For almost three hundred years, from the mid-17th century until the mid-20th, cold brew coffee equipment barely changed. The essential components remained a large jug or bucket, a basic sieve, cold water, and ground coffee. 

Regardless of how the brewer customised the process, several variables could not be changed, including the speed of the extraction. For a palatable result, cold brew had to steep for at least 12 hours, and ideally up to 24. 

Since the late 1960s, equipment and techniques for cold brewing have improved quickly. Today, technology allows for a faster, more consistent, and scalable cold brew process, with brewing times reduced by more than 95% and with improved quality and safety standards that mean cold brew can become a tangible commercially-produced drink. 

Now, the average coffee consumer can find cold brew almost everywhere – coffee shops, supermarket shelves, convenience stores, and e-commerce platforms – and they have modern cold brew coffee equipment to thank. 

We spoke to Hossam Shaheen, a coffee roaster at We Are Fresh, to learn more about cold brew’s popularity and how businesses can use cold brew coffee equipment to participate.

Why is cold brew coffee equipment important today?

“Cold brew coffee is becoming more popular because its taste and profile are different,” says Hossam. 

“It’s a fresh, new product, and cold brew illustrated the different properties unique to cold coffee. Young people between the ages of 25 and 35 prefer cold coffee. The working and preparation methods for cold brew are different, and that appeals to a new audience.”

Hossam’s view of cold brew and cold coffee growth is akin to the mood of the wider market. Younger shoppers, in particular, seek novel beverages and prefer them to be cold and convenient, so cold brew stands in good stead to become a key coffee channel over the next decade. 

In 2025, the global cold-brew coffee market was valued at $3.16 billion and is forecasted to grow more than fourfold by 2032, exceeding $16.22 billion. North America represents the largest portion of the market, generating more than a third of global revenue. 

The USA may consume the highest amount of cold brew currently, but positive signs for global growth are crystal clear and Asian, European, and Middle Eastern development are hot on its tail. Cold brew’s suitability as an RTD coffee base and its more mellow, less acidic tasting notes grant it broad appeal. 

Cold brew coffee equipment is essential if modern coffee companies want to unlock this new channel. Although producing cold brew on a tiny scale may be achievable with the dated bucket and sieve approach, updated technology is needed to make it commercially viable. 

At Hardtank, our Baby Hardtank and Hardtank 20 are examples of modern cold brew coffee equipment designed to assist businesses of all sizes, from independent cafés to FMCG-focussed RTD brands, in unlocking cold brew’s potential for their own growth strategies.

How does cold brew coffee equipment help?

As mentioned, cold brew coffee equipment improves cold brew production across several key variables that remained immovable and problematic until recently. 

The first hurdle is time. The international phenomenon of coffee culture growth means demand for beverages has never been higher. Coffee quality has improved alongside development, which means that modern consumers quickly expect a high-standard coffee-based beverage. If quality or convenience is not available, they will simply move next door to a competitor that can deliver. 

Consumers want a cold brew, but they don’t want to wait 12 hours for you to brew it. For coffee shops, this means predicting demand accurately and allocating labour and resources to cold brewing, which is a risky business indeed. Much can happen while brewing is occurring; demand could suddenly drop, leaving you with a wasted surplus, or demand could increase, leaving you unable to satisfy demand. 

Cold brew coffee equipment, like Hardtank machines, can produce a batch of cold brew in less than an hour, offering businesses the flexibility and confidence to respond almost immediately to the natural demand fluctuations relevant to any coffee company. 

Our patented recirculation process is the key to reducing brewing time. Instead of a static traditional brew, recirculation continuously moves water through the coffee grounds, increasing the reaction rate and significantly reducing the time needed to achieve optimum TDS (total dissolved solids) levels. 

Cold brew coffee equipment also greatly enhances consistency and quality. It dedicates bespoke, repeatable programs to brewing, allowing businesses to optimise extraction based on the ingredients used and the required results. Traditional cold brew naturally incurs recipe inconsistency and human error, leading to your signature cold brew tasting differently every time. 

Controlling health and safety is far easier with cold brew coffee equipment. Hardtank machines, for example, used food-grade stainless steel and automated cleaning cycles to ensure every batch of cold brew coffee produced is as safe for consumption as possible. Traditional cold brewing invites a host of potential cross-contamination and spoilage issues, from brewing to storage. 

Hardtank 20 can decant directly, via a built-in line, to a storage keg for convenient nitro coffee dispensing, all while maintaining a hygienic environment for your cold brew storage, instead of a cling filmed jug in a cluttered under-counter fridge. 

Visit our website or contact us directly to learn more about how cold-brew coffee equipment can transform your business. 

You can watch a recording of our recent RTD masterclass here. 

Cold brew coffee equipment