Some Like it Chilled: Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee
One of the best things about coffee is that it can be served in numerous ways. Sometimes you would like your coffee piping hot, and there are times when you’d want it ice cold in a warm afternoon. If you’re an avid coffee fan, there are times when you just want your regular caffeine boost served cold. Cold coffee has gained popularity throughout the years, and almost every coffee shop around the corner has this variation on their menu. Two of the most famous types of coffee are iced coffee and cold brew. Although they may sound exactly the same to some people, these two are two different types of coffee. What are iced coffee and cold brew? More importantly, what makes the two different from each other?
It’s the brew
Iced coffee has been one of the crowd-favorite types of coffee. Amusing enough, it is exactly what it sounds like. Iced coffee is basically your regular brewed coffee served over ice. The process of making it is straightforward. First, the coffee is brewed as normal, then it is cooled down before being poured to a cup with ice.Cold brew, on the other hand, is not as simple as iced coffee. What sets it apart is the brewing process. To make cold brew, ground coffee is steeped in cold or room temperature water for 12-24 hours. As the time of storage gets longer, the stronger the flavor becomes. After letting it sit for some time, the coffee grounds are then filtered out, resulting in a rich and strong coffee concentrate that can be mixed with milk or poured over ice.
On flavor and taste
With different brewing methods, both iced coffee and cold brew give distinct flavors. In terms of acidity, cold brew tends to be easier on your stomach, for oils and tannins are extracted during the prolonged steeping process. Due to this, cold brew is also likely to have a less bitter taste. Iced coffee generally gives a thinner taste than cold brew, due to the melting ice. To equalize the taste, most people put twice the amount of regular coffee grounds in their iced coffee, while some put their cooled coffee to ice trays and pour their coffee to the ice cubes. Although it tends to have a thinner taste, iced coffee can be purchased at a much cheaper price.
