Cold brew coffee has seen explosive growth in recent years, primarily driven by millennial and Generation Z consumers. As a result, it has become a staple on the menu of many coffee shops around the world. 

This means many businesses are looking for specialised cold brew coffee makers to keep up with demand. But is a dedicated device right for your business? How do they help your team prepare cold brew, and does it affect workflow?

We spoke with Ben Ferrao, the General Manager at Cold Brew Coffee Company, to learn how cold brew coffee makers can transform a coffee shop’s workflow. Read on to find out what Ben had to say.

Brew cold brew coffee faster than ever before

When brewed using traditional techniques, cold brew typically takes 12 to 24 hours to prepare. As a result, most coffee shops and cafes can only produce one batch of cold brew per day. 

When businesses are then hit with a sudden increase in demand, stock can rapidly deplete, leaving them in the lurch during critical periods of consumer foot traffic – whether that’s the morning rush or during the afternoon when people pivot to cold drinks.

Furthermore, such cold brew demand surges are more common than ever. 

“We find it to be a quickly emerging product line,” Ben says. “It undeniably offers increased breadth to cafes, roasteries, and bars who are looking to offer something a little different to conventional espresso and filter-based drinks.

“We see drivers such as price and convenience, accelerated somewhat by Gen Z consumers looking for pick-up and go options, such as canned cold brew, or easy dispense cold brew kegs in takeaway cups in their favourite cafes.”

However, there are more efficient and less time-intensive solutions on the market, like those we offer at Hardtank. Our models can prepare batches of cold brew in just 45 minutes.

By removing the resource drain on cafe operations, staff can consequently spend more time focusing on other vital tasks.

Other built-in features can streamline service

Some cold brew coffee makers have additional features that speed up service. 

With the right device, cafe operators can quickly produce a high-quality beverage and optimise their customers’ service.  

The Hardtank 1T and 2T, for example, have built-in kegs and dispenser taps. Coffee is quickly prepared, safely stored, and conveniently served from the same device, increasing efficiency by reducing the need for multiple devices. 

These solutions also save valuable real estate on-site and cut down the time required to train staff across multiple pieces of equipment. Similarly, integrated kegs mean less time is spent transferring batches from one vessel to another.

Broaden your menu offering

Any high-quality cold brew coffee maker will be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing your staff to prepare a variety of different drinks using just one machine. 

Cold brew itself is incredibly versatile. It can be served straight up or on the rocks, prepared with milk to make a cold latte or cappuccino, or used as an ingredient in a cocktail or mocktail. 

“Offering cold brew increases the range of any cafe, bar, or roastery and certainly allows establishments to showcase and offer more unique products, especially those that provide a lot of bang for your buck caffeine-wise,” says Ben. “We’ve found the feedback to our cold brew products to be very positive.”
Furthermore, some models can be used to prepare more than cold brew coffee. For example, Hardtank equipment can prepare cold brew tea, cascara, cocktails, and even infuse spirits. The equipment and technology work the same no matter the base ingredient, meaning that staff need very little onboarding to produce a wide variety of cold drinks quickly.

Accessibility helps improve workflow

With shorter brew times and more versatility when you use a dedicated machine, you minimise margins for error. This means that team members don’t need as much training to guarantee consistency and eliminate oxidation. 

A dedicated cold brew coffee maker with an easy-to-use interface eliminates this problem. You place ingredients into the basket and select recipes using buttons or a touchscreen. This means everyone on your team can operate the machine easily, and immediately begin preparing a new batch whenever it is required – with minimal training.

Sourcing a cold brew coffee maker for your coffee shop

So, all this means that a dedicated cold brew coffee maker has several benefits for your team’s workflow – but where do you find a device that delivers all of these benefits? 

At Hardtank, we offer a range of machines that leverage patented technology and rigorous, high-quality engineering to brew cold coffee in under 45 minutes. These machines are versatile and flexible and have plenty of other features to transform workflow in your coffee shop. 

Our range of coffee equipment includes:

• Hardtank 20: Our classic model, which can be used to prepare up to 250 litres of coffee a day. 
• Hardtank 1T: Functions just like the Hardtank 20 but has a built-in tap to dispense your cold brew.  
• Hardtank 2T: Equipped with two integrated taps to make service even more manageable. 
• Baby Hardtank: A compact version of our device with a smaller countertop footprint.

You can learn more about Hardtank’s technology here. For updates from our team, sign up for our newsletter. 

Hardtank cold brew coffee maker