We previously wrote about making iced lattes , and in the same post we talked about another form of cold coffee, cold brew. Now let's get back to the interesting world of cold brew.
Cold brew coffee is coffee that has been steeped in cold water for a long time. Normally, coffee is steeped in hot water for minutes, while in cold brew, the coffee stays in cold water for hours.
The end result is a cool coffee with rounder flavors and a fuller mouthfeel than hot coffee. Cold-brewed coffee also brings out different aromas than hot coffee.
The cold brew recipe itself is very simple, but the reasons for making cold brew are remarkably interesting, so we were eager to explore the subject a little longer. However, let's put the recipe right at the beginning, and then continue in depth.
1. Measure a liter of water and 50 grams of coffee, ground as coarsely as possible, into a jug. Stir.
2. Place the jug in the refrigerator for 18 hours.
3. Take the jug out of the refrigerator, pour the extract through a filter cloth or filter bag.
4. Drink cold brew coffee as is or chilled and diluted with ice cubes.
Well, then, to the point.
Cold brew coffee vs. cold coffee
Cold brewed coffee should not be mixed with cold coffee. When hot coffee cools down, it often starts to taste bad because the coffee oxidizes.
On the other hand, Lehmus Roastery has also roasted and tasted coffees that, when cooled, start to taste like delicious berry juice. This suggests that the taste changes are at least partly coffee- and roast-specific.
Why is coffee brewed hot? Coffee extraction is a matter of chemistry. Ground coffee beans extract aromas, fats and acids into water, which are what make up the taste of coffee. These compounds are best released from coffee in water that is 92-96 degrees Celsius. Water that is too cool, on the other hand, does not extract the compounds quickly enough, so the coffee tastes weak.
The smell of coffee is basically a sign that the flavors are escaping from the coffee you're drinking. Hot water makes some of the coffee's aromas evaporate - so coffee that smells good to your nose is actually already going bad, if you're being really careful. On the other hand, aromas are part of the taste experience, so you shouldn't get too upset about the aromas escaping.
Cold brew coffee can be served with ice, in which case the melting ice cubes will also change the taste of the cold brew coffee in an interesting way as the drink progresses.
Cold-brewed coffee does not allow the aromas to evaporate at the same rate as hot coffee - the smell of coffee practically means a reduction in the aromas of the coffee you drink, if you think about it very strictly.
Hot coffee basically does the same thing to steel: it rusts. Hot water evaporates and oxidizes the chemical compounds in the coffee. This can cause the coffee to taste bitter and sour. In cold-brew, the same reaction occurs much more slowly, so cold-brewed coffee rarely, if ever, tastes bitter.
How is cold brew coffee made?
Cold-brew coffee uses the coarsest grind possible, as coarse as can be released from the grinder.
Cold brew coffee is brewed in cold water. The coffee powder is coarse, pan-ground, or even coarser.
The coffee powder is kept in cold water for up to 18 hours, allowing the coffee's aromas and compounds to slowly but surely leach into the water.
At home, this can be done using a glass jug and a refrigerator. When the infusion is ready, pour the liquid through a filter cloth or filter bag. If you are using a filter bag, pour the liquid in parts so that the bag does not completely clog.
Cold brew coffee tastes good on its own, but it can also be diluted with ice cubes or water, flavored with lemon, flavoring syrups, or alcohol, for example, to turn cold brew into a drink.
What kind of coffee is best for cold brewing?
Darker roast coffees are well suited for cold extraction. On the other hand, Lehmus Roastery's best cold extraction to date has been made with medium-roasted Muukko. Muukko is a Brazilian blend of several Arabica varieties produced by a smallholder community, with flavor characteristics related to nutty and chocolatey aromas.
Therefore, we recommend Muukko and the multi-hued Pusupuisto for cold extraction.
Our roastery grinds coffee to any degree of coarseness according to the customer's needs, so you can also request a grind suitable for cold-brew coffee from us!