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In the hot summer, having a glass of iced coffee is truly refreshing. But now that autumn has arrived, will iced coffee still be so favored? Front Street tells everyone: absolutely! Because although the weather has turned to autumn, the temperature is still there, and the taste of iced coffee is still there. Friends who love this flavor still love it just as much as ever.

Of course, at first many friends may not know that coffee can also be brewed with cold water, because what we usually drink is coffee extracted at high temperature—that is, roasted coffee beans are ground into coffee powder of a specific coarseness, and then water is used to extract the flavors from the coffee. High-temperature extraction causes the tannic acid in coffee to break down into pyrogallic acid, producing bitterness and sourness.

But Front Street tells everyone: coffee brewed with cold water has a distinctive taste! And it is very popular! Why? Because cold brew coffee is extracted at low temperature. During the long contact between water and coffee grounds at low temperature, only smaller-molecule flavor substances, such as floral and fruity aromas, are extracted, while larger-molecule flavor substances such as smoky and roasted notes are difficult to extract. Therefore, cold brew coffee allows you to taste more of the coffee beans' own flavors, with a smooth mouthfeel, distinct layers, and obvious sweetness in the aftertaste.

Front Street will guide everyone to learn about cold brew coffee: cold brew coffee only began to gradually become popular in the United States in recent years, and that was when people realized that coffee does not necessarily have to be drunk hot. Soaking in cold water or using a drip method can also extract delicious coffee. As for Europe, it may take a while longer before they begin to fall in love with this new coffee force. Cold brew coffee is also called cold water brew coffee. During the entire extraction process, only ice water and coffee grounds are involved, making the final product purer. Therefore, 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, the flavor is soft, and it has a faint fruity aroma. At Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), cold brew coffee is very popular among friends. Sitting in the coffee shop, pause your hurried steps and enjoy the deliciousness of coffee!

There are two main reasons for the rise of cold brew coffee. One part is that the younger generation prefers coffee with milder flavors and has lower acceptance of traditional espresso; on the other hand, milder coffee also fits better with the concept of health and wellness. Cold brew coffee has lower acidity and bitterness and comes with a mild sweetness, which means cold brew coffee does not need additional sugar or dairy products to adjust its flavor.

Cold Brew Coffee

How did cold brew coffee come about? Front Street has learned that the Dutch were the first to come up with the cold brew method, and it was later passed on to Japan. At that time, the Dutch would transport coffee back to Europe from their colony Indonesia, and because there was no hot water on the ship, they invented the method of cold water brew coffee. Interestingly, people at that time believed that cold coffee was milder and did not upset the stomach, but they did not know that it was because hot water extracts more acidic substances from coffee, while cold brew coffee is comparatively less acidic.

Making coffee with ice water or cold water can be traced back to Japan at the earliest, generally called "Kyoto-style coffee." The method of extracting coffee with cold water was very popular in Kyoto at the time, hence the name. As early as the 17th century, Japanese people had already begun using cold water together with different cold brew methods to make coffee. They would use filtration or drip methods. This extraction method and technique have been passed down and evolved to this day, resulting in things like the trendiest, boutique-style ice drip coffee pots.

When we talk about cold brew coffee, what water temperature is actually more suitable for extraction? Front Street tells everyone: cold brew coffee is made with water at room temperature or lower. The water temperature is usually below room temperature, around 20-22°C. Because the water temperature is low, the coffee-making process is very long, usually requiring 12-48 hours. Cold brew can extract only some small-molecule substances, such as floral and fruity flavor compounds, while large-molecule flavor substances from smoky roasting are not easily extracted, and the sourness is also greatly reduced. However, the most fatal drawback of this extraction method is that its capability is relatively weak, requiring longer contact time between water and coffee grounds.

People always ask whether cold brew coffee or ice drip coffee tastes better. Actually, Front Street thinks both are delicious. Cold brew coffee is richer, while ice drip coffee is brighter and more layered. Everyone's taste is different, so it depends on what you like!

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Home Cold Brew Method

Making cold brew coffee is very simple. There is no need to be too fussy about the tools for making cold brew coffee. You only need a clean, sealable container to make it.

For making cold brew coffee, you can use the grind size for pour-over coffee (the size of fine granulated sugar). If you do not have a grinder at home, you can go to a coffee shop and ask the owner to grind it for you, or ask the coffee bean seller to grind it for you. Currently, the coffee beans sold by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) are shipped 5 days after roasting is completed, by default as whole beans, and the packaging is 100% freshly roasted. Friends who need it can also leave a note after placing an order saying "cold brew grind."

When making cold brew coffee, choose 40 grams of coffee grounds and add 520 milliliters of room-temperature drinking water/ice water. The coffee-to-water ratio is 1:13. Then stir evenly so the coffee grounds and water fully contact each other, then seal the bottle and put it in the refrigerator's refrigeration compartment, and extract at low temperature for 8 to 12 hours.

What coffee beans should be chosen for cold brew?

Front Street usually uses medium-light roasted coffee beans for cold brew, which can be simply divided into two major categories: the fermentation-aroma type with prominent flavors, such as Front Street Strawberry Candy, Front Street Mozart, Front Street Flower Moon Night, and Rose Valley, etc. There is also another fresh, clean, floral-fruity, sweet-and-sour type, such as Front Street Sun-Dried Red Cherry, Front Street Fruit Ding Ding, Front Street Washed Butterfly, Front Street Kenya Little Tomato, etc.

Today, for making home cold brew coffee, we use Front Street Yirgacheffe coffee beans for extraction. As one of the representatives of specialty coffee in the world, Yirgacheffe has a unique citrus and lemon fruity aroma, along with the fragrance of jasmine, a fresh and bright floral-fruity scent, and clearly layered acidity, clean without miscellaneous flavors. Its rich and balanced mouthfeel is Yirgacheffe's captivating characteristic. It is known as a representative of African specialty coffee and enjoys a great reputation among coffee connoisseurs around the world.

The so-called Yirgacheffe flavor is elegant citrus, lemon, berries, and rich floral aroma, also with a clear tea-like sensation, making it unforgettable after one sip. To express such a delicate flavor and mouthfeel, coffee's high-quality growing environment, variety, processing method, as well as roasting and brewing, are all indispensable.

For coffee brewing, Front Street recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing, as this allows you to experience the rich flavors of coffee to the greatest extent. The coffee beans shipped by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) are all within 5 days of roasting time, because Front Street deeply understands that the freshness of coffee beans has a great impact on flavor. Front Street's roasting philosophy is "freshly roasted good coffee," so that every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee when they get it. The resting period for coffee is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it is exactly at its best flavor.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) has more than fifty kinds of coffee beans from different producing countries and different producing regions. Whether you want to try making cold brew coffee, ice drip coffee, or Americano, or directly brew single-origin coffee, all of your requirements can be met! Everyone is welcome to come to Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) to explore the wonders of coffee together!

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