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Cold brew coffee paved its way into the Aussie coffee scene several years back, and now it’s hard to come by a coffee shop that isn’t serving the stuff. We’ve caught onto the trend too, so much so that we just had to include a grab-and-go, shelf stable cold brew in this month’s GoodnessMe Box for you guys (you’re welcome ☺).
Here’s everything you need to know on our current drink of choice, and check out the last bit of this post for an awesome smoothie-style iced coffee RECIPE!
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold brew coffee is made from coffee beans that have been soaked in water (ideally, filtered water) at room temperature for 12-24 hours. The result? A coffee concentrate, which you can drink topped up with filtered water or your milk of choice (coconut or almond milk for me, thanks).
Is cold brew less acidic than regular coffee?
Yep, cold brew coffee tends to be significantly less acidic than your regular coffee (note that the acidity - or pH – will vary between brands and varieties of brews).
What are the health benefits of cold brew coffee?
If you have a sensitive gut and find a cup of coffee gives you the runs, stomachache, indigestion or nausea, you might find a less acidic cold brew blend – like one from Minor Figures - easier to digest or tolerate…yay for enjoying coffee again!
I also always recommend avoiding coffee on an empty stomach and having it with a meal instead so that it’s gentler on your gut.
How long does it take to make cold brew coffee?
Depending on who’s brewing it and the result you’re after, 12-24 hours.
How do you make cold brew coffee?
The trio behind Minor Figures, Jonathan Chiu, Stuart Forsyth and Will Rixon (Jonathan and Stuart are from Melbourne, of course!), use an immersion method; here, in-season, single-origin coffee beans go directly into an oxygen and temperature-controlled tank filled with cold filtered water. 18 hours later, the coffee is filtered out, the team ensuring all the coffee grounds are caught for a clean, premium end-product.
Don’t worry guys, we’re not suggesting you start a cold filter coffee production line at home! Minor Figures’ tagline is ‘Don’t make coffee’, because they’ve made it for you…their cold brew blends come in grab-and-go poppers for when you need coffee NOW, or when don’t have time to wait in line at your local coffee joint.
What does cold brew coffee taste like?
A cup of creamy heaven that’s sweeter, smoother and lighter-tasting than regular coffee! If you usually find coffee too harsh, cold-brew might be the answer for you; the bitter compounds tend to be the ones that aren’t extracted in cold brew coffee, and because the coffee beans are processed in cold water, they aren’t broken down or oxidised to the same degree that they would be in hot water.
RECIPE: Cold Pressed Caramel Coffee Smoothie
Say see-ya to commercial iced coffee, and whip this creamy concoction up in two minutes instead. The star ingredient? Minor Figures Iced Coffee, which has three times less sugar than most iced coffees from the servo or supermarket – and no funny coffee powders or flavours, just the real deal!
Ingredients
serves 1
- 1 very ripe banana, peeled, sliced and frozen
- 1 Medjool date, pitted
- 1 Minor Figures popper (their Straight Black or Coconut Cold Brew if you’re dairy
free, or if you do dairy, there’s one with Organic Milk) - 3 drops vanilla extract (or a pinch of vanilla powder)
- 5 ice cubes
- Tiny pinch salt
Method
- Blend until smooth and frothy. Cheers to good coffee, and coffee that’s good for you!
How do you have your coffee? Let us know in the comments below!