People have been preparing cold coffee since the mid-17th century. At that time, the best equipment for cold brew coffee was a rudimentary bucket and sieve. Almost 300 years later, things have improved slightly.
Cold brew gained widespread popularity in the midst of coffee’s Third Wave revolution in the mid-2010s. The Third Wave emphasised craft and quality, placing a premium on high-quality coffee beans, direct trade, expert barista work, and innovative brewing methods. The diner brewing pot and commercial espresso machine had to make space for pour-overs, Aeropresses, Slayers and siphons.
Cold brew was perfectly positioned to ride on the coattails of the third wave. For an industry touting an emphasis on lighter roasts, more balanced flavour profiles, and fewer additives or artificial flavourings, cold brew offers all and more.
As health and wellness trends, discerning diet habits, and demand for product variation have seeped into the coffee market, cold brew has only grown in popularity.
For modern coffee businesses looking to capitalise, the best equipment for cold brew coffee is a must. We spoke to Matthew Mills, group commercial director at Masteroast, to learn more.
How has cold brew traditionally been prepared?
The earliest record of cold brew coffee brewing points to 1600s Japan. Japanese, or Kyoto-style, cold brew was popularised by its convenience (much as it is now). One theory suggests Dutch traders introduced the concept as a handy way to keep coffee from spoiling on long journeys and to keep sailors well-fueled.
The method used remained essentially unchanged until the mid-1900s. Coffee beans were ground to a coarse consistency and then steeped for long periods – 12-24 hours, depending on the strength required – before being filtered and stored as a concentrate.
The cold brew concentrate expressed high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS), so the liquid was then diluted with added cold water before being consumed.
Utensils and equipment may have varied over the years of cold brewing, but the methodology at its most basic is a proven way to produce a good cup of cold brew. A brewer can prepare large amounts without any objective complexity, simply increasing the size of the receptacle used for brewing and the amount of coffee added – the ratio scales easily.
Kyoto-style cold brewing methods did branch off in more artisanal directions in some instances. Today, in specialty coffee circles, Kyoto-style coffee is synonymous with a large, intricately designed glass tower that sometimes adorns most boutique independent coffee shops.
Water is added to coffee grounds one drop at a time and passes through a coiled glass tube to a waiting vessel below. The combination of gravity and brewing time results in a unique cold brew – a barely oxidised beverage that highlights the most subtle and delicate flavours of the coffee beans used.
While beautiful, the Kyoto-style process is not precisely practical from a commercial standpoint. It is incredibly time-intensive, challenging to master, and unpredictable in its yield. Most coffee businesses through the 2010s opted for the bucket-and-sieve approach, and many still do, to better effect.
How commercial cold brew machines have transformed the cold brew landscape
“Cold brew is growing,” says Matthew. “Perhaps slower than marketers like to make out. Cold brew could benefit from a slightly different format, improved quality, and more competitive pricing.”
“The industry needs to explore and innovate more, especially with brew-it-yourself products like coffee bags. Ultimately, it’s a new product that takes market share from the soft drink category. The key with cold brew is to focus on the finished cup profile – ideally, you want soft chocolate notes. Roasters should focus on less acidic coffee and more textured mouthfeel to really succeed.”
If asked the question today, ‘What’s the best equipment for cold brew coffee?’ the answer is a commercial cold brew machine. Compared to the traditional approaches described in the previous section, these machines offer improved quality, safety, scalability, and reliability.
Hardtank manufactures two distinct commercial cold brew systems: the Hardtank 20 and the Baby Hardtank. The former is designed for high-volume brewing at scale, capable of producing over a thousand portions per day. The latter is a countertop machine that deploys the same level of technology and performance in a smaller, more affordable format.
Here, we break down how commercial machines have improved cold brew quality:
- Improved efficiency and speed
Brewing cold brew the traditional way, without the aid of modern technology or methodology, is a time-intensive process. The lack of a heat or pressurised exchange – as is customary in hot coffee brewing – leaves time as the critical variable. Stationary coffee grounds need more time to infuse the surrounding water before the liquid is ready to consume. This usually takes up to 24 hours, and 12 at a minimum.
The best equipment for cold brew coffee leverages more efficient methods enabled by technology. At Hardtank, we use a patented recirculation method that sees water continually moving through and recirculating over the coffee grounds. The rate of infusion increases, and, as a result, the optimum TDS level can be achieved more quickly.
Hardtank commercial cold brew machines can prepare a batch of cold brew in under an hour, which is transformative for coffee companies trying to forecast demand and maintain a supply of cold brew for their customers.
- Better margins
The best equipment for cold brew coffee can dramatically increase a coffee shop or RTD business’s margins. Compared to traditional methods, the Baby Hardtank, for example, can produce almost 100% more cold brew from the same amount of coffee.
Moreover, commercial cold brew equipment brews to a ready-to-drink TDS level and not a concentrate, which saves time and improves overall beverage accuracy and quality.
With 325 g of ground coffee, a traditional approach will yield 910 g of cold brew concentrate. Once diluted to an optimum 1.53% TDS level, the brewer is left with 2285 g of drinkable product. The Baby Hardtank, meanwhile, will yield 4193 g of ready-to-drink cold brew less than 10% of the time.
Over the course of a year, serving 20 portions of cold brew per day, a coffee shop using the best equipment for cold brew coffee can expect to save over €2,700.
- Greater menu variety
With Hardtank equipment, cold brew is just one of the many beverage options available. The Baby Hardtank’s filter basket can be used to brew cold brew tea, cascara, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Hardtank 20 can be fitted with one or two nitrogen-infusion draught taps for on-demand nitro coffee pouring.
As modern coffee consumers seek varied and innovative beverage options in more significant numbers, leveraging a commercial cold brew system beyond cold brewing is the key to unlocking sustained innovation and growth.
Commercial cold brew equipment can be used to support multiple outlets or wholesale clients or produce bespoke lines of RTD coffee products for sale in adjacent F&B channels like supermarkets and convenience stores.
Choose Hardtank for the best equipment for cold brew coffee
Hardtank’s commercial cold brew systems have been designed to produce the highest quality cold brew coffee in the fastest and most cost-effective ways.
The Baby Hardtank’s award-winning design makes it the perfect addition to a busy café’s benchtop, keeping up with supply and demand and offering owners the capability to expand their menu offerings and service periods.
The Hardtank 20, with or without the 1T or 2T application, has helped numerous businesses scale their cold brew operation safely and profitably, leveraging food-grade aluminium for enhanced beverage quality and consumer confidence.
For more information, visit our website or get in touch with the Hardtank team directly.
Watch our recent RTD masterclass here!
Equipment for cold brew coffee
