Cold brew vs. iced coffee: How are they different?
Ordering a coffee isn’t a walk in the park anymore. Experienced drinkers are likely familiar with the classics — Americano, cappuccino, cortado, latte, macchiato — but there’s a new sheriff in town by the name of cold brew, and even some coffee lovers aren’t sure what that means.
What’s the difference between iced coffee and cold brew? For starters, the former is made by brewing hot coffee, letting it cool and then pouring it over ice. The whole process is relatively quick.
In contrast, cold brew is made by steeping ground coffee in cool, filtered water for hours at a time. Because it’s made without heat, it nixes much of the acidity you get with drip coffee. The end result is naturally sweeter and smoother.
“It’s all about the water temperature. With drip coffee, we use water that’s between 195 and 205 degrees to really extract flavor. That’s why it happens so fast. You know, you get it within four to five minutes,” said Chad Moore, manager of global coffee and tea education at Starbucks. “With cold brew, we’re using cold water. So the water that’s cold takes a lot longer to extract flavor. It’s usually around anywhere between 20 to 24 hours steep time. You have to really prepare ahead for cold brew.”
When it comes to calories, there isn’t a difference between the two whatsoever prior to adding any flavoring. But cold brew’s naturally sweeter, creamier profile might make it easier for some drinkers to cut back on cream and sugar, which can increase your coffee’s calorie count by hundreds.
According to the nutritional facts on Starbucks’ website, a 16-ounce iced coffee, dubbed grande, has the same amount of calories as a cold brew, which is 5 calories per cup.
At the chain’s competitor, Dunkin’ Donuts, one 16-ounce iced coffee, which is considered a small, is 10 calories, as is a cold brew.
There is a slight contrast in caffeine content, though. Moore says because cold brew stays cold through and through, “the water and the coffee stay together longer,” creating a perfect storm for a bigger buzz. One 16-ounce iced coffee at Starbucks contains 195 milligrams of caffeine. A cold brew has 205 milligrams.
In a weird twist of events, Dunkin’ Donuts’ iced coffee rings in at 198 milligrams. This is significantly stronger than its cold brew, which tops out at 174 milligrams.
A spokesperson for Dunkin’ Donuts said that the chain’s cold brew formula was designed for flavor without regard for caffeine content, adding that “there is no hard and fast rule that one way of brewing coffee has more caffeine than another, as many other factors come into play, such as the coffee to water ratio, serving size and the type of coffee or coffees used to make the brew.”
The general consensus is still that cold brew typically has more caffeine and a smoother flavor than iced coffee, and if you’re like us, that matters. 2 2 4 4 2 1
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1 onions, chopped to 3 tablespoons olive oil cloves garlic, smashed, peeled cups chicken stock or water bay leaves cup dried kidney beans, soaked in water overnight cup dried lima beans, soaked in water overnight pound lean bacon, diced teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper cut-up chicken (thighs, breasts, drumsticks, wings) pounds pork or beef spareribs, cut into 1-inch pieces smoked garlic-spiced sausage (such as Spanish chorizo), sliced 1 inch thick blood sausage, sliced (optional) pounds plantains (not overripe), peeled, sliced pounds hard squash (butternut, acorn, pumpkin), peeled, seeded, cut into large chunks pound sweet potato or yam, peeled, cut into large chunks pounds tomatoes, quartered cups canned hominy, with liquid
Sofrito (a mixture of sauteed onions, garlic and tomato paste), optional pound cabbage, coarsely chopped 1
In a stock pot, saute onions in oil until translucent. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add stock or water, bay leaves and soaked beans, with 2 cups of soaking liquid. Simmer until nearly tender, 45 minutes.
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In a separate saucepan and working in batches, cook bacon over medium-high heat until fat renders, about 2 minutes. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot. Cook, turning, until browned; transfer to a bowl. In same pan, brown ribs and sausages; transfer to same bowl as chicken. Again in same pan, add plantains and vegetables, except cabbage. Cook, about 10 minutes.
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Transfer meats, vegetables (plus drippings) and hominy to simmering stock. Cook on low, 1 hours. Twenty minutes before end of cooking time, taste and adjust flavors with sofrito, if using. When done, turn off heat and add cabbage to top of stew. Cover; let rest about 30 minutes before serving.
Leah Eskin’s column will return Sept. 23.