The other day I asked my friend if she wanted me to pick her up something at Starbucks. She asked for their Nitro Cold Brew Coffee. I’d never heard of this, and as an iced coffee fanatic I was disappointed in my lack of knowledge.
Nitro Cold Brew Coffee is a whole new world. Regular iced coffee is just brewed from tap water, but when you infuse coffee with nitrogen it creates a richer, creamier, and silkier coffee. Think beer. Kegs are used to keep the beer nice and frothy, which is exactly what people have started doing to coffee. Now, you can start you day off with a nice drink from a keg.
While that does sound more delicious than the average cup of iced coffee… what about the health benefits? For starters, because the nitrogen already makes the coffee sweeter and frothier, there’s no need for those extra packets of sugar, which can be up to 15 calories and 4 grams of sugar each. In addition, you may even be satisfied with the frothiness and not feel the need to add milk. How’s that for an easy Starbucks order?
While the nitrogen can make you forego the sugars and milks, it can also give you an extra kick. Nitrogen gives the coffee even more caffeine compared to a regular iced coffee. At Starbucks, a regular tall iced coffee has 120mg of caffeine, while a tall nitro cold brew coffee has 245mg. So, instead of reaching for your 2pm coffee or feeling the need for another cup to get you going, you could be set with just one coffee. And, if you’re a frequent Starbucks-goer, it can end up saving you money in the long run.
For anyone who struggles with the acidity in coffee, they should opt for the nitro brew. It’s made with a dark roast and the nitrogen infusion can decrease the acidity in coffee. It’ll be much softer on your stomach (which you can honestly taste from the light creaminess in a cup).
If this article has convinced you, Starbucks nitro cold brew iced coffee is to die for, and you can even buy them pre-made at Whole Foods. If you don’t believe me, you can read about others’ personal experience with nitro cold brew coffee here.