Cold Coffee?

[USRobinson]

I read somewhere that cold coffee doesn't give as much of a cafiene hit as hot coffee can anyone confirm this? :???:

 

[Randy G.]

Maybe it said "cold brewed"?

 

[Nathaniell]

I don't see how cold coffee would have less caffeine...It's brewed at the same temperature as hot coffee...and in your body they end up the same temp anyway. I think it just seems that way because when you drink hot coffee you do that sipping motion, and get more oxygen to your brain.

But I'm no scientist.

 

[USRobinson]

Well I don't know, maybe it has something to do with when you mix the coffee powder in hot boilnig water, and when then when it cools down to hot (but drinkable hot ) and simply cold.... maybe the coffiene emzimes are not active under a certain temperature... this is just something briefly read...

 

[rlauzon]

According to Wikipedia

In general, dark-roast coffee has very slightly less caffeine than lighter roasts because the roasting process reduces a small amount of the bean's caffeine content.

That implies that the heat of brewing coffee would further reduce the caffeine content of the coffee.

My gut feeling, though, is that the reduction is not significant.

 

[rlauzon]

I don't see how cold coffee would have less caffeine...It's brewed at the same temperature as hot coffee

"Cold brewed" coffee is not the same as "cold coffee".

Cold brewed coffee is made similar to iced tea: coffee grounds are mixed with room temp water and left soaking for a long time (usually overnight or longer). Check out this as an example.
The cold brew process makes a coffee extract, as opposed to something drinkable. The extract is diluted with something else (water, milk, etc) to make something drinkable.

I would expect cold brewed coffee to have more caffeine than normal because the grounds are soaking longer, extracting more from the grounds. But because it's almost always diluted, the resulting drink probably has the same caffeine content.

 

[Nathaniell]

"Cold brewed" coffee is not the same as "cold coffee".

Cold brewed coffee is made similar to iced tea: coffee grounds are mixed with room temp water and left soaking for a long time (usually overnight or longer). Check out this as an example.
The cold brew process makes a coffee extract, as opposed to something drinkable. The extract is diluted with something else (water, milk, etc) to make something drinkable.

I would expect cold brewed coffee to have more caffeine than normal because the grounds are soaking longer, extracting more from the grounds. But because it's almost always diluted, the resulting drink probably has the same caffeine content.

I went to that site in your post and that machine thing looks pretty cool. I mean, I'm a sucker for advertisements, but I really want to get one now - all blue and high tech looking. Have you ever used it before?

Or is this something that anyone can do at home, just soaking some grinds in water overnight...

 

[Randy G.]

I am not into the chemistry of coffee much, but as I understand it, caffeine is water soluble. It is relatively easily extracted from coffee during brewing. It is also a bitter chemical. This is at least partly responsible for the bitter taste of under-extracted coffee. The more difficult chemicals to extract help cover the bitterness by "protecting" the tongue's taste receptors from bitter tastes. Based on that, I would think that the blend and the amount of coffee used to make the beverage has the greater effect on caffeine.

 

[rlauzon]

I went to that site in your post and that machine thing looks pretty cool. I mean, I'm a sucker for advertisements, but I really want to get one now - all blue and high tech looking. Have you ever used it before?

Or is this something that anyone can do at home, just soaking some grinds in water overnight...

Yes. I have one. It works well. It takes about 24 hours to "brew" the coffee extract. I would get enough extract for about 4 mugs (about 20 oz) of coffee per brew (Your mileage may vary depending on how strong you like your coffee).

But there's nothing special about it. You can do the same thing. Just mix the coffee grounds with water. Let sit for a while. Filter out the grounds. The Hourglass (and similar products) simply make it easier and less messy to do cold brew coffee.

 

[Nathaniell]

How does the taste of coffee differ from filter coffee? Do you prefer the cold brewed coffee? Would you say there's more of a caffeine hit or less?

 

[rlauzon]

For me, cold brewed coffee was much smoother and richer than hot brewed coffee. I prefer it to hot brewed.

But cold brewed coffee takes longer to make, so you need to plan ahead. For convenience, I usually make hot brewed coffee.

As for caffeine, I don't believe there it any real difference between hot and cold brewed coffee.

 

[Culinaria]

I mostly drink decaf. Had to when caffeine pushed my blood pressure up.

At work I like taking some decaf instant, some milk, some sweetener (because I like it sweet) and putting it with ice and water...mainly in the summer.

At home I'll French Press some good quality coffee and let it cool down, then toss it in glasses with ice.

 

[iluvcoffee]

I don't think it makes a difference.

 

[coffeeblogger]

I read somewhere that cold coffee doesn't give as much of a cafiene hit as hot coffee can anyone confirm this? :???:

An MSNBC article stated Toddy claims their coffee has "up two-thirds less caffeine than regular coffee". I'm a bit skeptical of this claim.

UPDATE: Toddy has informed me that MSNBC made a mistake in their reporting. From Toddy:

"Our claim is cold brewed coffee has approximately 33 percent less caffeine than coffee brewed (using regular caffeinated beans) by conventional hot water methods."

 

[celabright]

I used to drink both Hot and Cold Coffee!!!