When the weather is warm, many of us still want that hit of caffeine we are used to from our coffee, but the thought of drinking something hot is not appealing. Many people turn to cold brew coffee in warm weather, but there is more to this cool version of our favorite hot drink than meets the eye. This is everything you need to know about cold brew coffee.
A Slow Process
Because we don’t heat the coffee up like we would when having it hot, the brewing process is much slower. Cold brew coffee is generally made using room-temperature water, often with the beans fully submerged. The extraction rate of the caffeine from the beans is much slower, and a cold brew can take anywhere from three to 24 hours.
It’s Stronger
If you like your coffee with a kick, then you might want to know that cold brew is stronger than regular. Because the process takes much longer, the water absorbs much more of the caffeine, and that means you get a bigger hit.
They Are Naturally Sweet
People who drink cold brew often remark on how sweet it tastes. They are naturally sweeter because the water extracts the caffeine slower, reducing the bitter taste that can be associated with coffee. Because they are sweeter, cold brews are often paired with cream to really bring out the flavor.
Higher In Antioxidants
The high temperatures often used to make hot-brew coffee can destroy the antioxidants in the beans. As cold brew doesn’t subject the beans to high temperatures, there are estimated to be around 60% more antioxidants than in regular coffee.
Who knew there was so much to discover about cold brew coffee? Now when next summer rolls around, you can feel even better about drinking cold brew than ever.