The latest coffee brewing technique involves the use of a chemical component. Nitrogen, an odorless and transparent gas, is now being added to improve coffee drinks. These are dubbed "nitro coffees."
"Compared to regular cold brew, this version is crisper and slightly sweeter," said Diane Aylsworth of Oregon's Stumptown Roasters, according to Buzzfeed Life. Coffee brewed with nitrogen also comes out creamier and richer than regular cold brew coffees, and its development is credited to Nate Amburst from Stumptown after trying and failing to carbonate coffee.
"Coffee just doesn't take acid the way juice or teas can," he told Chemical and Engineering News. "When the CO2 becomes carbonic acid in solution, it just destroys the flavor." He got the nitrogen idea from Guinness, the famous Irish beer, and soon debuted nitro coffee at the Portland cafe in 2013.
Researchers said that nitro coffee's great tasting texture and flavor involves many factors, but suggest cold brews do better for nitro coffees as molecules can change composition when cooled off. With hot beverages, the molecules can dissipate in the steam. "Certain components are lost, while others are formed. Citrus notes disappear, while chocolate and black-currant notes become apparent as the coffee cools," said chemist Heather Smyth via Chemical and Engineering News.
These days, nitro coffees can be found in cans in Portland,Oregon, and Austin and Houston in Texas.
"As far as I can tell, we were the first to serve nitro coffee on tap," said Mike McKim, the founder of Cuvee Coffee via Eater, who said that they introduced their product back in 2012. "We absolutely were the first in the world to launch nitro coffee in a ready-to-drink can," McKim further stated.
"Since nitro is still a relatively new concept for most people, it was an easy decision to take the ubiquitous cold brew and add the nitro twist that makes it special. Not only is it visually intriguing, but it also gives the cold brew a rich, creamy texture and natural sweetness without the need to add milk and sugar," said Josh Kim of Mighty Brew Bros, via Eater.
