Undoubtedly, cold brew coffee has gained significant popularity among coffee enthusiasts in recent years. Even those who usually don’t drink coffee cannot resist this cold and rich beverage’s bold and delicious taste.
However, it looks like taste is not the only reason why many people are now so fond of cold brew coffee. Research has found that this drink may have different benefits for our health, and it is one of the best sources of antioxidants.
If you want to explore more about cold brew coffee and the best ways to enjoy your cuppa, you are in the right place!
What Exactly is Cold Brew Coffee?
More than just another caffeinated beverage, this is a proper way of brewing coffee, which involves using cold water to extract all the aroma from the coffee beans. This means that instead of using hot water, you soak your coarse ground coffee in cold or room temperature water for a certain steeping time (up to 12-24 hours) until you obtain a strong and dark coffee concentrate.
The result is a liquid that you can drink as it is or dilute with additional water or milk. Besides, this coffee concentrate can be used as an ingredient for several recipes, including desserts and cocktails.
Why Is Everyone Drinking Cold Brew Coffee?
Science has confirmed the many health benefits of coffee. Cold brew, which is nothing but coffee concentrate, has similar effects. It may be even more beneficial than your average hot drink.
If you like cold brew coffee, you should know how it can impact your body and mind.
Easy and Fun to Make
First of all, making cold brew can be funnier than you’ve ever thought. All you need is a glass container, your favorite ground coffee, and some water. Of course, you will need to wait a few hours or even overnight before you can taste your coffee, but it is worth it.
Once your coffee concentrate is ready, you will discover a whole new world, where you can customize your drink as much as you want. With different syrups (many of which can be easily made in your kitchen), flavorings, milk, and sweeteners, you will immediately live all your barista fantasies and experiment with different ingredients until you create your unique, perfect cold brew.
Metabolism Boost
All caffeine-based drinks, including cold brew, can increase your resting metabolic rate by about 10%. The higher your metabolism is, the more calories and fat you can burn while you rest.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that coffee should be used as the main solution to lose weight and burn calories. However, caffeine is still one of the major ingredients of many products to help our body burn body fat faster.
The Secret for a Better Mood
Coffee and cold brew consumption have been linked with better mood and lower rates of depression. Additional research has explored the use of caffeine as a natural nutritional supplement to boost our mood and the way the brain functions in certain individuals.
Cold brew and other caffeine-based beverages have the power to impact the way our brain interacts with the environment positively. By drinking at least two cups of coffee every day, you may experience an increased focus and attentiveness, and other brain functions may be boosted as well.
Sleep-deprived individuals may notice an improvement in their sleep pattern, although caffeine may still be a threat to your sleep if you drink too much coffee. For this reason, you can try to decaffeinate coffee, which preserves the same taste and aroma of your favorite drink, but with lower amounts of caffeine.
The Best Source of Antioxidants
Beverages like coffee and tea are some of the larger sources of antioxidants. Berries and other foods usually contain more antioxidants, but people tend to consume larger amounts of caffeine-based drinks in their average daily diet.
Studies all around the world have demonstrated that coffee, including cold brew, is for many people the biggest dietary source of antioxidants.
Great Taste, Less Acidity
Averagely, cold brew has about 60% less acidity than regular coffee. The reason is that the coffee naturally dissolves into the water without the use of heat. High temperatures contribute to releasing the acidic compounds stored inside your precious coffee beans. Using cold water, you slow down the diffusion of these compounds, making your drink less acidic.
In other words, cold brew coffee is much better for your stomach than any other hot or warm drinks. It is the best solution for those who wish to enjoy their daily espresso or americano but want to avoid all the nasty side effects.
Besides, since it is less acidic, cold brew coffee is usually safer for your teeth. On the other hand, don’t forget that certain substances added to your cold coffee concentrate, such as milk and creamer, will increase the sugar level and the acidity of your drink.
Lower Caffeine Amount
Science confirms that caffeine is soluble in water. This means that the hotter the water you used to brew your coffee, the more caffeine will be extracted from the beans. In other words, cold brew coffee usually has less caffeine than any other coffee-based drinks.
On the other hand, the cold brewing process usually requires a higher coffee ratio to water, meaning that you will get a very strong coffee concentrate. The best way to enjoy it is to dilute it with more water, milk, or cream, to bring the caffeine level back down.
This means that you can enjoy your cold brew without worrying too much about jeopardizing your sleep pattern.
Lower Risk of Brain-Related Diseases
Drinking at least 5 cups of coffee, including cold brew, may reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is associated with the chlorogenic acids, some of the most powerful antioxidants in a coffee cup. Besides, caffeine can help you regulate gut peptides, which are the hormones responsible for your digestive system, keeping your blood sugar low and stable.
Moreover, the caffeine contained in your cold brew can stimulate your nervous system and protect your brain from several age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. This is due to some important coffee compounds, known as phenylindoles, which can protect against several issues.
Caffeine May Help You Live Longer
You might be surprised to know that caffeine doesn’t only give you a good energy boost, but may even help you live longer and happier.
A long-term study has confirmed that people who regularly drink cold brew and other coffee types experience a lower risk of death from several diseases, such as respiratory diseases, stroke, diabetes, injuries, and even infections.
Once again, this is due to the high concentration of antioxidants that caffeine provides. This means that each cuppa you enjoy may be your secret for long life, as well as for the perfect indulgent treat.
How Can I Drink Cold Brew Coffee?
Iced Coffee
Obviously, your cold brew is, as the name suggests, cold. But what if you want to enjoy it as an iced drink?
To make the perfect cold brew, iced coffee starts by refrigerating your cold brew for a few hours. Once you are ready to serve it, pour the drink over ice. Dilute it with more water, milk, or cream.
If you want, you can also pour your cold brew in an ice-cubes box and freeze it. You will get some cool coffee-flavored ice cubes that you can use to add some extra flavor to your milk or even your cocktail.
Hot Coffee
You can reheat your cold brew to enjoy a warm cuppa at any time. There are three methods to turn your cold coffee concentrate into the most delicious hot beverage.
Add hot water
If you want to make cold brew specifically to heat it, then you should leave your ground coffee steep into room temperature water as usual. When the concentrate is ready, you can dilute it further with 1 cup of boiling water and stir well. This will heat the coffee very fast, without giving the compounds time to oxidize. In other words, you will be able to enjoy a hot beverage but will have all the benefits of your cold brew.
Heat Your Cold Brew in a Pot
You can pour your coffee concentrate in a pot, with additional water, and heat it up. However, this method will take longer, and your coffee compounds will have plenty of time to bond with oxygen and oxidize. This means that this drink will have all the same properties and side effects of a traditional coffee.
On the other hand, if you already have some cold brew ready and want to use it as a hot beverage, this method is pretty quick and easy.
Microwave Your Coffee
This is the quickest, yet worst method to heat your coffee. It would be best if you never did that unless you are in a hurry. Microwaves use radiations, which stimulate oxidation at a very high rate. This means that your coffee will lose most of your flavor, and it will taste very dull. Besides, it will be particularly acidic, and thus not optimal for your stomach.
Cold Brew with Soda
Coffee and soda together? Yes, we are not joking: this is actually a great combo that all coffee lovers should try. To make a delicious cold brew coffee soda floats, we recommend leaving your coarse ground coffee steeping in cold water for at least 24 hours so that it will be strong and bold enough.
Pour your coffee over crushed ice in a tall glass, a little more than halfway. If you want to make your beverage even stronger, you can add one or two shots of espresso. Top the drink with club soda and stir well. You can change the coffee to soda ratio, whether you want your drink to be more bubbly or more bitter.
To make it extra indulgent, add a couple of scoops of ice vanilla ice cream and garnish it with melted chocolate and toasted coconut. Enjoy!
Cold Brew Mocktails without alcohol
Cold brew coffee is so versatile that it doesn’t surprise you to find it as one of the main ingredients of several mocktails. Ready for an energizing, delicious and alcohol-free drink?
Before you dive into the marvelous world of caffeinate-based mocktails, you must understand how important it is to use only the right type of coffee. Some coffee beans are chocolatey and sweet, whereas others are lighter and have a strong fruity aftertaste. It is important to keep this in mind when mixing different ingredients to obtain your mocktails.
The best thing to do is to follow one of the many recipes you can find on the Internet, or experiment if you feel confident enough. Different coffees will translate into diverse mocktails’ strength and taste. Even the steeping time of your cold brew may play a significant role when it comes to achieving the best result.
Cold Brew Cocktails
Just like mocktails, alcohol-based beverages may require different types of coffee, depending on the taste you want to get. It would be best if you also remembered that you can use cold brew concentrates with different strengths, depending on the steeping time. If you are mixing your coffee with strong spirits, you should use a bold concentrate, to allow both flavors to mix and combine perfectly.
Our Favorite Iced Whiskey Coffee Cocktail
Ready to surprise your friends with the definitive cold brew cocktail? Then it would help if you tried this iced whiskey coffee cocktail.
Fill your cocktail glasses with ice and pour coffee, whiskey syrup and whisky. Stir in some cream and top with additional whipped cream. Don’t forget to sprinkle some cinnamon for extra taste!
What Cold Brew Do I Get At Coffee Shops?
Fresh Cold Brewed Iced Coffee
We all love spending some time in our local coffee shops, sipping coffee, reading a book or maybe hanging out with our friends.
Most importantly, you can buy some delicious fresh cold brewed iced coffee at these stores. Although these beverages are rarely cheap, they still allow you to enjoy your cold-brewed beverages while on the go. These drinks are convenient, and come in a variety of flavors, as you can choose the strength of the coffee and add additional syrups. Just don’t forget to check any hidden calories!
Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
Nitro cold brew coffee is a variety of cold brew enriched with nitrogen. This gives your drink a richer, creamier texture, with a head of foam that resembles that of draft beer.
Nitro cold brew made its first appearance in coffee shops in the early 2010s, but its origin is still unknown. What it’s certain, is that this drink is delicious, and it is undoubtedly easier to buy it from your local story than making it at home.
What Cold Brew Do I Get At Local Stores?
Drink-Ready
Stores have plenty of ready to drink cold brewed beverages. These provide all the taste and freshness of cold brew coffee, but without the need to dilute your concentrate before drinking it. In other words, these drinks are perfect while on the go, or if you forgot your beverage at home.
Ready to drink cold brews are not just made of coffee and water. In fact, they contain preservatives (which grant them a longer shelf life), and sweeteners. This means that if you are a fan of bitter coffee, you may have a hard time finding a good one at your local store. Besides, you may want to double-check the calories for each of these beverages.
Cold Brew Concentrate
At some stores, you can even purchase boxes of cold brew concentrate. This is the best solution if you need some concentrate to be used as it is or diluted with water or milk, or, for example, to prepare your favorite cocktails without waiting for the steeping time.
Usually, store-bought cold brew concentrate has a shelf life of several days, so it can be used to refill your daily cuppa without spending your cash every day for the same beverages. Undoubtedly, this is the quickest way to enjoy your cold-brewed coffee, although it will never taste as good as any homemade recipe.
From hot and iced coffee to indulgent mocktails, there are plenty of ways to enjoy your cold brew coffee. As confirmed by science, caffeine can have several benefits for our health, since it is rich in antioxidants. In particular, cold-brewed coffee has lower acidity levels, making it the perfect shot of energy for those who usually experience digestion and stomach issues.
Whether you want to brew your cold coffee at home or buy it ready to drink at your local store, this is one of the most delicious caffeine-based drinks. You should also try it with soda and ice cream!