What is it, how does it work, and do you need it in your life?

If you already consider yourself a coffee connoisseur, then cold brew coffee is no foreign friend. The rich, sweet flavor that happens naturally in cold brew coffee is already a treat as is, so infused with nitrogen, it’s almost something of a dream. The combination of the rich, dark flavors of espresso mixed with the cold, creamy texture that infusing it with nitrogen gives the coffee, feelings of invincibly and euphoria are sure to follow.

Nitro cold brew is essentially just coffee on tap, like the way you’d serve a cold beer. It’s infused with nitrogen, a chemical element with coolant properties, before being served through a pressurized tap system. The process of creating the most extraordinary tasting nitrogen-infused cold brew is one that needs great attention to every step, from choosing the right type of coffee and cold brew recipe at the very beginning to creating a luxurious, rich experience for each individual coffee drinker.

The process starts with the cold brew, in deciding what cold brew recipe to follow and what type of coffee to use in the recipe. Every decision made up until the moment the coffee is served is strategically chosen to better the espresso experience in the end. It takes time – approximately 20 hours per one keg of cold brew – but brewed fresh every day, it’s available within seconds to be served straight from tap to glass. It’s served without ice, as the array of cascading colors from the mix of sweet and silky textures complete the taste all on its own.

Once the coffee is brewed to perfection, it is then infused with nitrogen – and even that is a process in deciding whether to use pure nitrogen or a gas mix.Infusing nitrogen into the cold brew gives it an added layer of texture, as well as a smooth, almost crème-like foam at the top of the drink once it’s served from the tap. One way to think of it in relation to alcohol is that espresso is like a shot because it’s meant to be consumed within a short amount of time, classic pour-over coffee is like a tall glass of wine, one you’re meant to enjoy slowly and with ease, and nitro cold brew is like a cool glass of beer, poured straight from the tap into the goodness of your soul.

Because of the way nitro cold brew is so carefully crafted, the end result is a smooth, creamy cold brew with the cool, airy texture from the nitrogen, topped with a swirling foam top. The nature of the drink itself gives the coffee the effect of milk without actually having to put milk in it.

It’s perfect for black coffee lovers, as the intense flavor of the nitro cold brew will resonate effortlessly with those accustomed to the taste of coffee in its purest form. For those who like a little sweetness in their life, the drink can also be made with almost any array of flavors, like caramel or hazelnut.

The production process of nitro cold brew is also better for the environment, at least comparatively, as it eliminates the need for big trucks to bring in piles upon piles of cold brew in bottles contained in carts, creating a lot of unnecessary waste in the grand scheme of things.

The only potential con to nitro cold brew lies in the amount of time and hard work goes into creating a final product that tastes exceptional, but when coffee is what you love to do, it’s hardly a con at all. From the beginning stages of evening starting to pursue nitro cold brew to everything that goes into serving the final, hand-crafted product, the amount of commitment, drive, and admiration that goes into this coffee is something worth trying out for yourself.

-C.M.