While you still get the same delicious, signature taste of coffee no matter what type of water you use, there is a distinct difference in the overall flavor profile and mouthfeel of cold brew coffee.
Even though cold brew has more caffeine than some of the other types of coffee, caffeine is not the main reason for the taste difference.
Before we’ll jump into the article, and explain further about the amazing taste of a high-quality cold brew coffee, let’s be aligned, and let me explain in short what exactly is a cold brew coffee and how is it made.
How Cold Brew Coffee Is Made?
Cold brew coffee is made using a couple of methods. Some cold brews will be made by letting coffee grounds steep in the water for at least twelve hours. The water is typically either cold or room temperature.
There are various tools that you can use, some people even make cold brew coffee using a french press.
Another method involves letting cold water drip over coffee grounds very slowly over a long period of time.
When your cold brew is finished, you strain the grounds from the water so there is no sediment left, and add some ice if you’d like.
Why Does Cold Brew Taste Different From Hot Coffee?
Cold-brew coffee tends to have a milder mouthfeel and overall flavor when compared to hot coffee. This is because hot coffee tends to pull out a lot of the compounds within coffee grounds that make coffee more bitter. Since not all people enjoy bitter, acidic coffee, cold brew is a nice alternative.
Cold brew also tends to travel through the body in a much more gentle fashion than hot coffee does. Thus, if you have a sensitive stomach when it comes to coffee, cold brew tends not to have that type of impact on coffee drinkers.
The Different Tastes Of Cold Brew Coffee?
The temperature of the water used can impact the overall taste of cold brew coffee. Your coffee bean of choice, the region the bean was grown in, and the roast of the bean will all also play into the different tastes of cold brew coffee.
As with hot coffee, your bean choice will play a role in how your cold brew tastes. For best results, it’s recommended you purchase whole beans and grind them up before you start the cold brew process. This will result in the freshest flavor, just as it does with hot coffee.
Why Does My Cold Brew Coffee Taste Weird?
Your cold brew might taste weird because it’s not actually cold brew. It may actually be iced coffee, which typically consists of hot brewed coffee being stored in the fridge in some kind of jug and subsequently being poured over ice before it’s served.
Your cold brew could also taste weird if you don’t use the right grind size with the right brewing method. If you want to use the steeping method to make cold brew at home, which tends to be the easiest, you want to grind up your coffee to a coarse grind for best results. A medium grind is recommended when you’re using the drip method for cold brew.
If you haven’t found the right balance of coffee to water, it may also result in your coffee either being too watery or too gritty. Coffee aficionados have perfected the art of the ratio, finding that for every gram of coffee, you should use 15 to 17 milliliters of water.
Final Thoughts
Simply enough, cold brew coffee tastes different because it’s made using cold water. It can take some tinkering with beans, grind size, and steep time to get a cup of cold brew that suits your taste. Just like with hot coffee, there are tricks to making a beautiful cold brew at home should you prefer a colder cup to a steaming cup of coffee.
