On a scorching summer day, a pot of cold-brewed tea not only quenches thirst and cools you down, but also delivers a flavor experience entirely different from hot brewing. Steeping tea leaves in cold water for an extended period avoids the heavy release of theophylline and tannic acid, making the tea liquor smoother and sweeter; low-temperature cold extraction also draws out more of the sweet-tasting compounds such as amino acids. So what exactly is the essential difference between cold brewing and hot brewing? And what effects do cold-brewed black tea and oolong tea have on the body? This article will give you a complete analysis of the unique appeal of cold-brewed tea, from the underlying principles to brewing methods and ways of drinking it. [more…]

On a scorching summer day, cold brew tea has become the top choice for many coffee and tea lovers looking to beat the heat. Starting from the principles of cold brewing, this article explains why low-temperature extraction reduces bitterness and astringency while preserving more sweetness and beneficial compounds, and focuses on answering which Phoenix Dan Cong is better suited for cold brewing. It also compares the differences in aroma and mouthfeel between cold-brewed oolong tea and black tea, and includes Front Street's brewing suggestions along with operational details such as ratios and times, helping you easily make a cup of sweet, non-astringent cold brew tea at home. [more…]

Darjeeling black tea, although belonging to the black tea category, presents vastly different appearances and flavors depending on the harvest season. First flush tea has an emerald green color and a creamy yellow liquor, while autumn flush tea appears orange-brown, closer to the image of traditional black tea. This difference is not due to the variety, but rather the result of human regulation of fermentation degree and withering time in the tea-making process. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of the essential differences between Darjeeling first flush and autumn flush, reveal the craft secret behind why first flush appears green, and explore how Japanese and German market demands influence the degree of fermentation. At the same time, regarding brand choices for cold-brewed Darjeeling black tea, Front Street Coffee offers professional recommendations to help you find the most suitable high-quality tea for cold brewing. [more…]

Want to enjoy a refreshing glass of iced Tieguanyin or cold-brewed oolong tea, but aren't sure how to sort the tea leaves or control the water temperature and timing? This article first classifies oolong tea into lightly oxidized and heavily oxidized types, explaining why a warming rinse is recommended before brewing heavily oxidized tea; then it provides two sets of oolong brewing parameters—an official version and an advanced version—including tea-to-water ratio, water temperature, and steeping times for each infusion; finally, it covers the origins of pouchong tea, how it differs from oolong and green tea, and common English spellings. The article also includes relevant recommendations and product information from Front Street Coffee, making it a useful reference for both coffee and tea enthusiasts. [more…]

Cold brew coffee has gained great popularity in recent years, but the terms ice drip, cold brew, and ice brew often confuse people. This article starts from the conceptual origins, sorts out the broad and narrow definitions of cold brew coffee, traces the development of ice drip coffee from Dutch sailors to Japanese equipment brands, and explains the origin of the term ice brew. At the same time, it shares Front Street Coffee's bean selection approach and specific parameters when making cold brew coffee, helping coffee enthusiasts clarify the classifications and find a low-temperature extraction solution that suits their taste. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat public account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Recently, Front Street came across a discussion asking "What's the difference between ice-brewed coffee and cold brew coffee?" Some replies said there was no difference, while others joked, "The difference is whether it's made by my hands. [more…]

Many coffee enthusiasts encounter a headache-inducing problem while teaching themselves: they search for a technical term and end up with a pile of associated words that seem similar but each carry different meanings, leaving them more confused the more they look into it. This is especially true in the realm of iced coffee—cold brew, ice drip, ice brew, cold soak, Dutch coffee, Kyoto coffee... these names appear frequently in various articles, but what exactly are the differences between them? Which one does ice brew coffee actually refer to? This article will start from the broad concept of cold brew coffee, sort through the various branches of low-temperature extracted coffee one by one, analyze the relationship between ice brew and cold soak and ice drip, and explain the essential differences between ice brew coffee and ordinary hot coffee poured over ice in terms of production principles and flavor expression, helping readers build a clear cognitive framework. [more…]

Cold brew coffee is deeply loved today, but its origins are little known. The earliest documented cold brew coffee comes from the 17th-century Netherlands, when sailors, to cope with long sea voyages, steeped coffee grounds in cold water for over twenty hours to make a concentrate, which both increased the caffeine content and extended shelf life. This method later spread to Japan, where it evolved into drip-style cold brew by combining with the local tradition of cold-brewed tea. When making cold brew, the coffee-to-water ratio is key; Front Street recommends 1:13 for regular drinking and 1:10 for specialty concoctions. In terms of coffee bean selection, medium-light to medium roast beans with prominent acidity, sweetness, or aroma are more suitable. This article will analyze in detail the origins of cold brew, the key points of making it, and recommend several Front Street Coffee beans to help you get started easily. [more…]

Cold brew coffee is one of the most popular cold extraction methods in summer, but the process is time-consuming, often taking several hours or even a whole day from dripping to completion. To make a cup of cold brew coffee with a rich aroma and a refreshing taste, the key lies in choosing the right coffee beans, mastering the coffee-to-water ratio, and controlling the dripping flow rate. Front Street Coffee will guide you through the complete process of making cold brew coffee, including the recommended light-to-medium roast beans, a coffee-to-liquid ratio range of 1:8 to 1:14, an optimal flow rate of 7 drops every 10 seconds, and the technique of refrigerating for 12 hours to enhance the flavor, helping you easily make professional-quality cold brew coffee at home. [more…]

Ice drip coffee and cold brew coffee both belong to the category of cold-brewed coffee, yet they differ markedly in historical background, extraction equipment, operating procedures, and final flavor. Ice drip coffee originated from a local Indonesian brewing method and was improved by Kyoto's Hanabusa Coffee before spreading worldwide; it uses an ice drip tower for layer-by-layer filtration, taking 6 to 8 hours. Cold brew coffee, by contrast, is made by steeping in a container and letting it rest at low temperature for 12 to 24 hours. In this article, Front Street Coffee documents the ice drip process in detail, with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:10, and shares several blending bean options, while also comparing the flavor differences between ice drip and cold brew made with Huakui beans. The article also discusses the controversy over the caffeine content of ice drip coffee, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a comprehensive understanding of the respective characteristics of these two cold-brewed coffees. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat public account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Recently, more and more friends have been making cold brew coffee, ice drip coffee, and other cold-brewed coffees at home. The ice drip coffee that Front Street prepares in advance is also in short supply. Many friends have also asked, [more…]

Cold Brew Coffee, also referred to by some as cold-brewed coffee, ice-brewed coffee, or cold-steeped coffee. It involves putting ground coffee into room-temperature water, steeping and extracting for as long as 12 hours, then filtering out the coffee grounds; the resulting coffee liquid is cold brew, and it is also the most common type of iced coffee. Why is cold brew so well loved? It requires no pouring technique and has no water temperature requirements, making it practically a blessing for those who find pour-over coffee cumbersome. This article will comprehensively sort out every aspect of cold brew coffee, from its definition, historical origins, coffee bean selection, coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, to storage recommendations, and will also include Front Street's practical method to help you easily make a smooth, rich cup of iced coffee. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: FrontStreet Coffee. Tea is part of Chinese culture, while coffee has also gradually come into people's view and become one of the three major beverages, becoming an indispensable part of people's lives. As for the love of coffee [more…]

On a sweltering summer day, a glass of iced coffee instantly refreshes the senses. As a key member of the iced coffee family, cold brew coffee actually splits into two distinctly different methods—ice drip and cold steep—each with its own flavor profile and level of difficulty. This article covers the history of cold brew coffee, the complete steps for both brewing methods, coffee-to-water ratios and grind parameters, and the shelf life and flavor development patterns that everyone cares about most. Front Street Coffee has also recommended a range of specialty beans suited to low-temperature extraction—including Sherry, Fruit Ding Ding, and Huakui—to match different taste preferences, helping you easily make a cup of cold brew coffee to your liking at home. [more…]

The combination of jasmine and coffee has recently been appearing frequently on the new product lists of major brands. When elegant floral notes meet rich coffee, can they really create a satisfying flavor? This time, Front Street Coffee decided to take matters into its own hands, breaking down three feasible production paths one by one, from coffee bean selection to jasmine tea preparation—directly buying bottled jasmine tea, quickly steeping dried flowers in hot water, and cold brew tea bag immersion. The article not only provides specific ratios and operating steps, but also offers pairing suggestions for coffee beans of different roast levels, along with practical tips to avoid diluting the base, helping you easily recreate a cup of jasmine iced americano with balanced floral notes and coffee at home. [more…]

Cold brew coffee has swept the globe in recent years, becoming a popular summer drink thanks to its refreshing taste and bright floral and fruity aromas. It is made by steeping coffee in cold water for a long time, similar in principle to cold-brewed tea. However, many people wonder whether cold brew coffee has a higher caffeine content. In fact, the amount of caffeine mainly depends on the bean variety, the coffee-to-water ratio, and the steeping time. In addition to answering this question, this article will also recommend several coffee beans suitable for making cold brew based on different flavor preferences, including Front Street Panama Butterfly, Front Street Strawberry Candy, and Front Street Brazil Queen's Farm, along with brewing suggestions to help you easily make a delicious cup of cold brew. [more…]

Ice drip coffee and cold brew coffee are two common cold coffee methods, and many coffee enthusiasts discuss the taste differences between them when drinking coffee at Front Street. This article, through actual experiments, uses the same Front Street sun-dried Huakui coffee beans and employs both ice drip and cold brew methods to make coffee, conducting a comprehensive comparison from production time, equipment, coffee-to-water ratio, extraction scheme to the final flavor performance. Ice drip coffee is clear and bright, with a clean and refreshing taste, carrying fermentation notes and a vinous charm; cold brew coffee, on the other hand, has a full body, obvious fruity sweetness, and a uniform flavor. Through this experiment, the significant difference between the two in terms of a clean and refreshing taste can be clearly identified. [more…]

Black tea gets its rich color and full-bodied taste from full fermentation, but different grades, brewing temperatures, and drinking methods all affect the final flavor. This article systematically sorts out the core knowledge of black tea, from temperature control, spice additions, and timing for hot brewing, to the simmering techniques for Indian milk tea, the cold-brew refrigeration extraction method for iced black tea, and creative drinks such as vodka black tea and hot toddy, along with the standard recipe for Hong Kong-style milk tea, helping coffee and tea lovers fully master the many possibilities of black tea. Whether you prefer it plain or with a rich milky taste, you can find a brewing method that suits you. [more…]

What is cold brew coffee? Cold brew coffee is Cold Brew Coffee, also known as cold-brewed coffee, ice-brewed coffee, or cold-brewed coffee. Put the ground coffee powder into room-temperature water, soak and extract for 12 hours, then filter out the coffee grounds, and the coffee liquid obtained is cold brew coffee. Cold brew coffee [more…]

The charm of cold brew lies in how low-temperature slow extraction reshapes flavor—the same beans can taste completely different when hot-brewed versus cold-brewed. Understanding how beans from different origins change under low-temperature extraction gives you a deeper basis for choosing beans for cold brew. Light-roasted beans from African origins show the most noticeable changes in cold brew. Beans with bright acidity when hot-brewed, in cold brew [more…]