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When FrontStreet Coffee looked up information, they found that the concept of cold brew coffee was proposed by Toddy Simpson. He was a student majoring in chemical engineering at Cornell University in the United States. After tasting an ancient Peruvian iced coffee again, he invented a tool for making cold brew coffee and named it Todd. Later, this technology was introduced by Starbucks to make summer iced drinks.

Cold brew coffee, called Cold Brew Coffee in English, is made by soaking ground coffee beans in cold water for generally at least 12 hours and then extracting and filtering it through professional equipment. If a fuller body is desired, the time can also be extended to 24-48 hours. Generally speaking, the process of extracting coffee at low temperature all belongs to cold brew. Low temperature and long extraction time are the two major characteristics of cold brew coffee.
 

• The extraction principle of cold brew coffee

Cold brew coffee is produced by mixing coffee grounds and ice water in a certain ratio and then carrying out slow extraction. Coffee made by the cold brew process has a lower sourness and astringency. The low-temperature conditions and the long contact with coffee grounds allow only small-molecule flavor substances to be extracted, such as floral and fruity aromas, while those larger-molecule flavor substances, such as smoky notes, are difficult to extract.
 

• What are the flavor characteristics of cold brew coffee?

Low-temperature extraction and long extraction time are the two major characteristics of cold brew coffee, and they are also the two main differences between cold brew coffee and coffee extracted at high temperature. Coffee extracted at high temperature is made by extracting coffee beans with hot water at a temperature between 82-95°C, usually for no more than 3 minutes. Cold brew coffee itself can fully reflect the subtle flavor characteristics of coffee. Because the acidity of the coffee is mild, the taste is sweet, the mouthfeel is bright, and the flavor is soft, it presents the flavor characteristics of specialty coffee producing regions.

• Cold brew water-to-coffee ratio

FrontStreet Coffee thinks that a suitable water-to-coffee ratio for cold brew can be about 1:10 to 1:16, adjusted according to personal preference for strength. The water-to-coffee ratio generally used by FrontStreet Coffee is 1:15, which gives a just-right taste. If you prefer something stronger, 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 a fine grind, the coffee is prone to over-extraction during the extraction process. FrontStreet Coffee thinks that because it is a low-temperature long-time extraction, the recommended grind size is coarser than the grind size for pour-over coffee beans.
 

• [FrontStreet Coffee   Yirgacheffe Kochere]

Yirgacheffe   Kochere

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Yirgacheffe Gedeo Zone producing area

Altitude: 1900-2300m

Variety: Heirloom

Processing method: Washed Grade: G1
 

• [FrontStreet Coffee production method]

Coffee dose: 20 grams

Water-to-coffee ratio: 1:12

Grind size: coarse grind (slightly coarser than normal pour-over grind size to avoid over-extraction)

Steeping time: 8-10 hours

① First, grind the coffee beans and pour them into a jar, then add 240ml of water.

② Put it in the refrigerator to extract for 13 hours, allowing the coffee grounds to fully contact the cold water.

③   Filter out the coffee liquid with a filter cloth or filter paper.

[FrontStreet Coffee flavor description]

  Floral, citrus, berry. After continuing to keep it in the refrigerator for 5 hours, the berry aroma becomes more prominent, with a refreshing citrus entry, light sweetness, and a clean mouthfeel.

[Advantages and disadvantages of cold brew coffee]

Advantages: FrontStreet Coffee thinks that the cold brew method amplifies the coffee's flavor and aroma, lowers the acidity, and the icier it is, the better it tastes. Without brewing with hot water, low-temperature ice water will not extract impurities and bitterness from the coffee beans, so the taste is clean and pure, fresh, slightly sweet, and smooth.
 

Disadvantages:   FrontStreet Coffee thinks that because the water and coffee grounds are in contact for a long time, it has the strongest caffeine content, making it very suitable for drinking at moments when you most need to stay highly alert. Roughly calculated, a cup of cold brew coffee (200ml/20g beans) has a caffeine content of about 200mg;

Will cold brew coffee become sour? Yes. In hot brewing, the oils and acids in coffee beans degrade and oxidize faster than in cold water, which increases the acidity and bitterness of the coffee. The low temperature and long brewing time of the cold brew process capture more sweet compounds soluble in cold water, without the oils and acids.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.