What are the main differences between hot and cold-brewed coffee? This is a question that we often receive when discussing various brewing methods. The great thing is that both methods are relatively easy to execute at home. Here are a few of the main points that differ between the two methods:
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Brewing Time: Hot-brewed coffee is typically extracted very quickly, usually over the course of four minutes or less. In contrast, cold-brewed coffee is a much longer process, typically lasting around 16 hours for our Cold Brew blend.
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Brewing Method: Hot-brew coffee uses either a drip coffee maker or a French press along with some type of filter, usually made of paper or metal. Cold-brew coffee relies on an extended period of contact with water to extract the delicious flavors. We generally recommend using some type of filter bag to hold the coarsely ground coffee beans.
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Caffeine Content: We generally find that cold-brew coffee has a higher level of caffeine compared to its hot-brew counterpart. In general, the amount of time that the coffee is in contact with water will have a direct correlation with how much caffeine is extracted.
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Flavor Profiles: Hot water tends to extract brighter notes and more acidity than brewing with cold water. You will typically find that coffee brewed with cold water tends to be smoother with more sweetness and slightly lower acidity.
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Serving Temperature: As the name suggests, hot-brewed coffee is served hot, while cold-brewed coffee is typically served chilled or over ice. You may notice some seasonality in consumption since drinkers often prefer the inverse of the weather conditions when they consume their coffee.
One fun experiment to conduct at home is to brew the same type of coffee, both hot and cold, and compare the differences. As always, please reach out to us for any brewing tips that you may need.