Cold Brew Coffee is a rising trend in town and we sure are embracing it.

You might have seen food journals, magazines, blogs and your social media feeds bursting with pictures or reviews of Cold Brew coffees. It is for sure, the new it coffee at the moment.

Why do people levitate towards Cold Brew Coffees? There are a couple of reasons. And the ones who truly appreciate their coffee will taste the robust and concentrated flavours in cold brews, while still enjoying the taste of the coffee itself as opposed to downing it like an espresso.

If you are still confused, here’s a simple read on What You Need To Know About Cold Brew Coffee.

How is cold brew made?

Coffee is first grounded, then steeped in either chilled or room temperature water for up to 24 hours. This intensifies the coffee extraction process, as you’re physically letting it ‘sit’ for a longer period of time. Same goes for slow-cooking and braising for hours and hours – you get the best out of it through the process of slow-extraction.

Typically, the coffee is then diluted to be served or poured over ice cubes.

This traditional method of serving it prevents the consumer from taking in too much coffee at a go, as the effects of drinking it directly could be equivalent to swallowing a few espresso shots at once.

We can’t say for sure how long the hype for cold brew coffee will last. But one thing we are certain about, is that we will be fans of it for a long, long time.

Well, of course, until a new and fancy way of extracting and serving coffee is invented. But until then, we will return to these places for the Best Cold Brews in Singapore.

There is nothing better in the world than the smell of freshly grounded coffee beans permeating through a room, the sound of steam as it shoots through the nozzle of a Zagato and the first taste of liquid gold as it passes your lips, settles on your tongue and slides down your throat. Some people drink coffee for the caffeine, some for the flavour and most (like me) for both reasons.

For the regular coffee drinker, this post is probably worth skipping because you would already know the basics (like the components that make up a caramel macchiato for example). For the slightly amateur, here’s the beginners guide to coffee. And no, a “frappuccino” is not considered coffee.

Espresso (ehs-press-soh)
A full-flavored, concentrated form of coffee that is served in “shots” – made by forcing pressurized, hot water through very finely ground coffee beans. This is usually ordered and drunk within 10-20 seconds upon receiving as it tends to oxidise relatively quickly. Perfect for a quick wake-me-up.

Macchiato (mah-kee-ya-to)
An espresso shot topped with a dollop of foam.

Caffe latte (kaf-fey lah-tay)
One part espresso, three part steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. I personally am not a fan of lattes because I think the milk to espresso ratio mutes the flavour of the coffee. This drink however, is perfect for milk lovers.

Flat white
Exactly like a latte but without the foam. Some people don’t see the purpose of having foam, for that reason the flat white is the perfect choice.

Americano (uh-meh-ri-kan-no)
One part espresso, three part hot water. Kind of like a diluted espresso shot.

Cappuccino (kap-ooh-chee-no)
A cappuccino is like a latte with half the amount of milk replaced with foam. Many wonder what the difference is between a cappuccino and a latte. The only thing is the amount of foam – a capp consists of the same amount of foam as milk.

Piccolo (pee-ko-lo)
Often mis-spelt as as “picollo” “picolo” or “piccollo”. This is an anglo-american invention and is basically a miniature latte served in an espresso glass.

Espresso con panna (ehs-press-soh kon pah-na)
An espresso shot topped with whipped cream. This is also known as the Vienna Coffee and it’s drunk through the creamy top. A very popular beverage in Italy, usually taken after dinner with desserts.

Mocha (mo-kah)
An espresso shot, steamed milk, chocolate syrup (places that serve quality mochas use high grade chocolate couvertures (eg. Valrhona) instead of chocolate syrup) topped with whipped cream. And if the barista decides to be nice, a generous drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Cafe breve (kaf-fey breh-vay)
A shot of espresso, steamed half & half and foam.

Magic (meh-jeek)
A ristretto*, three ounces of milk & a thin layer of foam. The “magic” is a slang that was coined by Australians and has been recently popular in our local indie coffee scene.

Other useful coffee “terms”

Skinny (or low-fat) : a beverage made using non-fat or skimmed milk

*Ristretto : an espresso shot that takes twelve seconds to pull and is “sweeter” than a full shot (a regular shot takes twenty seconds)

De-caf : shots made using decaffeinated coffee beans

Half-caf : one shot of regular, one shot of decaf.

These are probably some java terms worth knowing. I mean, you never really know when you might need to impress someone you meet at say Starbucks. Coffee is always a good conversation starter. Words by Jolene Koh, photographs by ladyironchef