Cold Brew vs Macchiato
In the battle of hot vs cold, who comes out on top? More importantly, what sets these beverages apart from their temperatures?
Join us we help you decide who wins between cold brew and macchiato by breaking down what they are and what they contain.
What this article covers:
What is a Cold Brew?
As temperatures rise, we want something to cool us down but give us that same boost we normally receive when drinking coffee.
A cold brew, as much as it sounds like some alcoholic beverage, is simply coffee that’s brewed with cold water.
This is done by steeping coffee grounds for several hours for oils and flavors in the grounds and water to become well acquainted.
Once steeped, the grounds need to be strained before you serve the drink over a bed of ice.Cold brewing extracts the flavor and caffeine from the beans or grounds, allowing for a rich, energy-giving beverage.
If you put cold brews up against regular brewed coffee, the end result is much smoother and less acidic.
This makes for a milder product, and the reason for this is the use of cold water, which doesn’t produce the acidity or bitter flavors found in regular brewed coffee.
Ingredients
Cold brews don’t require much to make, so they can be left out of the battle between macchiato vs lattes as they require more ingredients and finesse to get it right.
First, we want a good source of caffeine. You can either go for your regular coffee beans from your supermarket or take our recommendation.
We are talking about Lifeboost’s Biotics Cold Brew.
These beans are shade-grown and sun-dried in the mountains of Central America, ensuring your cold brew is rich in flavor and giving it a more authentic taste.
This product also contains helpful probiotics to improve your gut health and immune system.
The second ingredient is around 4 cups of cold water and a handful of ice blocks.
Assembling a Cold Brew
All the handy work comes in steeping the coffee but once that’s finished, you’ll be sipping on a cold brew in no time.
You want to grind your coffee beans, but if you have coffee grounds already, you can save yourself a few minutes and a little cleanup.
Once ground, pour the cold water over the grounds and stir gently until they’re saturated with the water.
The steeping process takes a few hours, so we recommend doing it overnight and leaving the mix in the refrigerator.
Once steeped, you can strain the coffee and it’s ready to serve.
Simply dilute the coffee with water or milk, add some ice blocks, and voila: you have yourself the perfect cold brew.
What is a Macchiato?
Since macchiatos are warm beverages, they often crop up in the differences between cappuccino vs macchiato. But we decided to put them up against a cold brew to get to the real nuts and bolts of it.Macchiato is a combination of espresso with a dash of milk, with the espresso taking up a larger portion of the drink.
The tablespoon or two of milk used is enough to change the color of the dark espresso into a creamier one.
It originates from the Italian word for marked or stained, a fitting description that relates to the milk’s marking once you add it to the espresso.
With this knowledge, you can help someone who doesn't know the difference between macchiato and espresso. Simply tell them that espresso is an element in the macchiato itself.
Whether you choose to have your macchiatos hot or cold, it makes for the perfect pick-me-up to ensure that you start your day off right.
Ingredients
Sticking to the style of simplicity, making a macchiato doesn’t require too many ingredients.
You are going to need some form of espresso to start off with. You could use your regular store bought espresso powder, or you can use a product that makes for a healthier and more flavorful macchiato.
We recommend using Lifeboost’s caramel macchiato coffee beans, adding a hint of caramel to sweeten up your macchiato.
Next up is our dairy or dairy substitute. Whether you prefer almond milk or regular full cream, choose your personal preference and we assure you that your macchiato will be great.
Getting the milk right is what keeps your macchiato tasting like an americano with extra milk.
Assembling a Macchiato
Start by getting the base of your macchiato ready by pouring one into a macchiato cup or demitasse.
Macchiatos can be hot or cold, but we are going to be going over the former, so warm your milk before proceeding to froth it.
Once the milk is warm, you can use a milk frother or a whisk to get that milk into a dry foam texture.
The dry foam should be removed from the top of the milk with a spoon and placed on top of the espresso.
You should now have a layered macchiato ready for your consumption. And if you use Lifeboost’s macchiato, you will have a beautiful caramel-scented and flavored macchiato.
Do we Have a Winner?
Deciding on a winner between these 2 contestants is like deciding who wins in the battle between Frappuccino and macchiato: they are in 2 different divisions: one is hot, the other is cold.
A cold brew is perfect for a hot summer’s day when you want to cool down but also get that burst of energy from the caffeine.
A macchiato on the other hand is more of something to enjoy on a cold morning when you want to start it off on the right note. Or maybe when you are working on a rainy night and need a little pick me up.
At the end of the day, the winner all comes down to what you prefer and when you want to drink it.
Conclusion
In the battle of cold brew vs macchiato, there’s no clear winner. The is whatever you prefer and the conditions around you.
Whichever side you choose, we recommend using the Lifeboost products when making them our product enhances the flavor and makes for a healthier beverage.
If you’d like to know more about our affiliate coffee program, feel free to contact us.
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