It’s easy to assume that cold brew coffee is meant to be sipped on ice only. You might be surprised to learn that’s not the case — you can also enjoy cold-brewed coffee heated. So what’s the difference between cold brew and coffee anyway, and why does it have cold in its name if you can drink it warm? If you’re confused, there are a few differences to keep in mind.
Regular coffee is brewed at a hot temperature, but cold brew coffee is steeped based on time, not temperature. To make cold brew, you steep coffee beans in cold water for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, which is typically the best steep time for cold brew. Meanwhile, hot coffee is made by pouring hot water over ground coffee beans, and is ready in just minutes. So for comparison, cold brew is different from something like iced coffee, because iced coffee is typically made from hot-brewed coffee that has been cooled down, while cold brew is as it sounds, cold-brewed instead of hot-brewed.
Besides the method of making the coffee, there are also differences in flavor between cold brew coffee and regular coffee. Cold brew coffee tends to be less acidic and less bitter than regular heat-brewed coffee. That’s why, if someone is sensitive to the acid levels in regular coffee and gets an upset stomach from it, they may want to drink cold brew coffee warmed up. Or, they may just prefer the generally smoother flavor of cold brew.
How to properly heat cold brew coffee
If you want to try your cold brew warmed up, there are a few ways to go about heating it for the perfect up of coffee. The key is to make sure you don’t overheat or burn the cold brew, which can change the taste. One method for heating cold brew is to warm it up in a pan on the stove. A heat-safe kettle also works, and you can just pour the brew right into the kettle. There’s one thing to be aware of getting wrong when making cold brew, and that’s making sure that you add water to the cold brew concentrate. The concentrate is not meant to be drunk as it is. After you do this, add the desired amount of milk or cream, and then let it simmer for a bit. Just be sure not to let the cold brew reach a boil. Another trick is to add a tiny bit of salt to the concentrate while heating it, which can help keep the flavor from tasting too bitter.
Finally, stay away from the microwave, as it’s a mistake you need to avoid for better cold brew. Heating in the microwave won’t mix the concentrate and water as well as on the stove, possibly then affecting the taste. It’s also easier to overheat it in the microwave. If you must use a microwave, try heating your cold brew in 30 second increments, stirring each time.
