Nitro Coffee – A blast combination of coffee and Nitrogen
Coffee tastes like beer, with smooth, creamy foam on top, why not? First appearing in 2005 and becoming popular since 2012, Nitro Coffee truly has been a popping-up trend among coffee lovers due to the interesting combination of cold brew and Nitrogen gas; from there, your cup of joe not only achieves a thicker texture but also a natural subtle sweetness, along with an ultra-fine bubble gas layer. And yet, it is a healthy alternative for those who want to cut down on milk or sugar as you don’t need them to make your drink more palatable.
So, how is Nitro Coffee made? How does it taste? Let’s deep dive in this article below.
Nitro Coffee means cold brew infused with nitrogen gas
In the coffee industry, nitrogen gas helps preserve coffee beans from oxidation, carbon dioxide, and other factors that affect the flavor and characteristics of the beans.
For Nitro Coffee, the coffee will be cold-brewed at least 4 degrees Celsius before being dissolved with nitrogen gas. The insoluble nitrogen gas will create a layer of foam that rises and gradually dissolves in the cup. This gas bubble layer contains natural sugar plus the fats found in coffee, therefore, its taste is fairly sweet and creamy, similar to the crema in espresso.
To infuse coffee with nitrogen gas, there are two methods:
- Using a nitrogen compressed air tank, which is, simply enough, a high-pressure stainless steel Keg growler containing nitrogen gas.
- Use a nitrogen generator that works by taking nitrogen from the air and mixing it directly with the coffee.
How does Nitro Coffee taste?
Nitro Coffee has the best taste when freshly served out of the tap, at the time, the drink is subtly sweet, with a light body and smooth texture, which you may find in draft beer.
Is Nitro Coffee good for health?
Similar to cold brew, Nitro Coffee also has numerous proven benefits, such as helping to stay awake; reducing depression; lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases; and burning calories.
Notably, this coffee has a low acid content, so people with sensitive stomachs can also drink it. Also, the use of Nitro gas to help keep the natural sweetness, fat without adding sugar or milk will be great for those who are controlling calories.
How to make Nitro Coffee
- Step 1: Choose your favorite coffee grind at medium level.
- Step 2: Put coffee into water in a ratio of 1: 10 (250g of coffee corresponds to 1 liter of water). To make Nitro Coffee, you need about 1.5L – 1.8L of cold brewed coffee.
Stir well and wait for the coffee grounds to settle.
- Step 3: Leave the coffee in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Bear in mind, the cold brewed coffee to make Nitro Coffee must have a temperature of at least 4 degrees Celsius. If the coffee is at a higher temperature, the air in the Keg growler is not cold enough to create a thick, smooth creamy foam.
*Tip: To get the desired temperature, after filtering cold brew coffee, put the coffee in the freezer for about 45 minutes until it reaches 3-4 degrees Celsius.
- Step 4: Pour cold brewed coffee into a Keg growler to create air bubbles.
- Step 5: Shake the bottle quickly for about 30-45 seconds.
- Step 6: Pour out and enjoy the freshly-made Nitro Coffee. You don’t need to add ice as the coffee itself is cold enough.
