Should we all be drinking our coffee cold? Cold-brews ‘tastier and better for body’

It might take some getting used to, especially on a frosty winter morning.

But drinking our coffee cold could be a tastier and healthier way to get our caffeine fix, enthusiasts say.

Fifty years after the Toddy system made it popular in the 1960s, cold-brew coffee is enjoying a resurgence.

Distinct from iced coffee – which is made with a shot of hot espresso poured over ice, often with extra flavourings - cold-brew is made without any heat at all.

Fifty years after the Toddy system made it popular in the 1960s, cold-brew coffee is enjoying a resurgence

Instead, ground coffee is steeped in water for 12 hours and served cold.

Brewing in this way makes the coffee far less acidic (heating releases acidic oils in the bean) which means it is naturally sweeter as well as being better for our bodies.

Tests carried out by Toddy showed that acid levels are typically just a third of those in coffee that has been brewed normally.

Nutritionist Vicki Edgson, author of the alkaline-based diet cookbook Honestly Healthy, said: ‘There are definitely benefits to cold-brewed coffee because it’s more alkaline.

‘The body functions best when in a relatively alkaline state.

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‘Only the stomach is acidic – all the rest of the digestive system is alkaline.’

Making coffee in the usual way with boiling water can also burn the beans, reducing their health benefits, she added.

‘It changes the molecular structure and destroys the beneficial antioxidants.

‘A burnt coffee bean is not good for you.’

There are many commercial devices available to make cold-brew, but fans say it is simple to make at home with just a jar and something to filter it with, such as paper or muslin cloth.

Cold-brew is made without any heat at all

Once brewed, it will keep in the fridge for two or three days.

Amazon UK said a £30 cold-brew device made by Japanese company Hario is now one of one of its biggest-selling coffee pots, while the £13 version sold by online retailer Firebox has sold out.

Ben Redhead, Firebox’s head of buying, said new stock will be delivered next month. ‘We saw an increase in the number of our customers requesting us to get into the cold-brew scene,’ he said.

‘When we did then start selling the cold brew coffee maker, the product quickly became one of our best-selling new launches in the run-up to Christmas.’

Independent coffee shop owners are also fuelling the trend.

Wayne Lew, of North Tea Power in Manchester, said: ‘We’ve been making cold brew coffee in one form or another since we opened about four years ago, however our production of bottled cold brew really increased this summer.

‘We also nitro-legged it (added nitrous oxide, so it comes out like Guinness) so we could have it on tap at this year’s independent Manchester beer convention.’

 

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