Based on an ancient Peruvian practice, cold brewing has been around in the U.S. for forty years, but has only recently gained wide popularity. In the cold-brewing process, time replaces heat, and freshly ground coffee beans are immersed in cold water for 12-24 hours, creating a cold coffee concentrate that can be used for iced coffee, in recipes calling for coffee flavoring, and for hot coffee. When refrigerated, the cold coffee concentrate can remain fresh for about two weeks.

Solubility
The difference between the end product of hot- and cold-brewed coffees hinges on the solubility of coffee compounds. A roasted coffee bean contains many compounds that are extracted during the brewing process, both hot and cold. However, some of those compounds, including certain oils and fatty acids, are soluble only at high temperatures.

So, while cold brewing extracts flavor compounds out of the beans, as well as some of the caffeine, it leaves behind the oils and fatty acids. The result is coffee having about 67% less acid and a fraction of the caffeine of hot-brewed coffee. These oils and fatty acids, including ketons, esters and amids, are the easily recognizable oily droplets one sees in coffee that contribute to coffee’s characteristically enticing bite.

More Consumers
Coffee with two-thirds less acid is a clear boon to coffee drinkers who suffer from acid indigestion or Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disorder, or GERD. For many, it may determine whether they drink coffee, limit intake or switch to other beverages. That means cold-brewing offers the opportunity to keep consumers in the category and attract a new potential audience of coffee drinker.

For iced coffee and other cold coffee drinks, this low-acid coffee offers full-bodied, rich flavor with a sweeter taste profile that can meet the requirements of a wide variety of recipes. It also offers a delicately balanced, distinctively smooth flavor preferred by some consumers. In recipes, it has the advantage of mixing cold. And, heated, it offers stomach-sensitive consumers a quality, low-acid cup of hot coffee.

Recipe
While cold-brewing can be achieved with homespun equipment, precision commercial equipment is available, most notably the Toddy System. In fact, the process was derived from the ancient method in 1964 by Todd Simpson, a chemical engineering graduate of Cornell University and aspiring entrepreneur. His patented cold-brewing system became the Toddy system used by consumers and retailers nationwide.

In simplest terms, making cold-brewed coffee requires mixing one cup of ground coffee to one gallon of water. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for at least twelve hours, and then strain out the grounds using cheesecloth or other filtering materials.

Popularity
Cold-brewing has gained popularity in recent years due to consumers’ evolving tastes, convenience and the ease on stomach-sensitive drinkers while still using your favorite, regular coffee beans and blends. The trend has gotten the attention of the national press, with stories about its growing popularity appearing in Time magazine, The Washington Post, and The Saturday Evening Post.

Today, hundreds of coffeehouses throughout the U.S. use cold-brewing, including Gloria Jean’s, Seattle’s Best, Barnie’s, and Full City Coffee, where a majority use cold-brewed coffee to make their iced coffees and coffee drinks blended with ice. The commercial system is increasingly available at cafes and retail shops throughout the U.S. and in a growing number of countries around the world.

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