Recently we changed the way we do our cold brew coffee. Traditionally, cold brew is simply made by soaking ground coffee in room temperature water for 8 to 12 hours. This method works, but is very slow and is a challenge to clean up after. The coffee tower used a glass bowl to drip ice water onto coffee grounds. The water slowly seeps through the coffee and collects in the carafe below. The whole process takes about 3 hours and is really cool to watch.
Why Cold Brew?
Cold brewing takes time. However, it brings out only the best elements of the coffee. About 90% of the flavor elements and the normal caffeine content come through this way, while only about 15% of the oils and acids. It does taste different from normal brewed coffee. Cold brewing makes a coffee concentrate that most people like, giving a lot of the coffee flavor without the harsh taste. The flavor elements you like about a given coffee will probably be up to twice as strong, yet the overall brew will have far less bite and acidity.
