Cold Brew and Iced Coffee may sound like the same thing, but once you try both of them, you're sure to tell a difference. Did you know that consumers are willing to pay at least $0.50 more for cold brew than iced coffee? Cold brew tends to have lower acidity, greater caffeine content, and a sweeter taste, but that's only a few of the benefits.
The name "cold brew" actually comes from the way the coffee is brewed, rather than it referring to the temperature. Cold Brew is made by immersing coarse coffee grounds in cold water, and letting it steep for 12–36 hours. Once the grounds are filtered out, a concentrate is made that is often diluted. This concentrate can be used to make either hot or cold coffee drinks.
Unlike cold brew, iced coffee is brewed with a traditional drip coffee brewer. It is then cooled down, and poured over ice to create a cold coffee drink. Iced coffee has all of the same flavor profiles as hot drip coffee, it is just served at a cooler temperature.
There are many benefits to cold brew, whether you are drinking it or serving it. While the high caffeine content is a great benefit to those looking for an extra boost, so is the longer shelf life, and the new brewing systems available, such as the Cold Brew 'N' Serv™, make it easy to store large quantities.These benefits are explained more in-depth in our white paper, download available below.
Curious about cold brew evolution, iced coffee vs. cold brew, cold brew best practices, and more? Download the full Service Ideas Cold Brew White Paper.