As the weather warms, there's one thing on our caffeinated minds.
Cold Brew is increasingly becoming the standard summer drink in “ High-End ” cafes around the world (and, of course, some of the cutting edge offices).
So, we want to introduce our dear customers to the feeling of drinking a refreshing Cold Brew.
So what makes this coffee so different from traditional iced coffee?
In short:
Let's talk about “ Brewing ”.
Cold Brew:
Cold Brew is created by brewing medium-coarse ground coffee in room temperature water for an extended period of time ( over 12 hours ) and then filtering it into a clean, sediment-free container. Unlike regular coffee, Cold Brew is never exposed to heat. Cold Brew uses time rather than heat to extract the sugars, oils and caffeine from the coffee.
Iced coffee:
Iced Coffee is created like any normal hot coffee method. It is simply hot coffee that has been cooled so it can be poured over ice. (Something to think about: this means that the iced coffee you are drinking in a cafe today could very well be the coffee you drank hot yesterday).
The product
Our Cold Brew
Our Cold Brew is produced with an intensive bean process, which creates a much stronger concentrate than drip coffee. While not as strong as an iced espresso, Cold Brew concentrate has about twice the caffeine per regular cup.
Because of its strength, our recipe used our Cold Brew concentrate with milk, water or ice in a 1:1 ratio, although many brave souls have chosen to drink it right, including our oldest son!
Cold coffee
Since iced coffee is brewed like regular coffee, the product is exactly the same; only iced coffee has to go through a cooling process and it also tends to be diluted when served with ice. It really is that simple.
The heat applied to the preparation of the coffee is important: the chemical structure of the coffee changes as the temperature changes from hot to cold. The oxidation process is well known in the coffee bean after roasting, and over time the oxygen brings off unpleasant flavors and makes the coffee "stale". The heat involved in extraction will speed up the oxidation process, which is a significant factor in contributing to the bad taste found in regular iced coffees.
Flavor
cold brew
Despite high levels of caffeine (caffeine is naturally bitter), our Cold Brew carries notes of chocolate, with a smooth mouthfeel and lower acidity than traditional iced coffee. Since it's prepared as a concentrate, it won't taste the water even when you add milk and ice!
Iced coffee
Since iced coffee is brewed hot, it can taste bitter, although high temperatures can also extract more coffee solubles than Cold Brew. While this can lead to a fuller body versus Cold Brew, additional extracted solubles include organic materials that can also increase bitterness.
Come and taste our Cold Brew (with Water or Milk / Oatly) now available at our space in Costa de Caparica.