5 Facts about Cold Brew Coffee

Cool facts about cold coffee?

Here are five things we bet you didn’t know about cold brew coffee!

We love every sort of coffee combo. Coffee in a cake, coffee in a cocktail, coffee in, errr, the bath? Hot coffee and summer, though, is a combination we don’t always fancy. Some days are just too warm for any drink above 5°C. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get our caffeine fix! We just give our lovely coffee a summer makeover and enjoy cold brew instead. Convenient, cool coffee ready for blue-skied days – perfect!

Here are five facts we bet you didn’t know about your favourite summer drink. Read on!

#1 The inventors of cold brew were…

Cold brew might seem like a chic new trend, but the basic idea has been around for centuries. The first recorded instance was in 1600s Japan, where Dutch traders started to brew coffee cold when they sailed from Indonesia. This meant they could keep their coffee from going stale over long distances.

Cold brews have only become cooler since then. It’s a top choice for coffee lovers wanting a refreshing, healthy summer drink. Cold brew coffees are also a great year-round option if you suffer from acid reflux or heartburn. Naturally low in acidity, they are easy on sensitive stomachs and taste beautifully sweet!

#2 Cold brew is the go-to for Gen Z

Sales of this cold concoction have skyrocketed over the past few years. Us Brits have followed the Americans and embraced the cold coffee trend, with millennials being the ones to really take cold brew into their hearts. For many Gen Z-ers, cold brew tops hot coffee as their most purchased drink. And the future’s looking n-ice, too, as experts anticipate that the global market for cold brew will reach $1.63 billion by 2025.

#3 Cold brew tastes sweeter and less acidic than hot coffee

Cold brew, as the name suggests, is brewed cold. This gives it a unique flavour profile that’s quite different from regular hot coffee or iced coffee (which is also brewed with hot water). The compounds in coffee extract at different rates and temperatures. This means that when you wave goodbye to heat, as you do with cold brew, you alter the flavour compounds extracted from the grounds.

Without heat, fewer acidic compounds are extracted and transferred into the water. The result? A smooth, slightly nutty brew that tastes less bitter. Lovely sweetness comes with low acidity, so you might find that you can forgo that sprinkle of sugar you often add to regular or iced coffee. A healthy brew that’s packed with flavour: it’s a win-win!

#4 Cold brew is one of the most eco-friendly ways of brewing coffee

We’ve all heard the scare stories about the electricity spikes that happen when we Brits all decide that it’s coffee time. So, why not unplug the kettle and make cold brew instead?

Cold brew is one of the most sustainable ways to enjoy a cup of coffee. Most coffee brewing methods use the trusty trio of heat, pressure and time to extract the coffee. Cold brew, on the other hand, needs no heat or pressure. You can make a big batch (it’ll last for five days in the fridge) and choose reusable filters, too, so your cold brew cup can be economical as well as eco-friendly?!

#5 There are lots of different ways to make cold brew

It’s easy to adapt your cold brew to suit your brew method. You can make top-notch cold brew in an Aeropress, Chemex or cafetière. Or, you can use a simple container or jam-jar: anything will do the trick! Check out our step-by-step guide to making cold brew for cool coffee straight from your kitchen fridge!

If you’re looking for a cold brew maker that does most (well, all really…) of the hard work for you, we’d recommend this Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot. Just mix your coffee and cold water and leave in the fridge overnight. Because only simple things are allowed in summer, right?

Most people prefer dark roast coffees like The Cat’s Ski Jacket for cold brew, but any of our freshly roasted coffees will make a cool choice!

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