How to Choose Coffee Beans for Cold Brew? What Coffee Beans Are Suitable for Cold Brew Coffee?

Recently, FrontStreet Coffee shared a cold brew coffee recipe, and many followers started asking about how to choose the right beans for cold brew. Today, let's analyze and address this question.

As a low-temperature immersion extraction method, the types of acidic compounds gradually decrease over time, which significantly reduces the sour and bitter taste in cold brew. At the same time, it minimizes the evaporation of coffee aromas, better locking in the fragrances and presenting a fuller, more balanced flavor profile.

What Kind of Cold Brew Flavor Do You Want?

"What type of coffee flavor do you usually prefer?" This is a common question that FrontStreet Coffee's baristas ask guests visiting the shop. Based on their preferences, they select appropriate beans for brewing, such as: floral, fruity, or acidic flavors; high sweetness; clean profiles; or specific aromatic notes.

Selecting Floral and Fruity Beans

This category generally refers to light to medium-roasted coffee beans. Africa and Central America, known for producing coffee with floral and fruity notes, are our primary targets!

Bright Fruit Acidity

If you're looking for this profile, we can choose washed coffee beans from Kenya, Ethiopia, or Panama. Washed coffee beans have a more pronounced acidity, and bright fruit flavors give the cold brew coffee a full-bodied juice-like sensation. Examples include FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya Assalia, FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gudinco Cooperative, and FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Boquete Geisha.

Gentle Fruit Notes

Natural-processed coffee beans have higher sugar content than washed beans, resulting in pronounced sweetness, abundant floral aromas, and mature tropical fruit flavors. After extended cold brewing, the floral and fruity notes complement each other perfectly, while the unique fermentation characteristics of natural processing are amplified. Examples include FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry, FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Geisha Village Red Label, and FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Elida Typica.

Selecting Beans with Distinctive Flavors

Today, beyond traditional processing methods, many innovative green bean processing techniques have been introduced to enhance coffee aromas. These processing methods can make coffee beans exhibit very specific flavors, which is particularly friendly for beginners. When using beans processed with these techniques for cold brew, the extended brewing time allows these aromas to develop into a chilled coffee that combines full body with rich fragrance. These coffee beans come from various regions, and FrontStreet Coffee has selected several notable examples!

Recommended cold brew coffee beans with prominent fruit aromas include: FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Dorothy (White Peach Oolong), FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica Mirasu Estate Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend (Strawberry, Dried Fruit), and FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica Granja La Iris Blueberry (Blueberry Candy).

Those with prominent floral aromas include: FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Rose Valley (Rose, Liqueur Chocolate) and FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Finca El Paraiso Sakura (Chamomile).

Those with wine-like aromas include: FrontStreet Coffee's Honduras Sherry (Whiskey Aroma) and FrontStreet Coffee's Honduras Litchi Lan (Brandy Aroma).

Selecting Medium-Dark Roasted Beans

For those who don't prefer sweet and sour flavors, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using medium-dark or dark roasted beans. Extended high-temperature roasting gradually eliminates acidity, resulting in coffee rich in caramel, spice, and chocolate flavors.

Medium-Dark Roast

Medium-dark roasted beans don't completely eliminate acidity; they retain a slight tartness that makes the overall flavor of cold brew coffee more balanced. When made into cold brew, the chocolate flavor dominates, with the gentle acidity not being obtrusive. Examples include FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate, FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala Antigua Flor, FrontStreet Coffee's Papua New Guinea Bird of Paradise, and FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan · FrontStreet Coffee 2013.

Dark Roast

If you don't want any acidity at all and only wish to enjoy the rich, smooth texture brought by spices and chocolate, then FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesia PWN Golden Mandheling dark roast will be an excellent choice for you!

Appropriate Additions for Enhanced Enjoyment

After discussing bean selection, let's share a small technique: adding a small proportion of osmanthus or jasmine flowers when making cold brew can impart a subtle, elegant floral aroma to the coffee.

Although there are many coffee beans suitable for cold brew, the slow extraction in cold water results in relatively simpler flavor profiles compared to hot pour-over. Clever coffee lovers have thought of adding other ingredients to provide unique aromas to the coffee, such as dried flower petals, which are particularly favored by many women.

Considering that cold brew involves fewer intervention factors and the entire process occurs in a static soaking environment, to allow fragrant aromas to penetrate the coffee and impart freshness, it's best to choose varieties with prominent floral aromas, such as osmanthus, jasmine, or roses. These three dried flowers are not only easily accessible in daily life but also have higher compatibility with coffee flavor. However, although these dried flowers are rich in aroma, their flavor profile is relatively light, so it's best to brew them together with light to medium-roasted coffee beans that feature floral and fruity notes, allowing both to complement each other perfectly.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473