It’s no secret that cold brew coffee has exploded in popularity over the last few years.
People who love cold brew coffee – but use coffee capsules – often ask whether it’s possible to make cold brew with coffee pods and capsules. What about other cold coffee drinks? Read on to answer these questions and to learn more.
To prepare cold brew coffee, you steep coarse-ground coffee in cold or room-temperature water for an extended period. The brew time varies, but it is dramatically higher than any other conventional coffee brewing method (between 12 and 24 hours is standard).
Brew ratios vary, but a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:8 produces a beverage that you can enjoy as is. Or, you can dilute it further if using it as a concentrate.
Chris Petrovich is the Metropolis Director of Coffee and he says that while certain coffees often suit specific brewing methods, cold brew is more flexible.
"A lighter coffee with floral and citrus notes might make a very refreshing iced coffee, while a more developed profile with notes of chocolate and caramel would be smooth and creamy,” he says. “I think there is no wrong answer here."
Why is cold brew coffee so popular?
Cold brew is popular for several reasons.
First, the flavor profile. Different flavor and aroma compounds are extracted at different temperatures. For example, many of the compounds responsible for acidity only extract at higher temperatures. When we brew coffee with colder water, this removes a lot of the acidity, often resulting in a sweeter, smoother profile.
Cold brew is also extremely versatile. For hospitality businesses, this means that it’s perfect as a base for iced drinks, coffee cocktails, or even as an ingredient in desserts or other dishes.
Cold brew coffee is extremely convenient for both consumers and businesses because it’s prepared ahead of time – in bulk. When you’re ready to drink, it’s sitting there, ready to be drunk.
At Metropolis, we offer a Cold Brew Blend that’s simple, sweet, and rich – quite like caffeinated chocolate milk – perfect on its own or as a base for any cold coffee drink.
No – you can’t make cold brew using coffee pods and capsules. The differences between the two brewing methods make this technically impossible.
"Cold brew coffee is something completely separate [to capsules] in the sense of how it's created,” Chris explains.
Coffee pods and capsules use pressure and high temperature to brew espresso-style coffee in seconds. Conversely, cold brew is made by steeping coffee in cold or room-temperature water for hours.
While the temperature and extraction time are factors, grind size also plays a big role. Coffee capsules contain very finely ground coffee – which allows them to be extracted in seconds using high-pressure hot water. When we prepare our espresso capsules, for instance, we grind the coffee using a commercial roller mill, before dosing, sealing, and flushing the capsules.
In contrast, when you grind coffee for cold brew, you need to ensure it’s extremely coarse because of the extended extraction time.
While you can’t prepare cold brew using coffee pods and capsules, that doesn’t mean you can’t use espresso capsules to make cold coffee drinks.
Brewing iced coffee using espresso capsules is simple – you just need to add ice.
You can easily use Metropolis Coffee espresso capsules to brew iced coffee beverages without compromising on convenience or quality.
Chris shares an easy recipe for an iced latte using Metropolis espresso capsules:
Chris recommends trying different Metropolis Coffee espresso capsules with this recipe, particularly the Spice Island Espresso capsule. The dark chocolate, caramel, and nut flavors pair perfectly with milk.
This base recipe also works perfectly for a range of cold coffee drinks. You can add water, milk, sweeteners, or syrups to make a variety of beverages.
For businesses, serving iced coffee drinks can be a logistical challenge at the best of times. Fortunately, wholesale coffee capsules provide a convenient, reliable, and high-quality solution. All you need is ice, a Nespresso original line compatible machine, and a reliable wholesale espresso capsule supplier – like Metropolis Coffee.
We manufacture commercially compostable espresso capsules that are compatible with Nespresso original line brewer, offering a range of flavors:
Our espresso capsules are certified by both the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and the Composter Manufacturing Alliance (CMA), meaning they pass the strictest standards for commercial composting in the US.
We also offer private-label coffee capsules and co-packing services. With private-label coffee capsules, we work to your specifications to design a signature blend for your business, before filling, sealing, and flushing the capsules for maximum freshness.
Alternatively, if you’ve already got a coffee you want to use, our co-packing service is the perfect option. This is where we take your beans and handle all the capsule stuff – before sending you ready-to-brew espresso capsules with your branding front and center.
Interested in learning more? Check out our wholesale co-packing and private-label espresso capsule solutions today.
Certified compostable facilities may not exist in your area. To find a composter near you, visit www.findacomposter.com or www.compostnow.org on all packaging and marketing materials.
Metropolis Coffee is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Nespresso. Nespresso is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé.
Metropolis Coffee
Interested in wholesale espresso capsules? Click here for more information.
