Coffee drinkers often choose between nitro cold brew or cold brew coffee, but what makes one different from the other?
The fundamental distinction between cold brew and nitro cold brew is the addition of nitrogen gas, that gives the latter a creamy, frothy head. Additionally, nitro cold brew tastes a little bit sweeter than ordinary cold brew.
Which is better, then? That’s up for discussion, but to aid in your decision-making, let’s take a more detailed look at the two beverages. Let’s get going.
How does Cold Brew Coffee work?
Unquestionably, among the most well-liked and straightforward methods of brewing coffee is cold brew, which can be found practically anywhere you walk in coffee shops throughout the globe.
Despite the fact that cold brew is not particularly novel, its distinctive flavour and possible health advantages have made it a worldwide sensation.
The coarsely ground coffee is allowed to steep in water at ambient temperature for 12 to 24 hours to absorb the coffee’s colour, flavour, and caffeine, unlike iced coffee, which begins off as hot coffee.
After the grounds have been strained, you’ll have cold brew concentrate, which you may drink with milk or a milk substitute.
Nitro Cold Brew: What is it?
Although many people are aware of and even tried nitro coffee, some are still unsure of its actual ingredients, production process, or purpose.
As the name implies, nitro cold brew is just another, somewhat different version of the already well-liked cold brew coffee. The texture is the primary distinction between the two.
Nitro is essentially cold coffee that has been injected with flavourless nitrogen gas. A cold brew is given a nitrogen infusion, which gives it a smoother, richer, and velvetier texture. The texture and sense of weight are actually provided by the nitrogen.
What Are the Differences & Similarities Between Cold Brew and Nitro Cold Brew?
It’s time to compare cold brew and turbo cold brew drinks now that we have discussed what they are.
- Taste differences
Delicate coffee notes make up the flavour profile of cold brew. Cold brew has a milder flavour and is less acidic than iced coffee (or other coffees that use heat during the roasting process) (the heat brings out the acidity of coffee).
Many times, cold brew is served with ice, while certain drinkers like to add milk and sugar. There is no real thick taste or fizziness, just a straightforward texture. Similar to consuming water.
Nitro cold brew, on the other hand, features a thicker and creamier texture due to the presence of nitrogen bubbles. These nitrogen bubbles give the drink a texture similar to steamed milk (micro-foam).
Nitro cold brew is also slightly sweeter than cold brew.
2. The Process of Preparation
The brewing procedure is largely the same for both cold brew or nitro cold brew drinks. It takes 18 to 24 hours to soak coarsely ground beans of coffee in cold water for both coffee drinks.
As we’ve seen, there are two ways to prepare cold brew: either as a finished product that is ready to drink, or as a concentrate that requires a greater brewing ratio (beans to water ratio) and must be diluted with ice and water before consumption.
When the brewing is finished, your cold brew will be available. Water, coffee, and time are the only things needed for this very easy procedure.
3. The Levels of Caffeine
Per usual cup, nitro cold brew has more caffeine than cold brew. Because of the dilution caused by the nitrogen bubbles, as was mentioned above, additional coffee beans are utilised to make nitro cold brew.
A typical cup of cold brew (8 ounces) contains 100 mg of caffeine on average, whereas a nitrogen cold brew has about 140 mg.
4. The Cost
When you order nitro cold brew online or at your neighbourhood coffee shop, it costs more than cold brew. This is due to the specialised machinery required to pressurise the coffee and add nitrogen to it. The discrepancy could be ranging from 20 cents to $1.
Conclusion
To sum up, both Starbucks cold brew & nitro cold brew are potent drinks, but due to way they are made, they have different flavour profiles and textures.
Coffee beans that have been coarsely ground are soaked in cold water to create Starbucks cold brew, which is then strained to remove the concentrate.
On the contrary hand, adding nitrogen to cold brew results in nitro. Nitro cold brew is distinct from standard cold brew because the nitrogen improves the texture and flavour of it. brew.
Therefore, depending on which texture you prefer, I believe you now know which drink suits your preferences.