It's hard to believe that not so long ago, cold brewed coffee was shunned by coffee nerds. Now? The story is way different.
Cold brewed coffee is literally changing the coffee business. Take Gregory's Coffee in New York. When it gets to be May, he's intently watching the weather because his patrons switch their coffee preferences.
For the colder months, 75% of the coffee he sells is hot. The other 25% is iced coffee. But when Mother Nature brings out the sunshine and tanning lotion, 65% of his business switches to cold brewed coffee.
That's big.
Why Cold Brew Is So Appealing
Well, for one, we can keep drinking coffee even when it's hot outside. That's always a plus! Iced coffee was really just a niche market until 2015. Then Starbucks launched their version of it.
Now you can find cold brew coffee even at Dunkin' Donuts. So what's the appeal? Cold brew coffee is smoother than hot coffee. Hot water brings out the acid in coffee, called "brightness," but cold brew coffee isn't made with heat.
So you really have a different product. Die-hard coffee fans think there's no point to having coffee without the acid, but I disagree. I think it's cool to have both to choose from. After all, you can still drink hot coffee in the summer, if you want to.
Why not have another choice?
The Difference Between Hot Coffee and Iced Coffee
Hot coffee can be volatile. As it cools, it can taste different. Cold coffee is more stable. That's one of the reasons it can be pre-packaged and sold in grocery stores.
The other big difference, as mentioned, is that it has less acidity. For those of us with sensitive stomachs, that can be a plus.
And if you're in a hurry, a cold brew is the way to go.
Perhaps the biggest drawback with cold coffee is the time it takes to make it. For a good cup of cold brew, it has to be steeped at least 12 hours the night before. The upside is you get a coffee that's been called smooth and lush.
Sounds good to me.