Cold Brew Coffee: Taking Over Your City One Cup at a Time
It seems as though advertisements for cold brew coffee are everywhere you look. Restaurants, chain and independently owned coffee shops, break rooms for tech companies (Twitter and BuzzFeed!), and even churches have all jumped onto the cold brew coffee train serving up delicious, frosty caffeine in a cold cup. Cold brew coffee’s popularity is continually growing, but what exactly about this beverage makes it so popular?
Isn’t coffee supposed to be hot?
Yes, it’s true that coffee was originally intended to be consumed hot, and we wholeheartedly agree that there is a time and place for that. When we asked people why they enjoy cold brew so much their answers were simple and consistent. Cold brew tastes less acidic, less burnt, and definitely goes down a whole lot smoother that hot coffee. Plus it’s instant gratification: you don’t have to wait for it to cool down to enjoy it!
Years ago when iced americanos, iced lattes, and iced macchiatos entered the scene they were widely accepted, and then coffee empires took it a step further and started adding shots of espresso to milkshakes (mocha frappuccino anyone?) People realized that they enjoyed their traditionally hot lattes, mochas, or macchiatos poured over ice, so much so that today Starbucks’ most popular drinks are almost all served cold!
Aren’t iced coffee and cold brew the same thing?
Many people don’t know the difference between iced coffee and cold brew coffee. Iced coffee is brewed hot and then either served over ice or refrigerated to later be served over ice. Conversely, other than when the coffee beans themselves are being roasted, cold brew coffee never feels the heat. The coffee grounds are steeped in a large filter in cold water over a longer period of time, much like the process for brewing iced tea. Without the heat in the brewing process, the acidity stays at a much lower level, resulting in a much smoother and balanced tasting coffee.
Reaching for a refreshing option
Cold coffee beverages are definitely more popular in the warmer climates of the US (no surprise there). However, in the past few years research has shown that instead of grabbing another cup of sub-par lukewarm coffee from the office break room, people are instead reaching for cold caffeine for their afternoon pick me up. To encourage this afternoon caffeine fix some coffee chains offer special Happy Hour deals on cold coffee drinks purchased after 2 pm.
Choosing cold brew for your caffeine addiction is also healthier than reaching for high-sugar, high-chemically laden energy drinks. Cold brew is actually so smooth and creamy by itself that most people don’t even need to add cream or sugar. Recently coffee companies have started to offer cold brew on tap, much like you would serve beer at a brewery. You can find nitro cold brew, cold brew with foam, and now even flavored foams (like vanilla or caramel) have become a popular choice for those people with a little sweet tooth.
If you’ve never tried cold brew coffee before make sure to head on over to your local coffee shop (they’ll have it, trust us), and ask for a sample. Most places are happy to let you try it before you take the plunge into purchasing an entire cup for yourself.
Better yet, if you’re already a lover of cold brew and your workplace doesn’t offer this awesome perk for employees, become the office hero and request that it be considered. Happy employees are hard-working employees who won’t waste time leaving the office for coffee if they can find it right in their own breakroom.
To find out more about having delicious, premium cold brew coffee served in your office visit us here.
