It's (Always) Decaf Cold Brew Season

Are you a cold brew lover only in warmer weather, or do you drink it all year? When there's a delicious, clean, decaffeinated cold brew out there, there's no reason to limit your love to only summertime—or only daytime, for that matter! 

Whether it's finding the holy grail of decaf cold brew on the menu at a favorite cafe (Café Grumpy in NYC and Miami, Gregory's Coffee along the East Coast, and Paradise Mountain Organic Coffee in Canada all come to mind), or enjoying at home, keeping a decaf cold brew option is the perfect path to instant, anytime gratification. 

Today there are more options than ever to enjoy decaf cold brew coffee, from preparing it at home ahead of time with your favorite Swiss Water® decaf coffee to buying ready-to-drink decaf cold brew in cans from great craft roasters like Stumptown and Explorer Coffee Company. Explorer, launched in 2020 by former mountaineer Cason Crane, offers a range of decaf (and partially-caffeinated) cold brew offerings from cans to concentrate. (You can pick some up on our store and have cold brew on the go for any occasion!) 

Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee 

Many people use the terms "cold brew" and "iced coffee" interchangeably, but is there a difference? Yes—and it's more than just preparation. While "iced coffee" is any coffee served—you guessed it—over ice, it isn't necessarily cold brewed first. The process of cold brewing is done over a long period of time—say 12 to 24 hours—and uses cooler or room temperature water to extract the compounds from coffee grounds slowly, rather than using hot water to extract the compounds quickly. The resulting coffee from cold brewing tends to have a milder (but still flavorful) taste that goes great over ice and can be better suited to drinking quickly. In addition, cold brew methods can reduce the acidity in the final cup, which some may seek out for digestive comfort. (For highly flavorful hot coffee brewed over ice, as in the Japanese style, see this guide from our own Kunie Inaba!) 

Does cold brew have health benefits? 

Coffee has myriad health benefits, but  for some, it can cause acid reflux (though this effect is less pronounced after decaffeination.) The difference often isn't enough for those seeking a truly low-acid cup, but cold brew methods help reduce the amount of acid reflux traditionally hot-brewed coffee brings on. If you're looking for a smoother experience, try swapping cold brew for your hot for a couple of weeks—and of course, make sure it's Swiss Water(R) Process! 

How do I make cold brew coffee at home? 

There are myriad options for making cold brew coffee at home, all depending on how much time, energy, and what equipment you may have on hand. If you'd like to brew it yourself from ground coffee, our friends at Café Grumpy and Stumptown for their helpful guides for at-home cold brewing. Companies like Grady's, who specialize in cold brew, offer ready-to-steep kits you can use to brew a pitcher at home with no fuss at all. Bottles of cold brew concentrate are also popular—just dilute with water and/or milk, serve, and enjoy! 

The final word on decaf cold brew 

Cold brew coffee comes in all shapes and sizes, but for those seeking a clean, flavorful cold brew experience without the caffeine, cold brew made with Swiss Water® decaf is the first choice. Today's leading craft roasters and cold brew specialists seek out our process to ensure coffee lovers get the most out of their cold brew experience—and the least caffeine.