Want delicious coffee? The secret’s in the coffee beans and the brew. Bad beans make bad coffee, enough said. Similarly, how coffee is brewed is a “make it” or “break it” proposition. Conventional coffee, the kind you’ll find at the office, relies on hot water. Problem is, hot water leaches flavor out of the beans. It simply boils down to chemistry (pun intended). Read on to get our secrets to creating a great cup of coffee.
It’s All Apart of the Process
With cold-brewed coffee, steeping is a more delicate process – one that doesn’t chemically change the beans’ natural elements. The result is a less bitter, fuller, more rounded flavor, and added health benefits to boot. With cold brew, the coffee grounds are soaked in cool water for around 16 hours, during which time delectable taste and flavors are teased out of the beans. Since cold brew coffee stores well in the fridge, unlike conventional coffee, people generally make a week’s worth at a time.
Don’t be surprised to discover a batch of restaurant-made cold brew coffee hidden in the kitchen cooler of your favorite restaurant. It often finds its way into recipes requiring a rich coffee flavor. A little cold brew is often the “secret ingredient” in a restaurant’s renowned sauce, gravy, chile, barbecue sauce, or brownies. You can actually get started with adding coffee to your next recipe with our recipe book here.
Given its distinctive taste tones, it’s no surprise Starbucks recently added cold brew coffee to its offerings. Here’s a secret how you can enjoy making it more affordably at home:
- Paper coffee filters
- Cold brew coffee filters (we love these ones!)
- Metal sieves
- French press
- Felt
“Cold Brew Coffee Tastes Better than Hot.”
No, it’s not a bunch of hot air …I can hear the guffaws from the regular coffee gluggers here, but it’s true – cold brew coffee does taste better. Let’s see why.
When coffee beans are leached using hot water, constituents such as oil, acids and caffeine dissolve (they’re highly soluble at high temperatures) more than if cool water is used. Cool water enables the coffee to retain these solubles. So, rather than undergoing chemical changes and leaching away, the natural flavors remain undisturbed to create a tastier brew with less bitterness and lower acidity. You can click here to get more details on the science of cold coffee brewing
Artisan Coffee – There Really is Such a Thing
The term “artisan” isn’t just another means to increase prices. Not all coffees are the same – some have justly earned the label “artisan,” and others? Let’s just say they bear little relation to the knock-your-socks-off experience some beans offer. Hate to say it, but Starbucks is onto something!
We’ve covered some of the reasons why cold brew coffee tastes better:
- Quality control
- Time taken to produce
- Chemistry
- Attention to detail
- Type/species of coffee beans (Coffea Arabica or Coffea Canephora/Robusta)
Coffee Beans – Coffea Arabica or Coffea Robusta
There are five differences between type of coffee beans that can affect flavor. In addition to the process, types of the coffee beans make a difference.
- Taste
- Caffeine content
- Lipid/sugar content
- Price
- Tending/farming methods
My favorite barista spouts opinions faster than he pours, but DANG if there’s not a nugget of truth in his ramblings. There truly is an art to coffee and it’s largely about the beans.
Next time you’re enjoying a cup of Joe, recall these tidbits and impress your fellow coffee aficionados with your new-found knowledge. It’s all about cold-brewing, exquisite beans, and filtering processes. Enjoy!