Best Coffee for Cold Brew, What Are Your Options?

If you like making your cold brew coffee at home, maybe it is time for you to know the best coffee for cold brew. You may be one of those people who like to make their own coffee at home, for the sake of taste and also money.

You dislike the idea of throwing money for a cup of your favorite Joe. And yet, you prefer the cold coffee because you are living in the area where it is most humid and hot.

So, what are your options? What are the options to make the best coffee for cold brew that you can choose?

The Specialty of Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew has its own special place among coffee addicts and coffee lovers. The cold brew has its mild taste and smooth texture that makes it so refreshing and tasty.

Not to mention that cold brew has minimum bitterness and also low acidity level. Sounds like an ideal drink, right?

First of all, let’s differentiate cold brew and iced coffee. Unfortunately, many people still think of them as the same entity – that they are basically the same. But they are actually very different.

Cold brew coffee is made without involving any heat at all.

The ground beans will be steeped with the cold water (preferably filtered one) for quite some time so the flavor can be extracted from the bean properly. If you know the steep process in the French press, then you know what I’m talking about.

However, in this cold steep process, there is no hot water being used at all. Instead of hot water, you use cold water.

And the steep period is longer – the shortest one is 12 hours while the longest one is 24 hours.

What about iced coffee? Well, iced coffee is actually made from the regular brewed coffee (that is made with hot water) and it has been cooled off.

After it cools off, it is poured over ice – resulting in the iced coffee that is cold and tasty.

Temperature and Its Effects

Before we get to the best coffee for cold brew, there are more to understand about the process of making cold brew coffee.

Temperature is playing an important role here. You see, when you make hot coffee, the extraction happens in between 91 degrees and 96 degrees Celsius (or around 195 degrees to 205 degrees Fahrenheit).

On the contrary, when you make cold brewed coffee, the extraction happens in between 2 degrees and 21 degrees Celsius (or around 35 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit).

Because the cold brew process doesn’t involve any heat element at all, it affects the texture and flavor. Cold brew usually has its own unique flavor and there is a hint of natural sweetness too.

It seems that cold brew may be the ideal option, right? It is true, but you need to remember that it takes longer brewing time and also more coffee grounds when compared to the hot brewing method.

Not to mention that cold brew has low acidity level which makes it stomach friendly. However, not many coffee addicts love the cold brew because they believe that it has ‘muted flavors’ and the numbers are more compared to the hot brewing method.

Tips in Buying the Beans to Make the Best Coffee for Cold Brew

When you want to make the best coffee for cold brew, you need to make sure that you choose the right beans.

There are some handy tips to help you with the easy and efficient purchase.

1. Choose the coarse grind because it is a suitable one for the cold brew. Fine grounds will result in bitter or harsh flavors, especially when it is over extracted. If you are using the slow drip system, you should definitely go with the slow drip method.
2. Whether you choose the light roast or the dark beans, it depends on your preference. The best way to decide is to do the experiment on your own. Some people suggest light (to medium) roast which is more acidic naturally. Some, however, choose the dark roast because cold brew has the tendency of darker and also richer flavors. Again, you need to experiment.

The Best Coffee for Cold Brew in the Industry

When we are talking about the best coffee for cold brew, there are some names or candidates that you should consider for your coffee brewing moments at home.

• Cold Press Organic Tiny Footprint Coffee. This is an environmentally friendly product where the beans are available in both whole and ground coffee. Their beans are 100% Arabica and shade grown.
• Cafe du Monde Coffee. This product is inexpensive and has very low bitterness. The taste is also smooth and nice. The beans are good for both cold and hot brewing method
• Colombian Supremo Stone Street Cold Brew Reserve Coffee. The flavor is bold and yet it is also great for cold brewing. You can find it easily in both whole bean and ground coffee.
• Cold Brew Metropolis Blend Coffee. The beans are available for both whole form and ground coffee. Each of the coffee bags is roasted to preserve freshness
• Hazelnut Cold Buzz Coffee. The taste is nice and smooth. The product is also easy to clean up.
• Peet’s Baridi Blend. You can find both the whole and ground coffee form easily. The beans are great for the cold brew but it is also great for warm regular coffee.

There you go, your best candidates for your homemade coffee. Which of these best coffee for the cold brew you would choose?