Is coffee brewed cold different from hot brew?

Cold brew and hot brew differ mainly in extraction temperature, and that changes the flavor. Cold brew soaks coffee grounds in cold water for a long time, releasing aromatic compounds slowly; ice drip and cold immersion both belong to this category. The result is a soft, smooth cup that is less intense than hot coffee. Hot brew extracts faster and brings out sharper, warmer notes.

Cold brew has practical roots. In the sixteenth century Dutch sailors on long sea voyages could not use hot water and soaked coffee in cold water instead, and the method later spread through shipping routes. Japanese ice drip pots popularized drop-by-drop low-temperature extraction. Most expensive coffee claims aside, method and water temperature shape the cup more than price does. Bean choice and grind size still decide the final taste.

Iced coffee is favored by many consumers for its refreshing and palate-cleansing taste. Even in the cold of winter, customers still come to Front Street to order this kind of iced coffee. Hot brew and cold brew, due to different extraction temperatures, ultimately present their own distinctive coffee flavors. Cold brew coffee uses cold water to soak coffee grounds at a low temperature for a long time, releasing aromatic substances; both ice drip and cold immersion fall into this category. This article will unfold from aspects such as the historical origins of cold brew, its differences from pour-over hot brew, and brewing suggestions, to help coffee lovers understand the unique qualities of cold brew. At the same time, Front Street will also share the selection of coffee beans suitable for making cold brew and operational details for everyone's reference.

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Iced coffee has a refreshing and palate-cleansing taste. Even in the dead of winter, some customers come to Front Street to order this kind of iced coffee. Because iced coffee and hot coffee have different extraction principles, their coffee flavors are also different.

The Origins of Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew coffee is made by soaking coffee grounds in cold water at low temperature, and after a certain period of reaction, aromatic substances are released; it is a low-temperature extraction method. The ice drip coffee and cold brew (cold infusion) coffee we often see in coffee shops all belong to the cold brew category, and gradually people have become accustomed to also calling cold immersion cold brew coffee according to their own understanding.

Cold brew coffee originated in European countries. In the sixteenth century, because of long-distance sea voyages, the Dutch could not use hot water to brew coffee, so they had no choice but to make do with soaking coffee in cold water. Unexpectedly, they found the taste to be very unique, soft and smooth, not as intense as hot coffee. Before long, through shipping routes, this method of cold-water coffee soaking spread to more regions. Ice drip coffee, which uses drop-by-drop low-temperature extraction, began to circulate because of the ice drip pots made by the Japanese.

The Difference Between Cold Brew and Pour-Over

No matter which method is used to brew coffee, water is a very crucial component. During extraction, water and coffee undergo a series of chemical reactions, and the water temperature directly affects the extraction rate of different components in the coffee.

When making pour-over coffee, we use water close to boiling and pour it into evenly ground coffee grounds to extract the flavor substances within. Front Street recommends controlling the water temperature at 87–93°C, because too high a temperature can easily make the coffee bitter and burnt, while too low a water temperature cannot fully extract the flavor substances. In addition, factors such as pouring technique, time, and grind size all affect the taste of the coffee. Among these, the largest factor is the coffee bean itself, so choosing the coffee that suits your own taste is especially important.

For those who like floral flavors, Front Street Panama Geisha coffee is recommended; this is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. For those who like fresh coffee with acidity, Front Street Ethiopia Huakui coffee beans are recommended, with notes like black tea and berries. For those who like a balanced nutty and caramel flavor, that is, coffee that is neither sour nor bitter, Front Street Brazil coffee beans are recommended. If you still love the solid, mellow taste of Indonesian coffee, it is suggested to buy the highest-grade Front Street Golden Mandheling coffee. After multiple rounds of hand sorting, the defect rate of the coffee beans can be reduced to the minimum, thereby making the coffee aroma clearer and the sweet aftertaste better. All of the above coffee beans can be purchased and ordered at Front Street stores and the Front Street Tmall flagship store.

For cold brew coffee extracted slowly at low temperature, because the reaction efficiency of coffee grounds in cold water is much slower than that of pour-over coffee, a much longer extraction time is needed to release enough aromatic components from it. Front Street generally soaks cold brew coffee for 12 hours, while ice drip coffee is made at a flow rate of 7–8 drops/10 seconds, and can usually be completed in 7–8 hours.

During the coffee brewing stage, the first substances to come out are small molecules of fruit acidity, followed by sweetness molecules, and finally the large molecules of bitterness. As the temperature rises, the extracted substances are released faster, and various variable factors may affect the taste of the coffee, so in pour-over brewing it is necessary to carefully control the various parameters that affect the extraction rate. In contrast, cold brew extracts far fewer bitter substances in a low-temperature environment than hot water does. The body and mouthfeel of a cup of coffee mainly come from bitter substances. If there is less support from bitter substances, the coffee taste tends to be thinner and lacking in aftertaste.

Some friends also ask Front Street what the difference is between cold brew coffee and iced pour-over coffee, and which tastes better. As Front Street mentioned above, pour-over belongs to high-temperature extraction with hot water, and is subsequently cooled with ice to give it an iced mouthfeel. The cold brew process, however, is always in a low-temperature environment, with coffee molecules moving slowly. Both have a refreshing taste, but there will still be a certain difference in flavor. If you are curious about the flavor profile of different coffees made this way, Front Street thinks it is better to ask the barista first, which can make our experience better.

Suggestions for Making Cold Brew

Cold brew only requires fresh coffee beans, a grinder, and an airtight container for the coffee. The convenient operation is indeed very easy and trouble-saving. Although cold brew coffee generally does not require worrying about over-extraction, making a delicious cup of cold brew coffee still requires some small details. Front Street has summarized a few points here for everyone's reference.

1. Choose freshly roasted coffee beans

No matter which extraction method is adopted, the premise is first to ensure that the coffee beans are freshly roasted. Because after roasting, coffee goes through a 4–7 day resting period and then enters its optimal tasting period. After this period, the coffee aroma will accelerate its volatilization, and the flavor and mouthfeel will be greatly reduced. Front Street deeply understands the importance of coffee freshness, so the coffee beans shipped are freshly roasted within 5 days, and when customers receive them, they are just at their best flavor.

Compared with the full and complex layers of pour-over coffee, cold brew coffee pursues an icy, refreshing sweet-and-sour taste and fermented fruit aromas. Therefore, Front Street recommends the following three types of coffee beans.

"Refreshing floral and fruity type — Front Street Huaxu TOH Washed Champion Coffee Beans"

This coffee bean comes from the Guji Uraga region of Ethiopia, and the geology of this area is nutrient-rich black soil. The coffee beans produced there carry rich fruit aromas, and the washed process highlights the coffee's clear floral and citrus flavors. The cold brew coffee made by Front Street with these coffee beans presents the fresh sweetness of pomelo tea.

"Fermented wine-aroma type — Front Street Honduras Sherry Barrel Coffee Beans"

These Honduras Sherry coffee beans are processed by fermentation in whiskey barrels. The coffee beans present full vanilla, cream, and whiskey aromas, and are a very popular coffee bean on Front Street's bean list. Made into Sherry cold brew coffee, it presents a rich fermented wine aroma along with the sweetness of honey.

"Rich fruity tea type — Front Street Sun-Dried Huakui Coffee Beans"

Sun-dried Huakui coffee beans use ripe coffee cherries whose pulp has a sugar content as high as 30%. The fructose ferments in the sunlight, allowing the inner bean to form a full fruit sweetness. Cold brew made with these coffee beans has lively berry and passion fruit sweet-and-sour notes, an obvious juicy quality, and an aftertaste with the fresh fragrance of black tea.

2. Grind size and coffee-to-water ratio

Just like pour-over coffee, the grind size for making cold brew also needs attention. Grinding too coarse or too fine can easily cause the coffee to become bitter or tasteless. Front Street suggests using a grind size slightly finer than for pour-over coffee, and Front Street uses an 85% pass rate through a No. 20 standard sieve as a reference. Strength is also related to the coffee-to-water ratio. Front Street recommends 1:10–1:12. The extracted coffee can be drunk directly, or diluted with ice to a consistent concentration before tasting.

3. Soaking time and storage

Front Street generally soaks it the night before, controlling it at about 12–14 hours. The next day, the coffee grounds can be filtered out to obtain the extracted coffee liquid. Front Street once tried soaking for more than a day due to forgetting, and the extracted coffee liquid was bitter and pungent. Everyone also needs to pay attention to controlling the extraction time to avoid waste. In addition, the space where coffee is stored will absorb various odors in the air. If we put it in a home refrigerator, Front Street suggests choosing a container with good sealing to avoid the flavor being affected.

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