I had some close friends from Australia in town not too long ago, and distinctly remember going to a coffee shop with them and hearing one of them ask if they had cold brew, and when the barista declined, I was confused. I had been to that coffee shop several times prior, and the iced coffee was my go-to… so was it just that they had run out? What kind of a coffee shop runs out of coffee at 11am? My view of cold brew coffee at the time was traditional coffee over ice, but as an obvious coffee amateur, little did I know that it is so much more than that. Okay, maybe not that much more, but still different.
The difference between hot brew and cold brew coffee is that rather than being brewed in a matter of minutes in hot water, the coffee grounds are steeped in cold, or room temperature water for 12-24 hours. The brewing process may not seem as though it affects the coffee, but much to my dismay, the coffee flavor is dramatically altered (and personally I like it better). Black coffee is known for its bite and acidity that usually is scaled back with some cream and sugar, but cold brew is much smoother and less acidic. Being less acidic, it is be better for your teeth and stomach. The health effects are not drastically different from that of hot brewed coffee, although it may require less cream and sugar, since it lacks the strong bite.
Before Starbucks began offering the trendy new way to drink coffee, few Americans were aware of it, and still may be reluctant to try cold brew. Like any trend, cold brew is rapidly spreading, but is here to stay as it becomes more popular. I urge you to go out and try cold brew coffee, where it is available and be enlightened because it is a new coffee experience for all you addicts out there.
Where to find cold brew in Salt Lake:
Starbucks
- Starbucks in the campus store
Dunkin Donuts
Pre-bottled at grocery stores
The Coffee Room @ 179 west 900 south
La Barba Coffee at 327 west 200 south
- Café Madsen by La Barba, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Business