The cold coffee bandwagon is something that everyone has been jumping on. 

Traditionally, coffee was considered a hot beverage that helped people get through the cold winter season. However, innovations today have led to the emergence of various cold coffee beverages.

Coffee lovers wanted to get the same caffeine boost from this hot drink in the summer season. Thus, cold coffee drinks, such as the Americano and Cold Brew, became prominent items on the menus of coffee shops and cafes.

Both of these drinks are quite popular and look familiar. Therefore, it can be difficult to tell apart.

Most people have a question in their mind: Is Americano and cold brew the same thing? We are here to tell you their difference so you can decide your next favourite cold coffee.

Americano and Cold Brew: Critical Differences You Need to Know

At first glance, you might make the mistake of considering both coffee drinks to be the same. But having an in-depth understanding of their differences can help you find out which is Americano and which is cold brew.

Taste

The most obvious difference between Americano and cold brew is their taste. If you drink the cold brew, you’ll notice a less acidic and less bitter taste than the Americano.

On the other hand, the Americano has a slightly more strong taste. The primary reason for the higher level of acidity and bitterness in the Americano is the extraction process.

It uses hot water for the espresso shot, whether you use an aero press, Moka pot, espresso machine, or any other method.

Conversely, the cold brew uses normal water, which is why the coffee beans retain most of the acid instead of letting it out during the extraction process. Therefore, you get a much more refreshing drink.

If you prefer a strong flavour, then we suggest the Americano as a more suitable option. But if you want something that has a less acidic flavour, then the cold brew is an optimal choice.

Water Temperature

The flavour has a lot to do with the temperature of the water during the extraction water. When making a cold brew coffee, you’ll use the normal water for extraction.

Mostly, normal water will handle the extraction process if you leave the cold brew mix outside. However, some of us place our cold brew jars inside the fridge.

In this situation, the water will get cold and then it will start extracting coffee from beans. Nevertheless, you don’t use hot water for the cold brew.

When making an iced Americano, you’ll have to use hot water first to make the espresso shot. You would need to heat the water to around 90 to 100 C.

After you make the espresso shot, you can add cold water and even some ice cubes for a chilled, iced Americano.

Calories

People who look after their physique count each calorie they consume. Therefore, they want to know about the number of calories each drink contains. Simply put, there are almost no calories in both of them.

Since both these coffee drinks have no sweeteners or creamer in them, they virtually have no calories in them. However, if you plan on adding some kind of coffee syrup, sweetener, or any other add-in to your drinks, then the calories will start to build up.

Some people might want to get more balanced from their iced coffees (either cold brew or Americano) and choose to add a splash of milk to the drink. So, if you do so, keep in mind that the calories in your drink will start to increase.

Methodology 

The process of making both these drinks is also quite different. To make a cold brew, you need a mason jar with a lid, water and coffee grounds.

You have to put coffee grounds in the jar and add water to it. Make sure that the water is of normal temperature. Mix the stir and close the lid and leave it outside on in the refrigerator for 12 to 14 hours. Pour out the cold brew into a cup and enjoy it!

To make an Americano, you need an espresso machine to pull out an espresso shot. You can also use other methods to prepare an espresso shot. Next, you need to add cold water and some ice cubes to the espresso, and your Americano is ready.

Time to Make

Last but not least, coffee is something most people drink at the start of the day. Since most of us are in a rush, there won’t be enough time for you to make coffee which is time-consuming.

So, you want to know which drink has less preparation time. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have the time to spend on the coffee-making process every morning, then Americano will be a more suitable choice for you.

All you have to do is prepare an espresso shot using a machine. This whole process would hardly take around 30 to 45 seconds.

Even if you plan on making an espresso shot using a Moka pot, aero press, or any other method, it won’t take more than 8 to 10 minutes. Once the espresso shot is ready, you can add cold water and ice cubes to enjoy the iced Americano.

However, the case is quite the opposite when it comes to making cold brew coffee. You need to wait for at least 12 to 15 hours for the coffee beans to steep properly. Only after that, you can enjoy a cold brew coffee.

An important thing to note is that the time problem will only occur for the first time. By storing the cold brew concentrate, you can use it immediately next time.

Is Americano and Cold Brew the Same — Final Thoughts

We hope you now have a clear idea about the differences between an Americano and a cold brew. You can try them out and decide which cold coffee you would make to stay energized in the summer season!

Useful Resources:

• how to make americano coffee with an espresso machine
• how to make a Starbucks americano
• difference between americano and drip coffee