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, often by pouring it over ice. Cold brew, on the other hand, is never heated. It is extracted cold, over a long period, by slow infusion in water at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

This process fundamentally changes the coffee's flavor profile. 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 to obtain 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 ready in the fridge to serve the next morning.

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

Result: you can drink a cold brew without added sugar and find it naturally pleasant. For many people who found coffee too acidic or 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, softened by the ice dilution. It’s good, but not subtle.

Cold brew is smoother, more concentrated, and can be kept up to two weeks in the fridge without losing its qualities. It’s a product of patience and planning.

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

Cold brew at Carrera Café

Summer in Petit Champlain is hot. The cobblestones heat up, terraces come alive, and we look for something refreshing that doesn’t sacrifice quality. That’s exactly where cold brew stands out.

At Carrera Café, cold brew is made with beans selected for their natural sweetness in cold extraction. Served on ice or plain, it’s a summer break worth taking your time for. Because a good coffee, whether hot or cold, is meant to be savored. Never rushed.

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