I used to think cold brew was just weak iced coffee

Last week at a cafe in Boise, the barista, Sam, explained how their 18-hour cold brew process pulls out different flavors. I tried a cup of their single-origin Ethiopian batch and it was so smooth, not bitter at all. Has anyone else had a cold brew that totally changed their mind?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_richard1mo agoTop Commenter

It's wild how finding one good version of something can totally flip your whole view on it. I think that happens with a lot of stuff, not just coffee. Like with burgers, you eat cheap fast food ones your whole life then someone takes you to a place that grinds their own meat and uses fresh brioche buns and suddenly you get why people get excited about them. Same with pizza, cheap chain slices are fine but the first time you get a real Neapolitan style one from a wood fired oven you realize you've been missing out. It's like your brain has this low bar set and you need that one good example to raise it.

luna5192mo ago

Yeah, the "not bitter at all" part is the real game changer. I was the same way, thought it was just bad coffee served cold. Then a friend basically forced me to try a good one. It's a totally different drink. The cheap stuff from a gas station will ruin the idea for anyone.

norag552mo ago

Oh come on, gas station cold brew is a classic! That bitter, kinda burnt taste is part of the whole experience. It's like a cheap diner coffee, it has its own weird charm. Honestly, sometimes a fancy smooth one just feels like you're drinking fancy water. The rough edges make it feel more real, you know?