【Cold Brew Coffee】How long should it be brewed? How long does it take to keep it in the refrigerator for best taste?

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Summer comes early in Guangzhou, and the sunny days are here again! It's time to drink something cold, O(∩_∩)O haha~ Let's continue with cold brew coffee! Some time ago, we compared different proportions of cold brew coffee for flavored beans [Sidamo·Oiran]. [1:12] The taste is just right without ice, suitable for friends who don't have ice at home to drink directly; [1:10] The nutty flavor is rich and has a rich sense of layering. Even if ice is added, the taste will not be thin after the ice melts, and the flavor becomes clearer; [1:8] The taste is rich and the fruit flavor is rich, like a glass of fruit juice. The nutty flavor becomes obvious after diluting with ice.

The above ratios are all soaked for 12 hours. So for flavored beans, is 12 hours of cold soaking the best? Let's compare them with an experiment! This time, we selected [Sidamo Zhumang] beans, which are also flavored beans and are from the same production area. We soaked them for 24 hours , 12 hours , 8 hours , and 4 hours with a [1:10] ratio of powder to water. Then we filtered them out at the same time to compare the differences between them.

Let’s review the extraction method of cold brew first.

How to do it:

1. Pour coffee powder into the bottle;

2. Then add drinking water;

3. Use the stirring rod to stir a few times to allow the coffee powder to fully soak;

4. Tighten the bottle cap and put it in the refrigerator for low-temperature soaking and low-temperature fermentation;

5. After fermentation is completed;

6. Use filter paper and filter cup to filter the coffee into the empty bottle;

7. Now the [cold brew coffee] is ready and can be enjoyed immediately or stored in the refrigerator (the recommended best tasting period is within 3 days, no more than 7 days)

Experimental testing beans

【Sidamo Candlelight】

Producing area: Sidamo, Ethiopia

Altitude: 1750-2000m

Treatment method: sun treatment

Variety: Local native species

Roasting degree: light roast

Experiment starts:

The same experimental parameters are: coffee powder to water ratio 1:10/20g coffee powder/200ml water/grinding degree BG-5B

Comparison of cold brew time: 24 hours/12 hours/8 hours/4 hours

【24 hours】Flavor : caramel, fermented fruit, nuts, hazelnuts, chocolate, cream, tropical fruits, jackfruit, raisins; the overall feeling is rich, with mature tropical fruit flavor, rich nutty flavor and mellow taste.

[12 hours] Flavor: lemon, citrus, honey, pineapple, cream, cane sugar, plum, nuts, almonds, macadamia; the overall flavor is soft and sour, with distinct flavor layers and a balanced sweet and sour aftertaste.

[8 hours] Flavor: mint liqueur, cream, hazelnut, orange, pineapple, macadamia, cream, melon; the overall flavor is relatively fresh and the mouthfeel is relatively soft.

[4 hours] Flavor: durian, wine, orange, citrus, nuts, cocoa, floral; the overall taste is relatively thin, the aroma is more obvious, and it is mainly composed of citrus fruit flavor.

After comparing the flavors of the above four different cold brewing times, the editor found that the flavor of [ 24 hours] is the most complex and rich. This may be because the longest soaking time extracts the ingredients in the coffee more completely, and the water saturation is the highest. [ 12 hours] also has rich layers, but not as complex as [ 24 hours] . It will transition from the sweet and sour taste at the entrance to the sweet taste, and then to the nutty flavor when the sweet taste comes back. This may be because its extraction rate is not as high as [12 hours]. It extracts more molecules with lively fruit flavors, and less lazy molecules such as nut flavors. Therefore, its flavor layers are clearly transitioned from sour, sweet, bitter, and sweet aftertaste. [ 8 hours] The flavor will be relatively fresh and clean. This also extracts more fruit flavors, but the time is shorter, so the flavor layers are not as rich as those with longer time, but the overall feeling will be better. The fruit and nut flavors are relatively soft, and the sweet aftertaste is also sweet sucrose. [ 4 hours] The overall taste is relatively thin, but the aroma is sufficient. This may be because the soaking time is relatively short, so the aroma is not worn away a lot during the fermentation process, and the extraction rate is relatively the least, so it will be more inclined to the sourness of citrus fruits, and the nutty flavor is relatively weak.

Many times, we cannot finish drinking it all at once. Often, because we make a lot, we will filter out the coffee liquid and keep it in the refrigerator. So what will it become after putting it in the refrigerator?

So I put them all in the refrigerator, took them out after 35 hours and compared them again

【35 hours】

[24 hours] Flavor : spices, cocoa, caramel, fermented wine, nuts; the overall nutty spice flavor is relatively strong, and the flavor will be the most complex.

[12 hours] Flavor: fermented fruit wine, monk fruit, chocolate, cream, almond, caramel; the overall sweetness is the highest, and the aftertaste is rich.

[8 hours] Flavor: cocoa, citrus, orange, cream, fermented fruit wine, ripe apple; the overall feeling is a balance of sweet and sour, rich in fruit flavor, like a cup of fruit tea

[4 hours] Flavor: durian, cream, kumquat, hazelnut, lemon; the overall taste is relatively thin and the fruity flavor is not rich.

I think after 35 hours of fermentation, their taste, flavor, layering, etc. can be ranked as follows

Strength: 24h>12h>8>8h>4h

Bitterness: 24h>12h>8>4h

Sour taste: 4h>8h>12h>24h

Sweetness: 12h>8h>24h>4h

Flavor level: 12h>24h>8h>4

Summarize

After comparing the flavors of this wave of [Sidamo Zhumang] cold brewed coffee with different soaking times, the editor thinks that if you want to drink it immediately after brewing, you can choose [24 hours] or [12 hours] , if you like a balanced and rich flavor, you can choose [24 hours] , and if you like the sweet and sour taste of juice, you can choose [12 hours] ; if you may not be able to finish it on the same day, the editor thinks that the sweet and sour flavor after fermentation of [12 hours] or [8 hours] is more balanced. Of course, if you like a strong flavor, you can also choose [24 hours].

It seems that [12 hours] is the best choice, because the flavor will not be bad whether it is put back into the refrigerator for fermentation or not. Of course, the specific choice should be based on personal taste and the flavor state of the beans. The reason why [4 hours] is not recommended is that its flavor is not fully extracted at the beginning, and there is not much surprise after fermentation, so the editor does not recommend it.

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