Could our title be more to the point? We had to be blunt because this is a question we have been asked repeatedly over the last two weeks. It's about time we answered in a big way! So let's begin with the really important stuff.

Cold Brew is a process of steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in room-temperature or cold water for 6 to 24-hours creating a coffee concentrate that you can then mix with cold water or milk. At Snake River Roasting Co., we have our own recipe. We do not brew as a concentrate – we prefer the flavor that results from putting the full amount of water into the brew. Because of the brewing method, you'll find that cold brew has significantly less acidity than iced coffee, which is brewed hot and then served cold. When making iced coffee, you bring the temperature down by pouring it over ice or refrigerating it prior to serving. When you try our cold brew, you will notice heavy-bodied, caramel-chocolate sweetness is the result, with viscosity for a lingering deep sweetness. Snake River Roasting Co. cold brew is brewed without using a paper filter, making it even more viscous and thick. Because the texture is half the joy, when served using nitro through a stout beer faucet, the resulting smoothness is purely delightful.

If you prefer brightness and 'acidity' in coffee (acidity referring to the flavor attribute, NOT the PH level), go for the iced coffee. If you like heavy bodied, deeply sweet, and strong coffee, you'll want the cold brew. Cold brew costs more because it requires at least twice the coffee grounds to make it as iced coffee. If your cold brew is served 'nitro,' it adds to the cost, as well.

Pro tip: if you see a 'cold brew' coffee advertised at a 'normal' coffee price, it may not truly be cold brew!

Although cold brew uses twice the amount of coffee, it is canceled out by the fact that cold water doesn't extract as much caffeine from grinds as hot water does. In most cases, cold brew coffee has the same or slightly less caffeine.

Here in Jackson Hole, our friends at Picnic are premiering decaf cold brew! It tastes fabulous, and you'll never know the difference.