Ever wondered why there is such a large discrepancy between a $4 iced coffee and the $7 nitro cold brew at your local coffee shop? Is there a valid reason for the large gap in prices, or is it all just a trick to get you to spend more money at the register? We will take you through your classic iced coffee to that pricey nitro cold brew and all of the differences you need to know to make you seem like a coffee pro.
Iced Coffee
How it’s Made:
True to its name, iced coffee is just a regular cup of coffee over ice. Made at double strength, this classic brew is made hot so that when it’s poured over and melts over a pitcher of ice, it won’t taste watered down.
How it Tastes:
Tends to be light, refreshing, and a little more acidic than the other cold coffee varieties.
What You’re Paying for:
Iced coffee tends to cost more than its hot coffee because of the extra materials involved, like straws, ice, and plastic cups. This doesn’t sound like a significant expense, but plastic cups can cost up to two times as much as their paper cup counterparts [1].
Cold Brew
Cold Brew has become a hot item over the last couple of years, due to the higher caffeine content and smooth taste [2].
How it’s Made:
The “cold” in “cold brew” doesn’t come from the icy temperature of the coffee, but rather the process of making it. Steeped in cool water at room temperature, cold brew will slowly become the tasty brew we know over 12 to 24 hours. The grounds are then strained out, and the delicious coffee is chilled and served.
How it Tastes:
The hot water used to brew most coffee pulls out some of the most intense and aromatic smells of coffee beans. Because cold brew is made with cold water, it tastes slightly sweeter, milder, and way less acidic than regular iced coffee. Although the aroma and flavor will be less intense than iced coffee, it won’t change over time. So, you can enjoy it a few days in a row without sacrificing flavor.
What You’re Paying For:
Cold-brew can be anywhere from fifty cents to a dollar more than an iced coffee. While this seems like too much to pay for a slightly more sophisticated cold coffee, it’s not quite the injustice it looks.
Not only does the process take way longer, but cold brew also requires about twice the amount of coffee grounds.
Drink it if:
If you want to avoid adding creamer or sweetener but don’t love the taste of plain black coffee, then give cold brew coffee a try. This is also a great option to brew at home if you want a high-quality coffee and don’t mind brewing it a day in advance. There are also lots of cold brew coffee makers that can make the process easier, as well as cold brew concentrate.
Nitro Cold Brew
Nitro is basically a bubblier cold brew that comes from a keg. It gained in popularity from Starbucks creating its line a few years ago.
How its Made:
The coffee is typically first made using the cold brewing process, then poured into a keg where it is then infused with tiny nitrogen bubbles and routed through a pressurized valve to create the “on tap” situation we are all familiar with.
How it Tastes:
The most significant difference between a nitro brew and a cold brew is the texture. While both of these coffees are brewed using cold water, nitro cold brew delivers a super smooth, creamy body with a foamy top, similar to a draught beer.
What You’re Paying For:
If you are going to swap your iced coffee for nitro, be prepared to open your wallet for it. Between the cold brew process, the nitrogen infusion, and the costly equipment needed to make and store it, nitro cold brew costs more than your average cup of joe.
Drink it if:
You want something foamy, but you are trying to avoid creamers or sweeteners, and you don’t mind doling out the money for it.
Try it for Yourself
If you are a fan of cold brew but don’t want to go through the effort of brewing it yourself, our cold brew coffee shots offer a deliciously smooth coffee experience with the added boost of essential vitamins B1, B5, B6, B9, B12, and D3.
This convenient, on-the-go shot uses organic, fair-trade dark roast coffee beans sourced from small farms in Peru with an extremely smooth, bold cold brew coffee taste and a pleasant aroma. The unique infusion of vitamins and natural caffeine from green coffee beans makes this shot the perfect way to WAKE UP your body and brain.
REFERENCES
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[1]https://www.amnews.com/2017/04/23/comparing-the-costs-of-disposable-reusable-cups/
[2]https://www.thedailymeal.com/drink/your-cold-brew-coffee-might-have-lot-more-caffeine-you-think