If you’re into cold brew coffee,you most probably know that the brewing is really different than the traditional methods. When it refers to water temperature,you are only looking for “not hot.”
Cold brew is made by immersing coarse ground coffee beans in room temperature water or colder. Because water is very cold we ideally want to steep for minimum 11 to 12 hours. At the end of the soaking procedure we then filter out the coffee grounds for a clear cup. Compared to ordinary joe,cold brew coffee is actually not subjected to high temperatures.
Certainly there exists some confusion between cold brew and iced coffee. Even though actually they are both served cold,there is a great distinction between the two.
Iced coffee is any type of coffee beverage that was refrigerated and is served with ice. In order to plan an iced coffee,you can use cold brew or hot brew,even espresso,if you prefer. The most important step is to chill the beverage.
On the other hand,cold brew is a coffee beverage that was not boiled throughout brewing. This is what will make it different and it gives its extraordinary properties. We can have cold brew chilled with ice cubes.
The most well-known brewing technique is immersion which is employed home and coffee shop preparation. This is the simplest technique and the most efficient.
Another method is Dutch cold brew,or cold drip coffee and consists of dropping ice cubes over coffee grounds,in a similar way to manual drip coffee techniques.
Something to remember is that cold brew coffee at room temperature is pretty distinct from the one made in the fridge and this will make a distinction in how much flavor you get in your coffee and how fast it will be ready. You should calibrate your steeping time appropriately (10-16 hours at room temperature; 16-24 hours refrigerated).
The extraction in cold water modifies the composition of the cold brew coffee,and we get in turn a cup of joe that is a totally different beverage from your regular drip coffee,or espresso.
This particular distinction became the topic of a heated discussion around the health benefits of the cold brew coffee. Cold brew supporters claim it is healthier than the regularly hot brewed joe. Here is a list of the proposed positive aspects of cold brew coffee: it’s more mellow and less acidic; smoother taste,much lower acidity; better antioxidant; more efficient caffeination; stomach-friendly compared to hot brewed coffee.
The dialogue was taken into the research field where two researchers unveiled the reality around the cold brew marketing hype.
This is how Niny Rao and Megan Fuller scientists from Thomas Jefferson University, have taken up the task to shed some light on the matter. The investigation has revealed many interesting aspects which are greatly shown in this press release where one of the cited bloggers offers his view on the drip coffee vs cold brew coffee research.
“Coffee has a lot of antioxidants,and if you drink it in moderation,research shows it can be pretty good for you,” Megan Fuller,a Jefferson University chemist and study co-author,said in a university announcement. “We found the hot brew has more antioxidant capacity.”