Tell us about yourself:

I am an entrepreneur. I have a business by the name of Zikrr, a newly launched, homegrown ittar brand. A typical day for me is all emails, brainstorming sessions and interaction with a diverse mix of people to keep Zikrr thriving. And of course, you'll find me running after my dog most often. 

How did you get introduced to Specialty Cold Brew?:

It was an accident, really. I think it was 2 years ago that I was out with colleagues to a coffee shop, and someone in the group ordered a cold brew. It seemed interesting and so I got one too. Since then, cold brews are synonymous with my summers!  

How do you like your Cold Brew?:

Most times, it’s a 60ml with an ice cube. Other times (read weekends), I’d do a cocktail out of whiskey and cold brew!

What do you think is ‘The Next Wave’ of coffee?:

Just how Perfume Tourism is on the rise, Coffee Tourism will gain momentum too, including and not restricted to visiting coffee farms, indulging in coffee tastings, and learning about coffee production. And in the age of AI, nothing is beyond the scope of Tech - that includes coffee too - equipment, coffee makers that give consumers control over brewing/ steeping processes will become common. 

Lastly, what do you think about Breww 47?:

I'm a Single Malt fan, hands down. My second favorite is After Party. While the former is strong and true to its name, the latter is easy on the palate, which opens doors for several concoctions and indulgences.

Anything else you want to share with us.

Introduce more variants, perhaps :)

Selecting the right roast and blend is crucial when making cold-brew coffee. Some coffee roasts have flavors that are subtle and cannot easily be revealed by brewing coffee using standard techniques, thus through cold brewing, you get to discover these profiles. 

From those who like their coffee strong and intense to others who drink coffee with tones, the roast level contributes a lot to influencing the ultimate taste of the brewed coffee.

Here, we dive deeper into the best roast for cold brew—from light to dark—and how they can complement your cold brew.

1. Medium Dark Roast 

• Flavour - The flavor profile of the medium dark roast is quite balanced with a good amount of richness and smoothness and a hint of sweetness. In this roast, you may also find a few notes of nutty, chocolate, caramel, nuts and precise sweetness
• Why it is Preferred - The medium dark roast is quite a balanced roast between the high acidity lighter roast and the strong, intense flavor of the dark roast. In the brewing of this roast, the rich and smooth are extracted keeping in check the bitterness at a minimum 
• Best suitable beans - The best suitable beans for this roast type come from central and South American countries such as Brazil and Colombia 

2.  Dark Roast

Flavor -  The flavor profile of the dark roast is quite bold and intense with a hint of smoky texture and bitterness. In this roast type, you will find deep flavors of chocolate toasted nuts and molasses 

• Why it is Preferred - The dark roast is less acidic than the other roasts and is usually liked by people who prefer a strong and intense coffee experience. The cold brew process reduces the bitterness associated with dark roast thus producing a rich and intense flavor that is perfect for strong coffee lovers.
• Best suitable beans - The best suitable beans for this first type are Kenyan or Ethiopian beans as they have a fruiter profile as compared to other beans, which makes them the perfect choice for this roast 

3. Medium Roast

Medium roast gives a balanced taste which has moderate acidity and a clean finish on the pallet. This roast has some fruity and caramel notes with a nutty overtone, enabling it to balance a rich, full flavor with a bright aftertaste.

Why it is Preferred: The medium roast enjoys popularity because of its moderate taste, it is not too mild and not too intense. For people who are looking for a tasty coffee beverage served cold but do not enjoy the bitterness characteristic of deeper roast types, it makes an excellent choice.

Best Suitable Beans: Generally, beans originating from Central America, especially Guatemala or Costa Rica should be medium roasted because of their rich flavor.

4. Light Roast

Flavor: Light roast is closer to the characteristics of the actual beans and tends to be highly acidic, bouquet, and perhaps even fruit-like. It usually has more intensity and is more spirited showing a clean profile that enhances the flavors of the coffee beans.

Why it is Preferred: If you prefer subtle flavors in your cold brews, then light roast is your best bet. Due to its higher acidity and lighter body, it is ideal for drinking during the warm season, when people prefer icy cold beer.

Best Suitable Beans: Ethiopian and Kenyan beans are perfect for light roast because in cold brew their fruity and floral notes stand out. 

5. Medium Light Roast

Flavor: It has a light acidity compared to the light roast but not as full-bodied as the medium roast. The taste is particularly mild, with a hint of sweetness and notes of fruit and flowers, which can be considered quite lingering and rather complex.

Why it is Preferred: This roast will be perfect to start your cold brew with a little more darkness than the light roast but you would still want some fruity taste making it one of the best roasts for cold brew. In terms of balance, it’s perfect for those who don’t like very strong cold brew with all their heart but want something closer to it.

Best Suitable Beans: Ethiopian or Colombian beans are the best suited for this roast level; the sweetness accompanied by a deep note complements cold brew.

Single-Origin vs. Blend

• Single-origin - specific characteristic of where the beans are grown is highlighted by the single-origin beans. They are the most preferred choice for specialty cold brew as they offer different flavor profiles.

• The flavor profile of the single origin is quite distinctive and known for its different flavor profiles which imitate the land of their origin.
• Due to the limited supply of single origin, it is quite expensive.
• The single origins are quite seasonal and are harvested during specific times of the year 

• Blends - DIfferent kinds of flavors can be balanced with the help of blends and it is also used to create a more consistent cold brew. some of the popular blends are Latin American blend, African, and South American blends, and Central American and Indonesian Blend

• The flavor profile of the coffee blends is quite rounded and appeals to a broader range of audience as compared to the single-origin 
• The coffee blends are quite affordable compared to the single-origin 
• The coffee blends are available throughout the year

Additional tips while making specialty cold brew 

• Grind Size - A coarse grind is necessary to avoid over-extraction and get the smoothest flavor of your cold brew.
• Brewing Time - the brewing time impacts the flavor and the taste of the cold brew, cold brew is generally brewed for around 12 - 24 hours. You can experiment with different brewing times to know which is best for you 
• Quality of Water - The cold brew is made up of water so you should go with high-quality water if you want to have a good final flavor of the coffee

Choosing the best roast for cold brew is a process that depends on finding the balance that is going to be perfect for your taste. 

Whether a dark roast with its heavy and strong, almost bitter taste or a light roast that consists of sweet and floral tones, each of the roast levels provides its take on cold brewing. 

Once you know what roast is best for a cold brew and how the characteristics associated with the varying roasts affect your cold brew, you can come up with a nice and tasty coffee that is perfect for every season.

Cold-brewed coffee has become very popular since it has less acidity and a richer taste compared to ordinary iced coffee.

Unlike traditional hot brewing styles, the cold brewing process involves soaking coarse ground coffee with cold or room temperature water for a period of not less than 12 hours up to 24 hours.

The outcome is a strong brewed coffee that can be served on ice with water added to the drink or with milk. 

The most important aspect controlling the quality of brewed cold coffee is the proportion of coffee to water which directly determines the strength of the coffee, its flavor, and texture.

Whether you like a strong and bold cup of coffee or a more delicate and subtle taste, knowledge of the best roast for cold brew ratios will help you achieve your ideal cup of cold brew.

What is Cold Brew?

The stepping coffee grounds are kept in the water at room temperature or cold temperature for a prolonged period usually somewhere between 12 hours to 24 hours. The outcome of this is a smooth and barely acidic coffee concentrate that can be served with ice cubes, diluted with water, or simply just mixed with milk.

Significance of Ratios

The cold brew's body, flavor, and mouth feel primarily depend on the coffee-to-water ratio. If the coffee ratio is on the higher side, the coffee will be stronger or more intense, while if the ratio is on the lower side, the coffee will be on the lighter side.

Standard Cold Brew Ratios 

1: 4  Ratio  (Strong and Intense)

How to Make: Take at least 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee and around 4-5 cups of water

Flavor: on the stronger side. Ideal for people who love to have strong coffee and choose to dilute their coffee with some walk or milk

1:5 Ratio (Balanced)

• How to Make:  Take 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee and at least 5 cups of water.
• Flavor:  This is one of the best roasts for cold brew ,this ratio is a balanced one that offers a strong but smooth flavor. It’s best for people who enjoy black coffee or coffee with just a hint of milk.

1:8 Ratio (Milder and Light)

• How to Make:  Take 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee and up to 8 cups of water.
• Flavor: The flavor is on the lighter side and one of the best coffee roasts for cold brew.It’s an excellent choice for those who prefer milder coffee or enjoy their cold brew coffee with plenty of milk or sweeteners.

Balancing the Ratio According to Taste 

Experimenting with ratios 

• 1:3 Ratio (Extra Strong): If you want extra strong coffee you can go for this ratio. For this take 1 cup of coffee with 3 cups of water. The result will be a highly concentrated cold brew that can stand a considerable amount of dilution with milk and water 
• 1:6 Ratio (Medium): if you want to try something that is not too strong and not too light you can go for this ratio. It is one of the best roast for cold brew.You can enjoy this as it is or can add a little amount of milk

Customizing Your Brew

Type of Coffee - coffee type can impact the flavor of your cold brew. A richer and more chocolaty flavor is produced by the dark roast whereas light roast tends to have a highly acidic and fruity flavor 

• Grind Size - For making cold brew coffee, coarse grind size is recommended to avoid over-extraction. The taste of cold brew can get bitter if the grind size is too fine 
• Brew Time - The flavor can differ according to brew time. If you brew the coffee for a shorter time like up to 12 hours it will result in a mild flavor, while if you brew your coffee for a longer time like 24 hours the flavor will be more strong and intense.

Tips for Perfect Cold Brew 

• Try using fresh coffee- The best of the flavors are produced by fresh ground coffee. You can also grind the coffee beans before brewing. 
•  Use of Filtered Water - Try using filtered water to make your cold brew coffee  to prevent any off-flavor from the use of tap water 

 

Conclusion : 

Brewing coffee at home to perfection is always productive and this is well seen when brewing cold brew coffee. 

Depending on your preference, you can easily alter the amount of coffee you put into the amount of water used to ensure you get the right taste and concentration of the coffee you desire. 

Apart from the best roast for cold brew ratios, the coffee profile includes the type of coffee, grind size, and time of brewing, and with the assistance of all these parameters theoretically, there are no limitations to alteration to get one of the best coffee roast for cold brew.

By fine-tuning your cold brew process, it is possible to make each glass exactly to your taste and enjoy a refreshing drink at any time.