All eyes and tongues of coffee connoisseurs in Indonesia are currently focused on the cold brew coffee trend. Indeed, sipping a glass of cold coffee on a hot day is much more refreshing than a cup of hot coffee. But is this new trend really healthier than regular ground coffee, as people say? Want to know how to make your own cold brew coffee like a cafe at home?
What is cold brew coffee?
Simply put, cold brew is a technique of “brewing” black coffee grounds with cold water (or room temperature water) for approximately 12-24 hours to get the optimal taste.
You can “brew” the coffee grounds of your choice by soaking them in a glass and then allowing them to cool and filtering, or using a special coffee brewer, such as a french press or cold drip.
This cold brewing technique will produce a strong coffee concentrate. This coffee concentrate can be drunk directly as black coffee without further ado, or added with milk, creamer, sugar, or other sweeteners to mix other coffee creations. For example, cappuccino. And if you want to enjoy this coffee, all you have to do is visit the nearest coffee shop.
Cold brew coffee concentrate can stay fresh for up to two weeks if you store it in the refrigerator.
What is the difference between cold brew coffee and iced coffee?
Although the name contains the word “cold”, cold brew coffee is different from ordinary iced coffee. Making a glass of iced coffee takes less time than “brewing” cold brew coffee. Iced coffee is mixed with coffee grounds dissolved in hot water and added with ice cubes afterwards to cool. Cold brew coffee concentrate is obtained from soaking black coffee grounds in cold water or room temperature water.
Different techniques produce different flavors. Hot espresso that is used as the basis for iced coffee must be processed more strongly so that the taste and aroma do not fade easily after being diluted with ice. This method of steeping hot water gives black coffee (both hot and with ice) the strong bitter taste and aroma typical of coffee in general.
Meanwhile, cold brew takes up to 18-24 hours to produce a concentrate. This process, which is similar to infused water, produces a smoother taste and aroma. This is what causes cold brew coffee to taste sweeter. You can also serve this concentrate cold with ice cubes without having to worry about getting a taste that is too bland because it is runny. For this reason, cold brewing is generally considered the best method for cold brewing.
Which is healthier, regular black coffee or cold brew coffee?
Ground coffee, espresso, and cold brew coffee are basically black coffee. The only difference is the manufacturing technique. Therefore, both a cup of traditional black coffee and a cup of cold brew concentrate are practically zero calories and have no significant nutritional value. A cup of black coffee and cold brew coffee concentrate served without sugar are both free of carbohydrates, fat, protein, and other important macronutrients, such as calcium and fiber. The nutritional value of all versions of this drink only changes when a flavoring or sweetener is added.