Behind the trend: Cold brew coffee
We take a look at the latest movement in the ever-evolving coffee world - cold brew.
In the beginning...
Not to be confused with iced coffee or frappé, cold-brew uses an age-old method – the Japanese were brewing coffee this way centuries ago. Coarsely ground coffee is submerged in cold water and left to ‘distil’ for several hours. This creates a super-concentrated, turbo-charged coffee extract, which is then diluted to serve.
Then...
Coffee culture went global in the 1990s as café chains boomed. The more artisan-minded looked to trailblazing regions like Australasia – home of the now-ubiquitous flat white. Independent roasteries experienced a surge in business and UK sales of instant coffee dipped in 2014. We became a nation of cafetière-plunging, home-grinding bean devotees.
Now...
The range of coffee products has gone from strength to strength in the UK, and many cafés have
embraced cold-brew coffee, where it’s often served in chic bottles from British brands like Sandows London and Yorkshire’s Artemis. Whittard has taken a leaf out of independent coffee retailers’ books and sells a jug for making your own cold-brew at home.
Make your own
In Japan, cold-brew coffee is often made in elaborate glass contraptions, but you don’t need a fancy piece of kit. Replicate the jar or bottle method by steeping coarsely ground coffee in water in a large glass jar or jug at room temperature. Cover with a lid or cling film and leave it for around 24 hours, then strain the mix into a jug through a muslin-lined sieve. Dilute the essence with some water, then serve on ice with your milk of choice.
Explore the trend...
Buy a cold brew coffee pot
Discover cold brew coffee recipes and infographics on Pinterest
Visit our Behind the Trends hub for month by month reports on the hottest food and drink
From August 2016
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