It used to be that if you wanted your coffee served cold, you would pour it over ice. This resulted in a watered-down, bitter beverage that was devoid of flavor. Fortunately, the process of cold brewing has become the method of choice for many coffee shops these days. Maleko Coffee and Pastries in Honolulu, HI, prides themselves on using sophisticated techniques to produce full-bodied, flavorful cold brew. 

Technique

Iced coffee is made by pouring warm coffee over ice. The process of cold brewing is more involved, however. First, coffee is ground on a medium-coarse setting, instead of a finer ground used in a traditional method. It’s then steeped in room temperature water for at least 12 hours and filtered to remove sediment. Whereas iced coffee uses heat for production, cold brew uses time.

Flavor

While drip coffee is robust and full of flavors that balance out its bitterness, once it’s added to ice, it becomes weaker. This results in a loss of taste, leaving behind only the bitterness. Since cold brew is never heated, the qualities that are extracted during the steeping process remain once poured over ice. The end product is a full-bodied brew with a more nuanced flavor palate.

Acidity

The term “acidity” is used in the coffee world to describe an astringent quality, rather than a measurement on the pH scale. While acidity can be a welcomed quality in a warm drink, in cold drinks, it often presents itself as sour or tangy. Cold brew coffee is considered less acidic than iced coffee, which means the astringency is bright and sharp rather than sour.

Cold coffee lovers have embraced the process of cold brewing with good reason, as it is more flavorful and robust than the iced variety. Maleko Coffee and Pastries in Honolulu serves up handcrafted beverages using time-tested techniques to ensure quality. Their pastries are made fresh daily and served straight from their kitchen. To learn more about their offerings, visit them online or call (808) 561-2846 today.