José Andrés Says This Coffee Style Allows You To Experience Its 'Real Essence'

Want to ask a polarizing question amongst a group of foodies and coffee aficionados? Tell them to choose the coffee brewing method that showcases coffee's essence best. You'll get a ton of diverse answers; moka pot! Espresso machine! AeroPress! And when professional chefs weigh in, such as José Andrés, we listen. His answer is surprising — and no, the style he believes showcases coffee's true flavor is not traditionally Spanish.

The two-Michelin-starred Spanish chef told Tasting Table, "Cold brew is fascinating. And there you see the real essence of coffee. Once you drink cold brew, your mentality on hot coffee changes." We agree — cold brew is a totally different experience than your average cup of joe. It's smooth to sip on, and can even have a silky mouthfeel. You might notice that hot coffee has a simple, one-note taste, like "roasted," while cold brew often has more complex, multilayered flavors.

Cold brew is never heated, unlike iced coffee, which is first brewed as regular coffee and then refrigerated. Instead, coffee grounds are steeped in water overnight, with experts saying between 12 and 18 hours is the ideal window of time for cold brew. What type of roast you use is up to personal preference; although Andrés is a fan of light roasts when it comes to hot coffee, he'll use a darker roast to make cold brew. Generally, medium or darker roasts work best because more of their flavors come through after cold steeping.

All other methods of preparing coffee involve heat, whether it be using grounds in a café-grade espresso machine, a home coffee pot, or a moka pot. Hot water is what extracts the coffee from the grounds in all of these methods, but with cold brew, room temperature water and time do the trick. Without heat exposure, this means less of the unwanted flavors sometimes found in coffee.

Harsh, bitter flavors and acidity are often toned down or even non-existent in cold brew. This allows for some of the more subtle notes found in coffee to shine through that you wouldn't normally be able to taste in hot coffee. This is exactly what José Andrés means when cold brew shows coffee's true essence — all of its present flavors can be tasted more clearly. Instead of dark, roasted, bitter flavors, cold brew offers a wider range of tasting notes. Depending on the roast and bean, you may experience fruity, citrusy, floral, chocolatey, or blueberry notes. If you're making cold brew at home, be sure to use the correct grind size, filtered water, and the right steep time to ensure that the best notes of coffee are highlighted.

The flavor of cold brew is generally going to be lighter than the strong, in-your-face hot coffee or espresso. Although the flavors of cold brew are more diverse, they are also more subtle. This doesn't mean there is less caffeine, but quite the contrary; cold brew typically has more caffeine than regular iced coffee or hot coffee.

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