Coffee is something that millions and millions of Americans (and those around the world) enjoy every day. It is one of the most consumed beverages and many people can’t get through their day without it. While there is nothing quite like a hot cup of coffee in the fall or winter to warm you up, drinking coffee in the summer doesn’t quite give you the same effect.

For example, the last thing you want to drink on a warm and muggy summer morning or day is a piping hot cup of coffee. But those who rely on coffee simply cannot just skip it for four months in the summer, so what are they to do? Well, the natural thing to do is drink your coffee cold.

However, there are different “types” of cold coffee. When most people think of cold coffee, they might think of iced coffee. However, iced coffee is normally just espresso-based and served over ice with the additions of milk, syrup and other ingredients. But if you want the true coffee experience, but cold, the answer to your prayers this summer is cold brew coffee.

This article is going to look at cold brew coffee and what it is, the benefits of drinking it, and more.

What is Cold Brew

If you like to visit a variety of different coffee shops or are familiar with the trends in coffee, you have like seen the term “cold brew” plastered everywhere from Starbucks to your local coffee shop, but what is cold brew?

Well, simply put cold brew coffee is just like regular coffee, but is brewed cold instead of hot. Coffee grounds are generally steeped in water for a predetermined amount of time. Then you get concentrated coffee, which you will then dilute and serve on ice or chilled.

While technically cold brew coffee has been around as long as all other types of coffee, it has been becoming more popular in North America over the last few years. Many stores and shops have started offering it, and companies like Starbucks even sell canned cold brew coffees in a variety of different stores and flavors.

How Does Cold Brew Differ From Regular Coffee?

However, the way the coffee is brewed isn’t the only difference between cold brew and traditional coffee. Because it is steeped and brewed for a much longer time, you are left with a much more rich and concentrated beverage when you opt for cold brew. Also, because no heat at all is used to make cold brew, there isn’t the traditional “bitter” taste that can often accompany most different types of coffee.

Because of this, you get more of the natural notes of the coffee beans and the coffee won’t feel overpowered. Often, people will even skip the traditional milk and sugar when drinking cold brew, as it is sweet enough and doesn’t feature the bitterness. The acidity in cold brew coffee is also lower, which is beneficial to our bodies as our body thrives with higher alkalinity and lower acidity.

The Benefits of Cold Brew

In addition to the variety of differences we mentioned in the last section, cold brew coffee also have some benefits over traditionally brewed coffee that we feel we should mention. In particular, there are many different health benefits associated with cold brew.

First of all, many coffee beans will lose a lot of their antioxidants and other benefits when heated, which can limit the amount of good it can do for you and your body. In addition to the health benefits we have touched on, cold brew coffee is also “greener” than the traditional hot options at your disposal. The reason for this is that traditional coffee takes heat to make, which uses electricity. You don’t need to use any power whatsoever when creating cold brew coffee, so it is great for those who want to be green and help to save the environment. Strongly recommend to check out this source to get a full understanding on how to make it yourself: https://www.homegrounds.co/guide-to-cold-brew-coffee/.

Also, cold brew is leading to other innovations in the coffee industry such as “nitro coffee”, which is becoming more popular. Nitro coffee involves adding nitrogen to cold brew coffee, to provide a creamy and silky twist on cold brew. In the future, don’t be shocked to see many more innovations in coffee (especially cold brew) and we are excited to see them and try them.

In conclusion, there is no golden rule that claims your coffee needs to be hot when you drink it. Cold brew has many different benefits over traditional coffee and if you haven’t tried it before, now is the time. Whether you make it at home or get it from a store, cold brew coffee is a great option for your caffeine fix.