What exactly is cold brew?

Cold brew is often confused with iced coffee. They are two very different things. Iced coffee is hot coffee that is cooled down, often by pouring it over ice. Cold brew, on the other hand, is never heated. It is cold-extracted over a long period, through slow infusion in water at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

This process fundamentally changes the flavor profile of the coffee. Hot water extracts coffee compounds quickly and quite aggressively, producing acidity, bitterness, and intense notes. Cold water extracts more slowly, favoring natural sugars, chocolatey and fruity notes, and producing a naturally smoother, rounder result, with much less acidity.

The basic recipe: simplicity and patience

The method is deliberately simple. You take coarsely ground coffee, mix it with cold water in an approximate ratio of 1:4 to 1:8 depending on the desired concentration, and let it steep for 12 to 24 hours. Then, you filter it to get the cold brew concentrate.

This concentrate can be drunk as is, diluted with water or milk, poured over ice, or used as a base for more elaborate drinks. Its versatility makes it a very popular product in summer: you can prepare it the night before and have it in the refrigerator ready to serve the next morning.

The beans matter a lot in this method. An Ethiopian coffee with floral and fruity notes will produce a very different cold brew from a Brazilian coffee with chocolate and hazelnut notes. Both are excellent. They simply tell different stories.

Why is cold brew so smooth?

The natural sweetness of cold brew has a precise chemical explanation. Chlorogenic acids, responsible for much of the perceived acidity in hot coffee, are released much less easily at low temperatures. The cold extraction process favors other molecules, particularly those that give sweet and rounded perceptions.

The result: you can drink cold brew without added sugar and find it naturally pleasant. For many people who found coffee too acidic or too bitter, cold brew is a revelation. It's the same bean, the same fruit, but a radically different taste experience depending on the extraction process.

Cold brew, iced coffee, or nitro: the differences

Classic iced coffee is the simplest: hot coffee poured over ice. It retains the acidity and bitterness of hot coffee, mitigated by the dilution of the ice. It's good, but it's not subtle.

Cold brew is smoother, more concentrated, and can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator without losing its qualities. It is a product of patience and planning.

Nitro cold brew takes the experience even further: cold brew is infused with nitrogen under pressure, which gives it a creamy texture and a dense foam without the need to add milk. The mouthfeel is almost like a draft beer. It's spectacular and increasingly popular in specialty coffee shops.

Cold brew at Carrera Café

Summer in Petit Champlain is hot. The cobblestones heat up, the terraces come alive, and you look for something refreshing that doesn't sacrifice quality. That's exactly where cold brew comes in.

At Carrera Café, cold brew is made with beans selected for their natural sweetness in cold extraction. Served over ice or neat, it's a summer break that deserves to be savored. Because good coffee, whether hot or cold, is to be enjoyed. Never in a hurry.

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