Why Does Cold Brew Iced Coffee Taste Better? What Coffee Beans Are Best for Cold Brew?

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Tea is Chinese culture, and coffee has gradually entered people's vision and become one of the three major beverages, becoming an indispensable part of people's lives. Regarding the love for coffee, many people may not understand why there are such different tastes and flavors. FrontStreet Coffee tells everyone: in fact, coffee brewing is similar to tea, with many considerations, and even more small details to pay attention to than tea. The brewing ingredients for coffee are the same: coffee grounds and water, but due to different brewing methods, the taste will be completely different!

Some people may like hot coffee, which is warm and comfortable, especially in winter, a cup of coffee is especially heartwarming; but in summer, a cup of iced coffee is incredibly refreshing. FrontStreet Coffee believes that the difference between hot coffee and iced coffee is: hot coffee is about aroma and temperature; warm coffee is about layers and flavor, while cold coffee is about technique and quality. Different temperatures bring different taste sensations, so what affects the taste of coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee believes: whether it's hot coffee or cold coffee, the raw materials for making coffee are the same. Although the roasting and grinding methods of coffee greatly affect the final taste, aroma, and texture of coffee. In the end, the brewing method has the greatest impact on the taste of coffee. Coffee made with different tools and brewing techniques will have completely different final tastes, sweetness, and richness.

We all know that hot water is used to brew coffee by pouring hot water into coffee grounds to drip-filter coffee; but what about cold coffee? Is it brewed with cold water? Can all coffee be brewed with cold water? The answer: of course not.

FrontStreet Coffee believes: coffee is best not brewed with cold water, as water temperature that doesn't reach a certain level will cause coffee to clump and taste overly bitter. Some coffee can be brewed with cold water, such as Nestlé's iced coffee, but most coffee is best not brewed with cold water, otherwise the coffee won't dissolve easily and be difficult to drink. But it should have no effect on your body, only affecting the taste. Instant coffee can be brewed with cold water, but the taste may not be very good. Generally speaking, the most suitable water temperature for brewing coffee is between 88-94 degrees Celsius. Avoid using freshly boiled scalding water to brew coffee. Let the water sit for 1-2 minutes after boiling before using it to brew coffee.

What is Cold Brew/Cold Extraction Coffee?

Since cold brew coffee has also become one of the popular cold drinks in China, how is so-called cold brew/cold extraction coffee made?

Cold brew coffee is pure black coffee liquid made by direct contact and soaking of coffee grounds with room temperature/ice water under normal temperature/low temperature conditions. Due to low-temperature extraction, the flavor release from coffee grounds is much slower than at high temperatures, so the soaking time varies with room temperature/refrigerator temperature, and the total extraction time often requires 8-24 hours. Because it doesn't require any techniques or complicated brewing equipment to produce iced coffee with obvious aroma and high richness. Soaking it at night and drinking it in the morning has become a favorite for many office workers.

Since coffee brewing is divided into hot coffee and cold coffee, that is, divided according to time and water degree, coffee brewing methods include hot brewing and cold brewing; then FrontStreet Coffee will take everyone to understand the flavor differences brought by these two different brewing methods:

1. Hot Brew (Drip) Coffee

For hot coffee, we think of hand-pour filter coffee. This coffee is very simple to make, just pour hot water over the coffee grounds. For example: at FrontStreet Coffee shop, you can often drink classic drip coffee; for example, the classic Italian blend coffee made by FrontStreet Coffee's barista produces espresso with rich golden crema and nutty aroma. When tasting, you'll experience the burnt coffee bitterness, but it's accompanied more by a creamy, full-bodied texture, and after swallowing, the bitterness dissipates, leaving a fragrant aftertaste.

2. Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brewing time is relatively long. The simplest way to make cold brew coffee is to soak coffee grounds in cold water at room temperature, wait for several hours or even days, and then filter the solution repeatedly. The resulting coffee has a deeper flavor, extremely light bitterness and acidity, and a richer taste, with a higher concentration than traditional hot brewed coffee. Especially when drinking it in hot summer, the icy and refreshing taste is irresistible!

From a Chemical Perspective:

When coffee comes into contact with water, the soluble substances begin to undergo chemical reactions, the results of which create the familiar aroma and taste of coffee.

The soluble substances in coffee begin to dissolve in water at 195-205°F, so theoretically hot brewed coffee should have richer taste and flavor than cold brewed coffee. Hot water also accelerates the dissolution rate of soluble substances, making them highly volatile, so many substances in coffee will evaporate with water molecules under high-temperature conditions, entering your nasal cavity and letting you experience the aroma of coffee.

But accelerating the dissolution of substances also brings some problems. Freshly boiled water will cause some chemical elements in coffee to deteriorate or oxidize, which is like iron rusting when exposed to large amounts of oxygen, making coffee taste sour and bitter. If you don't like these two tastes, then cold brew coffee is definitely your best choice.

The production process of cold brew coffee also experiences oxidation and deterioration of chemical substances, but at an extremely slow rate, so the bitterness and acidity of cold brew coffee are milder than traditional hot brewed coffee. Additionally, the slower oxidation and deterioration process also makes cold brew coffee easier to store, typically lasting 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator. In contrast, hot brewed coffee has a shelf life of at most one day.

Is Cold Brew Coffee Better Tasting Than Hot Brew Coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee believes: when the water temperature is higher, aromatic molecules are very active at this time, the aroma is strongest, and the nose can easily enjoy the aroma of coffee. At this time, you can use the method of smelling the fragrance to experience this cup of coffee. But if you drink coffee at this temperature, because the lips and tongue will have a burning pain sensation, our perception of flavor is basically unable to distinguish too many tastes at this time, especially bitterness.

Many friends have had this experience: some coffees are barely drinkable when hot, but become unbearably bitter when cold. It's like drinking traditional Chinese medicine - take a sip after blowing on it, if you don't drink it while it's hot, it becomes impossible to swallow when cold. In fact, it's not that the coffee or medicine has changed, but rather the lower the temperature, the more intense the taste buds' perception of bitterness.

Cold water brewing coffee does have some benefits - the taste is milder, and most importantly, it's convenient. When you want to drink coffee, you no longer need to boil water. Why can cold brew coffee taste so rich when the water temperature is so low? Indeed, during the cold brew coffee production process, the water temperature is far below the ideal dissolution and volatilization temperature of aromatic oils and soluble substances, so typically when making cold brew coffee, you need longer time and double the amount of coffee grounds to increase the coffee's flavor and concentration.

Although cold brew coffee has a richer taste, its aroma cannot match traditional drip coffee, because the aromatic substances in coffee are difficult to volatilize at room temperature. Due to the larger amount of coffee grounds used and longer production time, cold brew coffee is usually more expensive than hot brewed coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee believes: hot coffee is about experiencing the flavor and texture brought by temperature changes, with different flavor changes at each temperature, meaning hot coffee brings everyone a more layered flavor experience. Of course, whether it's hot coffee or cold coffee, each has its own characteristics and is very popular, because everyone's taste preferences are different! FrontStreet Coffee has over 50 types of single-origin beans, as well as basic blends, specialty blends, commercial blends, and warm sun blends. Whatever taste you prefer, you can come to FrontStreet Coffee to explore and taste together!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473