Cold coffee drinks have been a trend in the last few years. They can be seen not only in the summer menu of your favorite coffee houses, but also in the assortment on supermarket shelves in the capsule coffee section. Together with the coffee expert Nespresso, we find out what the "trick" of cold coffee is.
What is "coffee cold bru"?
The literal translation from English "cold brew" is "cold brew". This method was invented as an alternative to chilled coffee or iced coffee. True coffee lovers believe that cooling the coffee brewed in the usual way or adding ice to it is hopelessly spoiling the taste. The ice will melt, turning into water (coffee will lose its original density), and when it has cooled down naturally, coffee has time to lose its aroma. "Cold Bru" is a coffee that is brewed with cold water for a long time, from 8 hours and more (in some cases, the time reaches 24 hours).
Are cold and chilled coffee different in taste?
Certainly. It is important to understand that many factors affect the taste and aroma of coffee: the quality and type of beans, brewing time, roasting and even the quality of the water. When analyzing cold coffee, temperature, time and brewing method are especially important. Generally speaking, the main difference between cold brew and simply cooled or, even more so, hot coffee (even if the same beans were used for brewing) is that it has practically no sourness characteristic of coffee, as well as bitterness in the aftertaste.
Why does cold and chilled (or hot) coffee taste different?
The two main factors that can affect the taste of a beverage are temperature and time. The rate of oxidation depends on them - the transformation of oils, acids and sugars that are contained in coffee. Depending on how quickly this process takes place, the taste changes. For example, cooking cold brue requires a low temperature and a long time. As a result, the coffee turns out to be sweeter and softer, has less acidity and a delicate taste. Temperature also affects aroma, because it is the result of the evaporation of oils from coffee beans, and when heated, they evaporate faster. It is the warmth that gives the coffee its characteristic bright aroma. In cold coffee, the aroma may not be as intense, but it lasts longer.
How much caffeine is in cold and chilled coffee?
Coffee made in a coffee machine will have little difference in properties from hot coffee when ice is added. Cooling in this case does not affect the amount of caffeine either. With Cold Bru, everything is a little more complicated: the level of caffeine in it can be higher, however, even here a lot depends on the type of beans, the ratio of water and coffee, the type of roasting, and the volume of the drink.
Which coffee is healthier: cold or hot?
The nutritional properties of cold coffee are still poorly understood, but it is clear that they are in many ways similar to those of a hot drink. However, scientists are already saying that cold brewed coffee can be healthier than hot coffee, because it has one distinct advantage: less acidity, thanks to which it is preferable for the digestive system.
How is chilled coffee different from hot coffee, apart from temperature?
First of all, you need to understand that just cooled coffee and specially cooled coffee using technology are not the same thing. For example, in Nespresso coffee machines, the temperature and pressure allow you to extract all the goodness, all the richness of taste and aroma from the coffee, and the addition of ice opens the coffee profile from a slightly different side. I would like to point out that the taste of such chilled coffee cannot be considered weaker or less interesting. It's just different, which is why experimenting with temperatures and recipes is so fun.
How can you cool coffee besides ice?
Milk, syrups, or other ingredients are often added to cold coffee cocktails. Today, beverages such as espresso tonic (tonic and ice are added to espresso) or nitro coffee (cold brew coffee saturated with nitrogen) are gaining popularity. Naturally, this cold coffee is significantly different from the traditional hot drinks that we are used to. But I advise even convinced connoisseurs of classic coffee to diversify their coffee menu a little and discover new unusual recipes. For example, the limited edition capsules Nespresso Ispirazione Salentin and Ispirazione Shakerato can be used to prepare interesting refreshing cocktails with syrups, almond milk or other ingredients to taste.
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