Why Cold-Brew is Better

THE CONTRADICTING CONVERSATION ABOUT COFFEE

Have you ever heard that coffee is good for you, only to read a few months later that it’s not good for you, and you should quit it? The health benefits and risks of coffee consumption have been controversial for a while now, and sometimes it seems like no one agrees whether your morning brew is good for you or not.

The main reason for this lies in the fact that coffee “has long been associated with indigestion, heartburn, and other gastrointestinal symptoms,” [1] while also being touted as associated with “decreased risk of liver, metabolic, and neurologic diseases.” [1] 

Acidity in coffee has been the favorite culprit for coffee’s negative effects - in fact, Cusa Tea & Coffee Founder Jim Lamancusa originally set out to create Cusa Tea because traditional coffee gave him acid reflux, and he wanted a convenient yet tasty instant tea option to take with him on campaign and backpacking trips.

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

With the growing popularity of cold-brew coffee in recent years, a distinction became clear: traditional hot-brewed coffee was said to contain higher levels of acidity than cold-brewed coffee, and that has been pointed to by many people as a reason to choose cold-brew vs hot-brew.

In light of these claims, we wanted to better understand the research behind cold-brew coffee and whether it indicates why ours tastes so darned good! A recent detailed comparison study published in Scientific Reports in October 2018 sheds some light on the differences between hot-brewed and cold-brewed coffee, specifically regarding levels of acidity in both.

It found that there is a correlation between titratable acidity (TA) and sourness, or bitterness, in hot-brewed coffee, and that cold-brew coffee has lower TA levels than hot-brewed coffee. It also found that the “temperature of the water used in brewing influences the release and diffusion of compounds in the resulting coffee beverage.” [1]

WHAT IT ALL MEANS

The study specifically states that “cold brew coffee has lower acidity than its hot brew counterparts, and thus may be a better alternative for those who suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms.” [1]

There is certainly some truth to claims that cold-brew coffee is better for you, especially if hot-brewed coffee gives you acid reflux or stomach issues. The correlation between TA and sourness in coffee also seems to back up the claim that cold-brew coffee is less bitter (and the comments of many of our customers!).

THE CUSA COLD-BREW METHOD

When we set out to make an instant coffee, we didn’t spend much time on this debate because we knew from the beginning we’d either make cold-brew coffee or none at all. You see, our proprietary technology is entirely cold-brew based. For the past few years, we’ve been making award-winning premium organic instant tea using a method that uses room temperature water and pressure to extract the flavor, aroma and health benefits of tea without the use of extreme temperatures - which detract from the flavor of the finished product. With our coffee, we use the same process.

Guess what the first thing we noticed about Cusa Coffee was when we were developing it? For the first time in years, it gave Jim no acid reflux at all.

WHY CUSA TEA & COFFEE MAKE GREAT PARTNERS

Considering that the benefits of cold-brew coffee are lower acidity, less bitterness and (in our opinion) a much smoother brew, our Cold-brew Instant Coffee an easy choice for anyone who thinks coffee needs cream and sugar just to taste good, and may also be a great choice for those who struggle with the acidity in coffee.

Even better, our entire line of beverages offers something for everyone. With the higher caffeine content in our coffees, the variable caffeine content in our green and black teas, and our line of functional, caffeine-free herbal teas, you’re sure to find a flavor and caffeine level that works with your tastes and needs.

IT’S NOT JUST US - EARLY CUSA COFFEE TASTERS AGREE

Since we launched Cusa Coffee, we have gotten a number of comments and reviews from customers that overwhelmingly back up our opinion that Cusa Coffee is smoother than not only all other instant coffees we’ve tried, but also most cups of coffee in general.

One powerful comparison was done by Sean Sewell of Engearment - he did a blind taste-test of five instant coffees and found that our Medium Roast Coffee was the clear winner. See the video of this taste-test for yourself, here.

SOURCE

[1] Rao, N.Z., Fuller, M. Acidity and Antioxidant Activity of Cold Brew Coffee. Sci Rep 8, 16030 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-34392-w