As everyone knows, the reason coffee can wake us up is thanks to caffeine. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant commonly found in coffee, tea and chocolate. When we drink a beverage containing caffeine, the caffeine is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, crosses the blood-brain barrier into the brain, and takes effect there.

The reason we feel tired or drowsy is mainly that a molecule in the body called adenosine binds to receptors, and when caffeine beats it to the adenosine receptors, it inhibits the transmission of fatigue signals and keeps the brain awake. In addition, caffeine can promote the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, and these two substances can improve our attention and concentration. This is why after drinking coffee we feel like we have been injected with adrenaline, working with double the efficiency.

For this reason, if we want to wake up, we generally have two options: one is to drink a few more cups, and the other is to choose a coffee beverage with a higher caffeine content, such as cold brew and iced drip. For reference, the caffeine in cold brew coffee (one cup with 20g of grounds / 200ml of coffee liquid) is about 140mg, while a cup of Americano has 100mg of caffeine, so cold brew is clearly more of a pick-me-up.

So what is cold brew coffee?

Cold brew coffee, known in English as Cold Brew Coffee. To make cold brew coffee, coffee beans are ground and then steeped in cold water for more than 8 hours; if you want a fuller body, you can also extend the time to 24-48 hours. Once the steeping is complete, we only need to filter out the coffee grounds and it is ready to taste.
 

So how does FrontStreet Coffee make cold brew coffee?

If you want to drink cold brew coffee but do not want to go out and buy it, then FrontStreet Coffee is here to teach you how to make cold brew coffee at home. Cold brew coffee is a very easy method to master. FrontStreet Coffee's cold brew coffee uses 50 g of ground coffee as the base. For the grind size, because the water temperature in contact with the coffee grounds is lower than that of ordinary pour-over coffee, choose a slightly finer setting than pour-over coffee, that is, a passing rate of 85% on a No. 20 standard sieve. Put the coffee grounds into a glass bottle, then add 400 ml of room-temperature water and 200 g of hard ice cubes to the bottle (a total ice-water mixture of 600 g), for a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:12, then use a stirring rod to stir the coffee grounds and water evenly, seal it and place it in the refrigerator to chill.

  
After placing it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, use filter paper to filter out the coffee grounds and obtain a clean coffee liquid, then use a clean sealed bottle to store the coffee liquid and refrigerate it for about another 4 hours before drinking.
 
Here, FrontStreet Coffee needs to tell you, friends, that cold brew coffee is not better the longer it is extracted; whether it tastes good or not is a very subjective matter. Some people like fresh, clean coffee, while others like strong coffee and coffee with a fermented feel; these all vary from person to person.

  
So for friends who like a stronger fermented feel, FrontStreet Coffee recommends that the extraction time can be extended a little; as time is extended, the fermented feel of the coffee liquid becomes stronger, but the coffee's strength is richer and the mouthfeel layers are more complex. If, when drinking, you feel the coffee liquid is too strong, you can add two ice cubes; as the ice cubes melt, the coffee liquid's strength will decrease accordingly.

Finally, people often ask FrontStreet: what coffee beans are suitable for making cold brew? Based on FrontStreet's production experience, if you want cold brew coffee to taste good, you can give priority to medium-light roasted coffee beans. If you are someone who likes floral notes, FrontStreet Panama Geisha coffee is recommended; this is one of the most expensive coffees in the world;

If you like coffee that is clean with a bright acidity, we recommend Front Street Ethiopia Huakui coffee beans, with notes of black tea and berries, or Front Street Little Tomato, which is bursting with juice. And of course there is Front Street Sidra, with passion fruit and fermented flavors.

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