A cup of coffee brewed with cold and not hot water? How well will that go as your daily dosage of caffeine? What is a nitro cold brew coffee, how is it made, and what different ways can you enjoy it? All these questions have come into place as Nitro infused cold brew beverages are growing in popularity. They come in different styles and varieties and the wonders about their uniqueness have to be unraveled.
This article would be answering all these questions and other things you need to know about nitro cold brew coffee.
What is Nitro Coffee?
Have you seen the famous Guinness stout in all its glory before? Yes, exactly with the same micro-foam effect but not taste.
Nitro coffee is cold brewed coffee that has been infused with nitrogen. The nitrogen imparts two important elements to the drink: an extra richness and
sweetness to the taste, and an incredible visual element consisting of millions of cascading micro-bubbles. The nitro infusion gives it an extra dose of coolness, in terms of both temperature and swagger.
It is Always Served in Transparent Glass to
showcase the impressive micro-foam effect it brings. Lighter-bodied, fruity African roasts or the firm chocolate and nut undertones typical of South American roasts are an excellent combination with it.
When it is brewed with cold instead of hot water, it turns into a ‘nitro cold brew coffee.’ Coffee shops often serve nitro cold-brew on tap from kegs.
How to Make Nitro Cold Brew Keg
There are two ways of turning a cold brew coffee into nitro coffee. They are;
- Pre-infusing kegs with nitrogen
- Inline Nitro infusion
Pre-infusing Kegs with Nitrogen
Pre-infusion kegs are a great and affordable way to make nitro coffee. It is done through the process of pressurizing the kegs of cold brew coffee at high pressures (typically 35PSI or higher) for some time. Since you cannot wait for days to make your nitro coffee, you can speed up the process of the gas infusing into liquid by ensuring your liquid is as cold as possible when infusing your kegs. This is because gasses absorb better into colder liquid than warm or room temperature liquid. Also, using a Quick cascade keg lid to infuse the keg with nitrogen gas will allow you to serve nitro coffee in a matter of minutes and maintain those rich frothy pours for the life of the keg.
Inline Nitro Infusion
This method is more expensive but time conservative. Rather than pre-infusing kegs to achieve a rich froth nitro pour, all you need to do is to hook up your flat keg of cold brew and you are good to go!
The Inline nitro infuser simply mounts inside your existing draft system and turns a keg of flat cold brew coffee into nitro coffee inline as you pour. There is no need for extra time to Pre-infuse the kegs.
How to Make Nitro Cold Brew Coffee at Home
Things needed:
- Coarse ground coffee beans
- Cold or room temperature water
- Strain(e.g paper coffee filter or reusable cheesecloth)
- Whipped cream dispenser
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Grind the Beans
Grind roasted whole coffee beans to a medium-coarse texture with a burr coffee grinder. In case you bought your coffee from a local coffee shop, you can ask your barista for a coarse grind and let them know it’s for cold brew.
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Mix the Ground with Room Temperature(or cold) Water
Mix a third of a cup of ground coffee with one-and-a-half cups of filtered water in a jar or another airtight container that is just large enough to hold the coffee. Ensure your container is airtight because if there’s too much air in the jar, the coffee can oxidize and produce off-flavours.
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Allow the Mixture to Steep
Allow the coffee to sit out at room temperature for 12 hours or refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.
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Strain
Strain the coffee through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or paper coffee filter. You now have cold-brew coffee concentrate that you can combine with water in a 1:1 coffee-to-water ratio. Store your cold brew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
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Mix Coffee Concentrate with Water
Making a cold brew at home simply means making coffee concentrate to be diluted with additional water. For every 2 cups of cold brew, combine 1 cup of cold-brew concentrate with 1 cup of cold water.
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Infuse Your Cold Brew with Nitrogen
Pour your cold-brew coffee into a whipped cream dispenser and seal. Charge with one nitrous oxide cartridge and shake for 30 seconds. Let sit until the canister feels cold to the touch, about 30 seconds longer. Holding a pint glass at a slight angle, dispense the coffee through the spout and into the glass and enjoy!
Tip: To achieve a thick, foamy ‘head’ on your
Nitro coffee and a paper strainer/filter are recommended. It will filter more oils out of the coffee, which will help build a foamier pour.
How To Drink Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
To enjoy your thick nitro cold brew coffee, you should
- Shake it thoroughly because the nitrogen does not get released so easily.
- Enjoy the splashing view as you are opening it; distance yourself from people a little bit if they do not seem interested in your adventure.
- Watch the nitrogen bubbles cascade to the top to escape the beverage. This prepares you for the caffeine adventure you are about to experience.
Difference Between Nitro and Cold Brew
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Process
Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in water at room temperature for about 12 to 24 hours while nitro coffee is you taking cold brew and infusing it with nitrogen bubbles to create a smoother, richer texture.
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Texture
The main difference between nitro and cold brew coffee is the texture. Cold brew seems syrupy or thick which comes from the long hours of the soaking process. It boasts the consistency that iced coffee does not. Nitro coffee is a cold brew charged with nitrogen and the result is a smoother and richer texture, along with a foam head, which is highly palatable.
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Taste
Cold-brew has a slightly sweeter, smoother, and less acidic profile. It tastes less bitter and a bit milder than your average iced coffee. Nitro coffee is a cold brew charged with nitrogen and pulled from a bar tap like a thick stout beer, which boasts a similarly smooth and creamy texture. The nitro coffee, however, delivers super smooth and natural chocolaty undertones in the coffee, creating a slightly sweet flavour.
Faqs About How to Drink Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
Can You Drink Nitro Cold Brew Out of the Can?
Nitro cold brew coffee like nitro cold brew Starbucks now comes in ready-to-drink-cans. So, you can crack one open right at the crack of dawn anywhere.
How long does nitro cold brew last?
So as long as the cans are kept refrigerated, they have a shelf life of 10 months. Just make sure to enjoy the best-by-date on the bottom of the can.
Do You Add Anything to Nitro Cold Brew?
Depending on how you like to enjoy the coffee, you may add caramel, hazelnut or vanilla syrup.
Is Nitro Cold Brew Good With Milk?
Nitro cold brew is naturally sweet and creamy. However, if you like your drink sweeter, milkier, and creamier, then go ahead and add milk to it.
Can You Drink Nitro Cold Brew Hot?
The simple answer is yes! Nitro coffee is not only served cold, it’s possible to enjoy it as a hot drink because cold brew is only a brewing method and not a type of drink. You can have it as you wish.
Final words
Coffee adventure seems to be endless. Nitro cold brew coffee is another great coffee you should try out. The nitrogen-infused coffee is a must-try for adventurous caffeine lovers!
