In this article, you’ll learn:
- How to serve nitro cold brew on tap using equipment
- Why factors like speed and precision are important
- The importance of visually appealing nitro coffee on tap
For coffee shops looking to diversify their fresh service, offering nitro coffee on tap is a wise strategy. Using a dedicated dispenser, you can quickly and efficiently pour nitro versions of your classic drinks, ranging from cold brew to iced tea. They also integrate seamlessly with your existing cold brew system, so you can prepare and dispense drinks in the same line.
However, just having a nitro coffee tap often isn’t enough. You also need to understand how best to use it, ensuring it meets your operational requirements and speeds up service rather than causing bottlenecks.
To learn more about the best ways to serve nitro coffee on tap, I spoke to Vivian Phelps. She is the founder and owner of The Monk Coffee Roasters, a roastery and coffee shop based in the Balearic Islands in Spain. Read on for her insight.
Why speed is crucial for serving nitro coffee on tap
For high-volume coffee shops, quick service is essential. If customers have to wait in line for their coffee at peak times, it can lead to dissatisfaction and may put them off from visiting again. Therefore, equipment like the Hardtap can help you serve nitro cold brew on tap quickly.
“Speed of service is critical for us, especially during Ibiza’s summer peak when cold beverages dominate,” Vivian tells me. “Especially for traditional iced beverages, service can be slow.”
After all, manually serving nitro cold brew is a time-consuming process. Firstly, you need to prepare cold brew overnight – a process that is highly susceptible to microbial activity. Then, to achieve the foamy consistency and cascading effect, you also need to infuse it with nitrogen. Traditionally, this has required external nitrogen tanks, which take up valuable storage space and have to be re-ordered when you run out.
It’s a slow process – but using a nitro coffee tap can speed it up significantly. “A fast nitro tap helps us serve high volumes without compromising quality,” Vivian explains. “This keeps queues shorter and elevates the guest experience.”
For instance, the Hardtap has a dispensing capability of 50 litres per hour. This equates to 200 or more 354 mL servings in an hour, representing a significant speed increase. This output ensures you can meet peak demand without batching delays or prep work, which is especially important in high-footfall cafés.
Similarly, serving nitro coffee on tap with atmospheric nitrogen infusion can speed up the process. Modern systems like the Hardtap draw nitrogen from the air, rather than relying on external nitrogen tanks. This makes nitro infusion an instant process that takes place as you pour, and saves you money on nitrogen tanks.
Hygiene is another important factor when serving nitro drinks. Because cold brew is stored at low temperatures, taps and lines need to stay clean to prevent microbial growth. Using equipment with automatic cleaning cycles removes human error and ensures consistent quality.
How can digital dosing and preset volumes help your staff?
While speed is an important factor when you dispense nitro cold brew on tap, efficiency is also a top priority for coffee shops.
For this reason, the equipment you use to serve nitro cold brew on tap should have digital dosing control. This is where the dispenser automatically pours consistent volumes every time, based on quantities you can program into the system.
“Digital dosing and preset volumes remove guesswork and ensure exact yields every time,” Vivian tells me. “Every pour is consistent, regardless of who is on the shift.”
In high-volume settings like coffee shops, this level of consistency is very important. Your staff will have different experience levels, and manual dispensing methods introduce variables like spillage, over-pouring, and product waste.
By using the touchscreen interface on systems like the Hardtap, you can remove manual methods from your drink dispensing entirely. “This equipment reduces training time, minimises wastage, and allows our staff to focus more on hospitality than manual measurements,” she adds.
In the long run, this can also present valuable cost savings for your business. For instance, if you’re saving a small amount of nitro cold brew with every pour with automatic dosing, your cost-per-serving inevitably falls. This translates to money saved on ingredients in the long term, making the equipment an investment in itself.
Why your nitro coffee on tap needs to look visually appealing
Another key factor behind serving nitro coffee on tap is the customer experience. You need equipment that makes the drink look good to entice customers to try it while they wait in line.
“The cascade effect is one of nitro’s greatest selling points,” Vivian tells me. “Guests often pause to watch it settle. It creates a small moment of theatre that reinforces the premium nature of the drink and drives organic, social media-friendly content.” Customers are naturally drawn to dynamic visuals behind the bar, which increases perceived value and encourages trial.
Therefore, your method of serving nitro coffee on tap needs to be aesthetically pleasing as well as efficient. Systems like the Hardtap have a sleek countertop appearance with two nitro taps, meaning you can serve different drinks simultaneously.
This means customers can watch as you pour the drinks, creating a more memorable experience. Research shows that the psychology of your coffee shop design, from your use of colour to how your equipment looks, influences customer retention and loyalty. By investing in equipment that serves nitro coffee on tap in a visually engaging way, you can stand out to customers and turn one-time visitors into regulars.
In conclusion, the way you serve nitro coffee on tap should be precise, fast, and visually appealing. By choosing systems like the Hardtap, you can meet all of these requirements in one countertop unit.
If you’re evaluating whether a nitro tap fits your business, here are the core points to consider.
Nitro coffee on tap: Key takeaways
- When serving nitro coffee on tap, speed of service is critical.
- Dedicated nitro systems like Hardtap remove the need for external nitrogen tanks with atmospheric nitrogen infusion.
- They also improve your efficiency, as you can dispense preset volumes consistently and quickly.
Ready to invest in your own nitro coffee tap? Learn more about the Hardtap here or speak with a member of the team to learn more.
Nitro coffee on tap FAQ
Why does digital dosing help to serve nitro coffee on tap?
It means every serving is exactly the same volume, no matter which staff member is pouring the drink. This reduces product waste from overpouring and improves consistency.
Can a nitro tap serve drinks other than cold brew?
Yes, you can also use nitro taps like the Hardtap to serve iced tea, cocktails, and other cold beverages.
Is a nitro tap worth the investment?
For coffee shops with a high demand for cold drinks, including nitro coffee, nitro taps are a wise investment. They improve your speed, consistency, and efficiency, meaning you can serve more drinks in a day.
Want to learn more about nitro coffee on tap?
- Explore our equipment: Visit the Hardtap product page here.
- See it in action: Watch our Hardtap product presentation.
- Talk to the team: Get a free consultation with our equipment specialists.
