Fermentation
Flavor: Whiskey, Vanilla Cream, Almond, Dark Chocolate, Caramel

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee

To make delicious cold brew coffee, using fresh roasted coffee beans is very important! All coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee are shipped within 5 days of roasting, in whole bean form. Although grinding service is available, FrontStreet Coffee recommends grinding fresh before extraction to ensure better and more complete coffee aroma and flavor.

When making cold brew coffee, grind to a medium-fine consistency/sugar crystal size, then place in a clean, sealable container, add water at a 1:10-1:13 coffee-to-water ratio, and refrigerate for 8-12 hours.

After extraction is complete, use filter paper/filtering tools to filter out the coffee grounds - the resulting liquid is cold brew coffee~ After filtering and sealing for storage, the best tasting period is within 72 hours, and storage should not exceed 5 days.

What are the Benefits and Effects of Drinking Cold Brew Coffee?

Cold Brew Coffee Has More Caffeine

FrontStreet Coffee's research shows that caffeine content depends on both the coffee variety and extraction time - the longer the extraction time, the higher the caffeine content. Therefore, low-temperature slow-extracted coffee has better energizing effects than high-temperature fast-extracted coffee.

Cold Brew Coffee Has Lower Acidity

Cold brew coffee is more alkaline than hot-brewed coffee. Hot coffee has higher concentrations of titratable acidic compounds and lower pH values. If you're prone to acid reflux or heartburn, hot coffee can trigger these discomforts, while drinking cold brew is less likely to cause such situations.

Cold Brew Coffee is Easy to Make

Compared to other coffees that require a bunch of complex equipment and extraction parameters, cold brew making doesn't need excessive equipment and is particularly simple to make at home. Just prepare a cold brew pot and have a refrigerator to complete it. Of course, if making it for yourself, even replacing it with a sufficiently large clean container is perfectly fine. Additionally, because cold brew coffee is extracted at low temperatures, the resulting coffee has a very high tolerance for error, unlike pour-over or espresso machine methods that can easily go wrong with one mistake. When FrontStreet Coffee uses different flavored coffee beans to make it, it also presents unique flavor characteristics - truly a blessing for home lazy people.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473