Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee
Like other coffee lovers, for many years we have been in love with coffee - hot or cold. Up until 10 years, we could only order or make iced coffee if we wanted our coffee served cold. This style of coffee is not new. Other countries have their version of cold coffee. A September 2014 Guardian article called “Coffee: how cold-brew became the hot new thing,” implied that the practice of creating a concentrated coffee through steeping grinds in cold water for extended periods of time originated with the Dutch as far back as the 1600s, as a means of transporting prepared coffee to be heated and sipped later. During that same era, true cold brew coffee, made with cold water, spread to Japan - Kyoto Style Coffee. Kyoto Style Brewing - Instead of submerging grounds for hours, the coffee is brewed drop by drop.
Cold Brew uses time, instead of heat, to extract the coffee's oils, caffeine and sugars. Cold brew is never exposed to heat and it has a less watered down taste. Because there's no hot water involved in the brewing process, cold brew is generally less acidic, has more body, and is a bit more mellow tasting. Iced Coffee is simply hot brewed coffee that has been cooled and poured over ice. Those who are really serious about making good iced coffee use the Japanese method: pour-over coffee set up to drip onto ice cubes, instantly cooling the brew.
So, depending on your need for caffeine, the decision between cold brew vs iced coffee will continue forever. Whether you need an infinite amount of caffeine to get you through the day, or are looking for a sweet and delicious drink, cold brew and iced coffee will always be there for you.
