Nitro Cold Brew: What Even Is It

Nitro Cold Brew is a shorter way of saying nitrogen infused cold brewed coffee. It sounds a little scary when we hear chemicals like 'nitrogen' being mentioned in the context of drinks. But don't worry, it's perfectly safe. So let's talk about it, what is it and why is everybody loving it?

What Is It?

Put simply, nitrogen infused cold brewed coffee is just cold brewed coffee (made by immersing coffee in water overnight and filtered) that's infused with nitrogen gas right before consuming. 

Nitrogen gas acts a lot like carbon dioxide in drinks (regularly used to carbonate drinks, and adding the bubbles in drinks such as Coca-Cola, Sprite etc). However, nitrogen causes much smaller bubbles, giving more of a froth like consistency. 

That's why nitro cold brew is often sold in cans (where nitrogen can be infused during the canning process) or in kegs in cafes. 

Why Is Everybody Loving It?

Not only does it sound fun to say 'Nitro cold brew coffee', but it also has a slightly different flavour to regular cold brew coffee. The infused nitrogen adds a different texture, created by the foam of nitrogen bubbles being released, but also enhances the coffee's flavour. The nitrogen added creates a sweeter taste, almost creamy without any actual milk being added. So this can be great for iced coffee drinkers who would normally turn to a milk based iced coffee such as an iced latte or cold brew with milk. 

As well as the taste, the release of the gas also creates a stunning gradient in the drink, meaning it looks great in a glass when served. Check out what we mean in the image below.

So there you have it, if you know of any places near you that are serving nitro cold brew coffee, we really encourage you to give it a try and let us know what you think!