Can You Warm Up Cold Brew Coffee?
You’ll never want to miss the fantastic taste of warm-up cold brew coffee. Yes, you heard it right. It tastes amazing and it can be your perfect accompaniment during cold months.
But as the topic is a bit controversial, can you warm up cold brew coffee for real? The answer is yes. Cold-brew coffee comes in concentrated form so if you add hot water to it, the water will warm it up and dilute the concentrates.
But it’s best to add hot water to the coffee instead of heating it up. This makes the coffee less bitter by lowering the acidity. However, this is not the end. You’re going to learn how to make a perfect cup of warm-up cold brew coffee from this article.
Also, there are hundreds of interesting information and fun facts you would love to know about the topic. So, let’s get started without further ado!
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
So, you may feel like ‘wait, what? As the name says, shouldn’t it be cold? Where does the question about warming it up come from?’. Well, let me explain.
The name cold brew has nothing to do with the making of your favorite cup of coffee. Rather, it’s associated with the process which manufacturers follow to produce the coffee. In this case, manufacturers soak the coffee beans in cold water in order to bring out the coffee.
And, guess what? The process allows for maximum flexibility without compromising the bold flavors of the coffee beans.
When cold water instead of hot water is used for the process, it takes usually 12 to 18 hours to get things done. But the great thing is, it soaks up the total amount of flavors those beans have to offer.
What Happens If You Warm Up Cold Brew Coffee?
By now, you’ve clarified most of the cold brew coffee, I believe. Now, let’s see whether it’s okay to warm up cold brew coffee or not.
Frankly speaking, heating or warming up the coffee will not affect it in any way other than changing the temperature. It makes zero difference in its caffeine composition. You’ll even enjoy the warm-up version on the cold winter days.
Now, a question arises that ‘Is warm-up cold brew coffee acidic?’
Logically, yes and no. Because see what you’re doing actually. You’re simply increasing the temperature of your coffee, you’re not dealing with any additional coffee ground here. But when you warm up a large batch of cold brew coffee, it speeds up the chemical reactions with oxygen which may lead the coffee to taste bad.
So, as we’ve said in the first place, you should add hot water to the cold brew coffee rather than heating it up directly. However, the acidity even depends on the coffee beans you use too.
Overall, there’s no huge difference between hot and cold brew coffee’s acidity but cold brew is less acidic compared to hot-brewed coffee.
How to Warm Up Cold Brew Coffee
Now, what you need to know the most is, how to warm up cold brew coffee in a way that you don’t have to regret. And, here you go!
How to Warm Up Cold Brew Coffee on The Stove
- First off, take a kettle and add a measure of cold brew to it. Then, pour roughly equal parts of water into the kettle.
- Place the kettle on your stove and make sure there’s medium heat.
- When you notice the kettle start steaming, let it simmer for one more minute. After that, remove the kettle from the stove.
- Pour the ready-to-go coffee into a mug and leave it to cool down for a moment.
That’s it! Now, you can take a sip of the warm cup of cold brew!
How to Warm Up Cold Brew Coffee with Hot Water
- Feel free to heat up the water with any method you find comfortable. It doesn’t have to be boiling water but make sure it’s hot.
- Rinse the cup you’re going to serve the coffee using warm water. It may sound weird but this will allow the concentrate to evenly warm.
- Now, add the concentrate to your mug. You can fill one-third of the mug with the concentrate. However, feel free to add less concentrate if you think you want a weaker cold brew for less caffeine.
- Then, pour the hot water into the mug, and don’t forget to save some space to add cream or sugar if you need to add it.
Nothing else, just enjoy your coffee!
How to Warm Up Premixed Cold Brew
This way is a bit trickier than the previous ones. We recommend you scroll down to cast your eyes on the tips we’ve attached below. It’ll help you understand what not to do while heating up premixed cold brew.
Other than that, you have to follow these two little steps below to go ahead.
- First thing first, prepare your stovetop with a sauce pan.
- Now, pour the cold brew into the saucepan and set the heat medium to low.
- Keep heating it for 1-2 minutes or more.
Things to Avoid While Heating Up Cold Brew
Let’s see what we want you to avoid when you warm up your coffee.
Do Not Use Electric Kettles to Heat Concentrate
Yes, an electric kettle can definitely warm up your cold brew concentrate but chances are, you’ll have to deal with a big gunky mess afterward. Why?
Because there’s a coil in every electric kettle to get the heating process done. So, the concentrate may stick to the coil and you have to clean it, which might feel annoying. Also, when you heat up water afterward, the residual concentrate may flavor it as well.
Try Not to Use Microwave to Heat Up A Cold Brew
So, why shouldn’t you put the cold brew in your microwave? Because the cold brew concentrates and the water should be mixed in a very special way, it’s not a matter of just relying on a microwave. You have to take time and mix things properly to get the best result.
Pros and Cons of Heating Cold Brew Coffee
Now, let’s talk about what advantages and disadvantages you can get from the hot-cold brew.
Pros
The flavors become more intense after heating up the cold brew. And, a perfectly heated cold brew can be your ultimate comfort during cold days. So, this is going to warm you up whenever you need to be!
Cons
Heat spoils the cold brew faster since it enhances the oxidation of coffee compounds. Usually, cold coffee is in the right form in your fridge for up to two weeks so you can have a fine taste from it throughout the week. Also, heating cold brews can make it taste bitter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Words
Our discussion is going to end here. We hope that we’ve been successful in making your thoughts clear about cold brew coffee. Now, you should know the answer to ‘can you warm up cold brew coffee?’.
Maybe it’s not the most common coffee around you but you’ll love how cold brew coffee tastes. So, there’s no reason to keep you from the warm feeling of hot-cold brewed coffee. Make one cup for yourself and feel the warmth.
