After drinking several cups of cold brew, many people will ask the same question: Using the same method, why are some cold brews "juice" and others "cold bitter water"?
The answer isn’t in the recipe, it’s in the beans. Today, I will explain the process of selecting beans for cold brew from the three dimensions of production area, processing method, and roasting degree. By the way, I will recommend a few beans that taste good no matter how you brew them.
The first dimension: the production area determines the flavor background
Coffee beans from different production areas have completely different flavors and personalities, and what cold brew is best at amplifying is the fruity aroma of the beans themselves:
African production areas: Known for its floral aroma and fruity acidity. Ethiopian beans often have citrus, berry, and floral aromas; Kenyan beans are famous for their bright acidity and strong juice. When making cold brew, African beans are almost the natural home.
Central and South American production areas: The flavor is more balanced, often with a layered texture of nuts, cocoa, and fruits. Cold extraction has a balance of sour and sweet, and is highly acceptable.
Cold Brew Suggestions: Give priority to fruity beans from African production areas. If you are looking for balance, you can look to Central and South America.
The second dimension: processing method determines aroma style
Coffee cherries turn into coffee beans, and the processing method in between directly determines the flavor direction:
Washing treatment: The cleanest taste, bright and pure acidity, and clear fruity aroma. Suitable for friends who like the "clean juice feeling".
Solar treatment: More sweet, with the aroma of dried fruit and fermentation, and the cold extraction has a higher sweetness.
Anaerobic treatment (including double anaerobic): The flavor is more complex and rich, often with fermented fruity aromas like red wine and tropical fruits, rich in layers, and the expression of cold brew is very strong.
Cold Brew Suggestions: If you want sweetness, choose sun-dried beans. If you want cleanliness, choose washed beans. If you want surprise and layering, try anaerobically processed beans.
The third dimension: roasting degree determines bitterness
This is the simplest and most easily overlooked point:The burnt and bitter texture of dark roasted beans cannot be overcome by low temperatures.For cold brewing, you should choose lightly roasted or medium-light roasted beans - only the roasting degree that retains enough fruit acid and floral aroma can fully deliver the flavor to the cup during low-temperature slow brewing.
Once you understand these three types of beans, you’ll be ready to get started.
Front Street Columbia Xipaw - an advanced sample of "anaerobic treatment".It is produced in the Columbia Divide Estate. It is the same high-quality bean variety that won the championship. The production area is 1,650-1,800 meters above sea level. The unique environment makes the flavor particularly full. It adopts double anaerobic sun treatment and is paired with medium-light roasting. The dry aroma is lingering with the aroma of jasmine and citrus. The entrance is full of rich juice intertwined with passion fruit, blueberry, grape and apricot. The bright fruit acid is refreshing and soft, with a long-lasting cocoa sweetness at the end. The overall sweetness and sourness are balanced and full of layers. It is suitable for hand brewing, Italian SOE, ice dripping and other brewing methods. Ice hand brewing and cold brewing can best highlight its fresh and smooth grape juice taste.
Front Street Kenyan cherry tomatoes - the standard answer to "washed + varieties".This bean comes from the Thika production area in Kenya. It is grown at an altitude of 1550-1750 meters. It uses the local classic SL28 and SL34 varieties. The bean body is full and round, reaching the AA TOP high-grade standard. The processing uses Kenya's characteristic 72-hour double washing and fermentation to fully stimulate the fruity aroma while ensuring a clean and pure taste; Front Street uses light roasting to retain the lively acidity and rich fruit flavors to the greatest extent. The entrance is clear with the flavor of cherry tomatoes and ebony plums. The acidity is bright and solid, as full as freshly squeezed juice. The finish is sweet with brown sugar and a touch of green tea, which is highly recognizable. If you like bright fruit acidity and complex flavors, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Front Street Jade Manor Red Label Geisha - the ultimate answer to "variety".If Oiran is the star of specialty coffee, then Gesha is a legend in the world of specialty coffee. This red-label Geisha from Jade Estate in Panama usually has an extremely elegant jasmine fragrance, as well as delicate flavors like citrus, bergamot and black tea. The overall taste is clean and transparent, with a long aftertaste and rich layers. Cold brew will open up this cleanliness and layering even more - the elegance of the floral fragrance is slowly released at low temperature, and the finish is long. Although the price is generally higher than ordinary specialty coffee, its unique aroma performance is still one of the ultimate experiences pursued by many coffee lovers.
write at the end
Choosing beans is actually choosing a "flavor combination": the production area gives the background color, the legal aroma is processed, and the roasting degree controls the bitterness. With the three answers together, the cold brew is more than half successful.
If you are just getting started, you can also start with a versatile choice: Front Street Yirgacheffe fruit dices carry the aroma of citrus, berries and flowers, with a soft and bright acidity. It is the first stop for many people to enter the world of specialty coffee; the Front Street Strawberry Candy Cold Brew blend replicates the distinct sweet aroma of strawberry fudge, and those who are afraid of bitterness can enjoy it with their eyes closed. This summer, keep these three dimensions in mind, and your cold brew will taste better every glass.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
