Stepping into the world of cold brew coffee? The uninhibited flavors, natural sweetness, and lower acidity are sure to turn you into a long-time fan, so get ready for your coffee world to turn upside down!
We’re bringing you the ultimate beginner’s guide to cold brew: what it is, the many types, and some of the least-known benefits it provides!
Defining Cold Brew
So, what is cold brew after all? This creamy, cool beverage is brewed just as its name indicates - with cold (to room temperature) water! It’s made over a 12- to 24-hour period, which, compared to hot coffee, is a much longer brewing process. During this extra time, the coffee aroma slowly seeps out of the grounds and leaves behind the bitter oils that typically dissolve in hot water. The result is a concentrated coffee that’s usually diluted with water and creates a well-rounded, less acidic, and mellower pour than a typical iced coffee.
With any kind of cold brew you choose to drink in the morning, there are several distinct advantages to choosing this style of brew. Here are some of the top cold brew coffee benefits:
Little-Known Benefits
1. It contains a higher caffeine content.
If you’re worried about caffeine overload, don’t worry! Adding milk, cream, or even water can dilute your cold brew and weaken it while making it creamy and delicious. Since the steeping process takes much longer than regular coffee, the cold brew water to coffee ratio is a whopping 14:1 as compared to the much lower ratio for a regular cup of coffee. For people who prefer coffee over espresso but still want to get right to that fabulous caffeine kick, this is a much quicker route.
2. It may help you lose weight - at least more than regular coffee can.
The caffeine in your cup can cause what’s called an after-burn effect if you drink it post-workout, so keep that in mind! This means that the caffeine will give your body a jolt and cause it to increase its energy expenditure. Regular coffee can have this same effect, but with cold kind, you also get a boost from the higher caffeine content.
3. It can make you smarter and work better than a normal cup of coffee.
Caffeine increases the flow of blood to the brain. In turn, it will boost the function of your brain! It’s no wonder people reach for a cup of joe in the morning before heading off to work! The added benefit that cold brew specifically brings to the table is that extra boost of caffeine to sharpen your mind more than the average cup would.
4. It may work better for those with sensitive stomachs.
If your stomach tends to react to the acidity of normal coffee, this might be the solution you’ve been looking for. This finished product is much smoother with less acid, allowing it to go down more easily. Don’t believe us? Here are the numbers to back it up: A regular cup of coffee comes in with a pH of 5.48 whereas cold-brew is much more basic at 6.31. The more basic it is, the less acidic it is. So, those with heartburn, stomach ulcers, or any other medical concerns should find cold brew much easier on the intestinal tract.
5. It contains more antioxidants.
Due to the cold brewing process, it leaves more antioxidants behind in the final product. Studies have shown that these antioxidants are great for the heart and may lower the risk of certain cancers and infections.
Into the World of Cold Brew...
Now that we’ve covered exactly what cold brew is and some benefits you may not have known, are you ready to get deeper into the marvelous world of cold brew coffee? Of course, you are!
Read our next blog post for tips on getting the most out of your cold brew (+ unique cold brew coffee recipes from our recipe book).
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