The Best Type of Coffee Beans for Cold Brew

Have you been making cold brews at home and can’t seem to achieve the flavor you would receive in a café? It may be your chosen beans. Choosing the right beans is the most significant factor in getting a smooth, low-acid, flavorful cold brew. In this article, we’ll discuss the best type of coffee beans for cold brew and which roast levels, bean origins, and grind types work best when you want a cold treat.

Choosing the Right Beans for Cold Brew Flavor

In the next section, we will discuss how roast levels, bean origins, and whole beans vs. ground coffee can influence your cold brew flavor.

Why roast level matters for cold brew

Like with warmer brews, roast levels can influence the characteristics in the coffee bean, but cold brews bring out entirely different flavor profiles as they’re brewed over a much longer period of time than other coffees (often over 12 hours).  Let’s go through some qualities of cold brew:

• Cold brew is generally more floral and less bitter than warm brews 

• Without boiling water from other processes, many acids and bitter elements don’t make it to the final brew

• Light Roast: Brighter flavors

• Far more acidic in cold brews than warm brews

• Medium Roast: Balanced flavor with subtle sweetness

• Cold brewing brings out nutty and chocolatey flavors

• Dark Roast: Bolder with much less acidity

• Most people prefer medium and dark roasts for cold brews because they produce richer, smoother flavors.

Origin and flavor profile considerations

Depending on the origin of the beans, they will also have their own signature flavors as they will be affected by various different environmental factors. There are many different types of beans in each country, but here are some example flavor profiles based on popular coffee beans from around the world.

Beans from Latin America

• Brazil - Sweet chocolate and nut notes, low acidity 

• Colombia - hints of caramel, nuttiness, medium body, sometimes tropical fruit

• High-altitude slopes

Beans from Africa

• Ethiopia - Fruity and floral flavors, almost like drinking a tea

• Often come from ancient coffee forests

Beans from Asia

• Indonesia - Bold, Earthy, spicy flavor

• Giling Basah method - a different drying method 

Whole bean vs pre-ground for cold brew

Like with any warm brew, whole beans that are ground right before brewing will lead to the purest coffee flavor over pre-ground coffee. Here are a few reasons why:

• Whole beans keep their freshness longer

• Ability to control brewing extraction, strength, and time with whole beans

• Pre-ground can be convenient, but it loses its aroma faster

• Always go for coarse coffee grinds for the best extraction

When you need the most reliable tools and accessories for the coffee extraction process, look into the professional-grade, durably-made high extraction filter from Pesado.

Getting the Most Out of Your Cold Brew Beans

In the next section, we’ll discuss general tips like the best grind size, keeping your cold brew beans fresh, and the most accurate proportions for the best-tasting cold brews.

Grind size and why it matters

As you well know, with any kind of coffee, every brewing method has a correct grind size, and cold brew is no different. But while you may imagine that the finest grind would be best for cold brew, that’s not always the case. Let’s talk about grind size and the science of cold brews:

• Cold brewing temperature requires long periods of time, so the water will be able to fully saturate all layers of the bean with an even extraction

• Coarse grind reduces over-extraction and bitterness

• Use burr grinders for a consistent coarse grind

• Finer grinds can make cold brew cloudy and overly strong

• Too many particles could lead to less fresh cold brew

Freshness and storage

In order to maintain freshness when storing your cold brew coffee beans, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Use cold brew beans within 2-4 weeks of roasting for the best flavor

• Store in an airtight, opaque container away from light and heat in a cool place

• Find a container that’s vacuum-sealed and has a CO2-release valve to protect it from air and other elements.

• Avoid storing in the fridge or freezer 

• A batch of cold brew will taste its freshest in the first few days

How much coffee to use for cold brew

When it comes to deciding the right amount of coffee to make the best cold brew, you should decide the type of cold brew you want to make. Do you want a concentrate or an immediately drinkable brew? Let’s talk about each:

• Concentrate - 1 cup of beans to every 4 cups of water for a strong cup,

• Twice as strong and twice as caffeinated, so it will need dilution

• Balanced, full-bodied cold brew: 1 cup of beans to every 6 cups of water

• Individual Mild Cold Brew - 1 cup of beans to every 8 cups of water

• Adjust the beans: water ratio if you want a stronger cup of coffee.

• Always use filtered water for the best taste

When you need help in finding the precise distribution amounts for your cold brew, look into Pesado’s line of tools to ensure that you’ll make exactly the brew that you want to make.

Making Cold Brew Worth Savoring

Just as with any great cup of coffee, the right roast, origin, and grind of your coffee bean can make all the difference. There are so many different combinations you can experiment with, and with time and practice, you’ll be able to find your own perfect flavor profile. When you have great beans, you also deserve reliable brewing tools that can help you make your perfect cold brew. Boasting an assortment of high-quality coffee tools and accessories, Pesado’s products can help you make smoother, more consistent coffee shots and feel fully in control of every brew you make. Try Pesado’s products today!