The popularity of cold-brew nitro coffee is on the rise, and the best part is that it’s straightforward to prepare at home, as long as you have the appropriate equipment and ingredients. There’s no need for a unique coffee machine or intricate devices.
The only extra piece of equipment which you will need to have in the kitchen for this to work is a whipped cream dispenser. These are metal canisters that are used to whip cream for milkshakes and ice cream products. It has a nozzle to dispense the liquids and works using a gas cartridge.
What you need to make nitro coffee at home is:
- Coffee beans or coffee ready ground coarsely
- A coffee grinder
- Water
- Paper filters
- A whipped cream dispenser with a cartridge
- A lidded jar
- A water jug
- A large spoon
Your first step is to make your cold brew coffee to start with. If you are using your own coffee beans, then you will need to grind them using your coffee grinder. For this, to work you need to use a coarse grind level.
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Once you have your coffee ready, put it into your jar, and then add the cold water. You will need roughly ten times the amount of water to the coffee that you are using, to get the correct ratio for your nitro coffee.
You need to stir the coffee and water together to allow the two to mix well, before closing the jar and leaving it aside to settle. You should leave the closed jar for around 18 hours to allow it to completely combine, brew and settle.
The next step is to filter your settled brew, so you will need to undo the lid and pour the coffee through the paper filter, into another container, removing any coffee grounds and residue from the beverage as you do so.
This concentrated drink made from your own home-brewed iced coffee will need to be diluted before drinking it as it will be incredibly strong. So, dilute it with water before adding it to your dispenser.
You can discard the filter and the grounds, and the final stage is to pour the filtered drink into your whipped cream dispenser which should be ready with a full cartridge in place. Close the dispenser, give it a shake, and then you can serve your nitro coffee directly from the dispenser.
If you wish to add any sugar, milk, or cream you can do so but this cold brew is famous for already having that creamy and sweet taste due to the way it’s made, even without having anything added into it.
Nitro coffee is the perfect summer drink with that refreshing bubbly texture and creamy taste, it makes the perfect long cold brew on a hot day so it’s no wonder that it is growing in popularity in coffee shops everywhere.
Here are some extra tips for making your nitro coffee at home.
Use Ready-Made Cold Brew Coffee
If you want to save time in making your own nitro coffee at home, then you can buy a ready-made cold brew coffee from the supermarket and use that instead. It might not be as fresh-tasting, but it saves you having to wait 18 hours before you can drink it.
Choose Your Coffee Beans Carefully
If you are going down the route of grinding your own beans at home, then choose them carefully to make your own cold brew. The cold brewing process does get rid of the high and low notes in coffee flavor, so pick an all-around rich roast.
Understanding the Nitro Process
It helps to understand that when the nitro canister is used on your cold brew coffee, it removes oxygen from the drink. This process helps to keep flavors in your brew which is why it tastes so different from a regular cold brew coffee.
Use a Frosted Glass to Serve
For the best results, put a glass in the freezer for a while to make it frosted, and then when you are ready to serve your nitro coffee, serve it directly into your frosted glass to keep it ice cold, without diluting it with ice.
Make Cold Brew Coffee Ice Cubes
Another way to keep your nitro coffee super cold without diluting it is to make up some cold brew coffee beforehand and use it to make ice cubes. Then you can add coffee ice cubes to your final nitro coffee drink, which won’t make it taste watery.
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Use Nitro Coffee to Cut Back on Sugar
If you like your coffee sweet but are trying to be healthier and cut back on your sugar intake, then try a nitro coffee. The process gives the coffee a much sweeter taste than a regular cold brew, without any need to add any extra sugar.
Don’t Add Milk or Cream
If you normally add milk or cream to your cold brew, make sure you taste the nitro coffee without it first. It has a totally different flavor to regular cold brew coffee, even when served black, and the bubbles give it a creamy taste that you might enjoy without any additional ingredients.
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While it might seem like a magical coffee when they make it in a coffee shop, nitro coffee is quite simple to make in the comfort of your own home and requires no special coffee maker or expensive machinery.
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If you choose a good coffee roast that will bring out all the full flavors, and you have a whipped cream dispenser at home, it is extremely easy to make your own nitro coffee in your kitchen to wow all your dinner guests at a summer party.
Nitro coffee tastes very different from regular cold brew coffee, due to the way the coffee interacts with the nitrous oxide, making this a unique and refreshing drink to enjoy all year round.
