Hacker News Reader

Comment by csmpltn | Hacker News Reader

This is an extreme form of coffee hipsterism. “Cold brew, but steamed please”. Brother, this is starting to get ridiculous.

View on HN

For people who are accustomed to cold brew (we always have cold brew in the fridge and grounds steeping) there's a very large difference in flavor and profile using the same beans. This also translates when it's heated, although I will say I don't do that often because I enjoy it cold more than hot.

I'd disagree though that it's "extreme". There are local chains in my area (Midwest - US) that offer a variety of hot cold brew drinks that are quite popular offerings. I was pleasantly surprised when I ran across this more than a year ago. But I still do run into a number of coffee shops where baristas fail to understand the difference between cold brew and an iced coffee. There's really no comparison when you're explicitly looking for cold brew. It's also often hard to find available in the winter months in my region. Not sure why, but to me that's akin to pausing ice cream sales because there's snow on the ground. Just because it's a cold drink doesn't mean I don't drink it during cold weather.

My doctor recommended cold brew for lower acidity, because hot brew is bothering me. Cold brew is just a brewing process and has nothing to do with serving temperature. Cold brew has never meant served cold. So what, exactly, is ridiculous about warming up cold brewed coffee? I like my coffee hot, like a lot of people, and I’d like it if I can keep drinking coffee and don’t have to stop due to the acidity.

It might be obvious but I have to ask, is that a stomach problem?

Not for me, but it is for some people. My current issue is more esophageal, my throat gets inflamed with too much acid then it feels like I have food stuck and can’t swallow it. Other people have stomach issues, ulcers, etc. but still want to enjoy coffee, so I think there’s plenty of reasons for cold brew served hot to exist.

Not the person you are asking, but I do have GI issues due to the acidity with coffee. It can cause reflux, ulcers, and more for people if they are sensitive to the added acidity.

I'm a coffee snob and I can respect your preferences but have you considered non-coffee alternatives? Japanese and Chinese tea culture can be fun to delve into and tea would probably be easier on your stomach.

I definitely have considered alternatives, and do drink tea, more now than before, in part because of my negative experience experiences trying to get hot coffee that was cold brewed. Finding the fake cold brew many places really scares me off cold brew more than baristas who don’t want to heat the coffee. Single shot americano is another alternative with a bit lower acidity, I believe, and even with that I often get mild push-back from baristas… “you sure?? We pull two shots anyway…”

The main problem is that I love the flavor of coffee, and I feel especially jealous on a Saturday morning when I can smell it but can’t drink it. Secondary problem is adjusting to a consistent caffeine level without getting headaches.

Would you say that a discussion about GPU densities was an "extreme form of processing hipsterism"? Unless your contention is that there is no observable difference between the types of drinks described by OP, this comment is an embarrassing ad hominem and has no place here

Wouldn't knock it till you try it! The drink kinda had it's moment a couple years ago - "Aerocanos" or "Steamed Iced Americanos" are the names I've heard for the drink. Often made with the kind of post-brew chilled cold brew that OP was railing about. Cold coffee, steamed to frothy, then either pour over ice to re-chill or serve warm.

Wouldn't try to randomly talk a barista into making one, but if you see them on the menu at a shop or have an espresso machine, they're pretty neat.

Video on them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD_4hOg_SWU

> extreme form of coffee hipsterism

I know a lot of coffee nerds and cold brew is disdained for not extracting enough flavors. This is just someone who never adapted to the world hoping the world will adapt to them.

It’s no different than drinking an iced coffee drink that was made from coffee brewed traditionally.

That’d be true if putting ice in coffee reduced its acidity. Heating cold brew brings a lower acidity liquid up to a nice warm good morning temperature.

Don't knock it till you try it! It tastes even better with a twist of lime.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com