Are you a big fan of cold brew coffee? Learn the difference between cold brew and cold brew concentrate, and you’ll be able to enjoy your cold brew in a new way the next time! We can all agree that cold brew is a popular caffeine drink during the summer. More and more coffee shops and cafes are selling their own cold brew. Even today, finding a cold brew coffee delivery service that can be delivered to your home or office is as simple as flipping a coin. But what is it about cold brew that makes it so popular?
Cold brew has quickly gained popularity as an alternative to hot and iced coffee due to its non-heat steeping method that produces a smooth, sweet flavor. Cold brew coffee, unlike iced coffee, has more time to develop a smoother and less acidic taste — definitely appealing to coffee drinkers with a more sensitive stomach or palate. This method differs from iced coffee, which uses traditionally brewed coffee as a base before cooling with ice or refrigeration. That’s why many coffee drinkers prefer cold brew to iced coffee.
The innovation continues. There is now a cold brew concentrate for people who prefer stronger coffee and find cold brew to be insufficient. It’s not much different from regular cold brew coffee, but the process and how to enjoy it make cold brew and cold brew concentrate play differently.
In this article, we will go over everything there is to know about cold brew and cold brew concentrate so that you can better understand these two similar-yet-different drinks.
What is cold brew?
Cold brew coffee is not the same as iced coffee. It’s not usually served with ice. It doesn’t even need to be served cold. This is because “cold brew” does not refer to how coffee is served or the temperature at which it is served. The term “cold brew” simply refers to the method of brewing.
The name “cold brew” comes from the fact that it is made with either cold or room temperature water. After steeping the ground coffee in water for at least twelve hours (many companies steep it for 16-24 hours), it is filtered to remove the sediment. What’s left is a delicious coffee concentrate.
Cold brewing produces a smoother, richer coffee with less acidity and more sweetness than hot brewing.
What is cold brew concentrate?
Cold brew concentrate is created by steeping roasted coffee beans in cold or room temperature water for several hours. The end result is a smooth and flavorful concentrate that can be mixed with water or milk to make a beverage.
Cold brew concentrate is an undiluted form of cold brew coffee that is used as a base for iced coffee and other beverages.
What is the difference between cold brew and cold brew concentrate?
The amount of ground coffee used in relation to the amount of water is the difference between cold brew coffee and cold brew concentrate. Cold brew concentrate has a much stronger flavor and must be diluted before drinking, whereas cold brew coffee can be consumed as is.
Because it contains so much caffeine compared to regular coffee, you’ll want to dilute the cold brew concentrate before drinking it. The coffee flavor is much stronger than the regular version.
Which one is for you?
Cold brew and cold brew concentrate can be consumed either black or with milk. Both can be served with ice. If you don’t like strong coffee, cold brew is a better option than cold brew concentrate. You can use cold brew concentrate to make milk-based iced coffee with stronger cold brew.