What you’ll learn in this article:
- Why traditional cold brew extraction times are so long
- How modern cold brew equipment significantly reduces extraction time
- The operational advantages of using a cold brew machine
- How to meet customer demand quickly and flexibly with on-demand brewing
- The versatility of cold brew machines for making other drinks like iced teas, cocktails, and infusions
- Answers to common questions about cold brew extraction and equipment
Cold brew coffee is no longer a niche. Now, it’s a core part of modern coffee shop and restaurant menus. It’s resonating with consumers, too, with almost half of all coffee consumers in the United Kingdom drinking cold brew monthly. For all its appeal, though, the traditional method of making cold brew isn’t easy.
Not only is the traditional cold brew extraction time slow, but it is also impractical and expensive to monitor and appropriately store. Especially for businesses trying to keep pace with high-volume service or multiple revenue streams, these bottlenecks can make cold brew unfeasible. Waiting 12 to 24 hours for a batch to steep might work in theory, but in practice, it can tie up valuable time, staff, and space.
Therefore, modern solutions that speed up cold brew extraction time are an invaluable asset. To learn more about how they work, I spoke to Tess Dodd, Operations Manager at Last Mile Cafe in Michigan, USA. Read on for her insights.
Why is the cold brew extraction time so long?
Preparing cold brew is often seen as a slow, purposeful ritual. Traditionally, coffee shops and bars do it by steeping coffee grounds in large containers of water overnight – usually taking between 12 and 24 hours.
Cold brew’s extraction time is longer than hot coffee due to its lower brewing temperature. Without heat, the coffee’s soluble flavour compounds need more time to dissolve into water. Since hot water speeds up the dissolving process, hot coffee extraction takes much less time in comparison.
In commercial settings, cold brew’s lengthy extraction time can cause a number of challenges. For example, it’s much more difficult to adjust your cold brew production to meet sporadic demands, such as more cold brew sales on a hot day. Since it takes so long to extract, you can’t just prepare more on a whim – it’s a much more time-consuming process.
While cold brew steeps overnight in large containers, it’s also susceptible to microbial growth. Cold brew usually has a higher pH level than hot coffee, meaning it’s less acidic. Therefore, microbes can survive for longer and proliferate more rapidly in cold brew. If you’re leaving it for up to 24 hours without constantly checking it, mould can quickly develop and spoil the entire batch. Given how long it then takes to prepare another batch from scratch, you can lose a lot of time, resources, and potential sales.
The concerns around cold brew’s extraction time are something that Tess knows well. “The shop I manage is quite small, which means we’re all busy, all the time,” she says. “If we could reduce the time and labour spent on cold brew prep, it would free us up to focus more on fulfilling orders and improving customer experience.”
Cold brew’s lengthy extraction time can affect coffee businesses of all sizes. As you scale up – perhaps catering for events, or adding more cold brew drinks to your menu – the time required to prepare it starts to show.
To win customers and foster a reputation for excellence, the unpredictability and inefficiency of traditional cold brew preparation aren’t sustainable. That’s why equipment that speeds it up can be invaluable.
How equipment can speed up your cold brew extraction time
Dedicated cold brew equipment, such as the Baby Hardtank, provides a solution to these extended production times. It can prepare a four-litre batch of cold brew in just 45 minutes – but rather than cutting corners, it rethinks the process of extraction.
Hardtank’s equipment uses patented cold extraction technology based on constant recirculation. Once you’ve put your coffee grounds and any other ingredients into the filter basket, the machine constantly circulates water throughout. This means the grounds are agitated all the time, dissolving into the water to produce flavour.
As mentioned, the main bottleneck of cold brew production is how long it takes for soluble particles to dissolve into water. Therefore, constant recirculation that speeds up agitation is an effective solution.
The reduced cold brew extraction time offered by this equipment has a huge number of benefits. First and foremost, you no longer need to prepare cold brew overnight. You can run an extraction cycle as you open your shop in the morning, so the first batch of cold brew is ready in time for the morning surge.
Since you need less than an hour for additional batches, you can produce more cold brew to meet demand. That way, you never have to worry about running out of cold brew and not having the time to prepare more for the day.
This level of responsiveness can entirely overhaul your operational efficiency. That means less time preparing cold brew at night ready for the morning, less cold storage, and less risk of microbial activity or mould.
Most importantly, it means that you can save a lot of time. “If you’re like us, trying to grow, it could be essential,” Tess says. “Making good coffee more accessible and fostering community are at the forefront of all that Last Mile Cafe does. Utilising equipment such as Hardtank would certainly give us more bandwidth to succeed at that.”
The long-term benefits of speeding up your cold brew extraction time
Globally, the cold brew market grew by over 22% from 2023 to 2024, and is now valued at over USD $3 billion. Clearly, it isn’t just a passing consumer trend – it’s a long-term shift in how people drink coffee. Investing in equipment that speeds up the cold brew extraction time can therefore produce benefits for the foreseeable future.
With demand rising, it’s critical to keep product quality consistent. Otherwise, customers curious about cold brew may be dissatisfied with your offerings and turn to a competitor. Automated machines such as the Hardtank 20 have built-in memory programmes to retain preparation cycles. It guarantees precise, repeatable results each time you prepare cold brew with the machine. That means no bad surprises when your best-selling item tastes just a bit different than yesterday.
The hygiene factor is incredibly important, too. The risks of microbial activity in cold brew are well-publicised, and inadequate cleaning can not only foster the growth of bacteria like Escherichia coli (E coli), but may even breach food safety regulations.
Hardtank cold brew coffee machines have automated self-cleaning and sanitation programmes to eliminate human error from this loop. It means you can set the programme and rely on the equipment to do the cleaning for you. It doesn’t just save time and minimise hygienic risk – it protects your reputation among customers.
Machinery like the Baby Hardtank can also produce cocktails, iced teas, and spirits using the same agitation technology. That kind of versatility can transform a coffee shop or bar’s menu. Since all you need to do is change the ingredients in the filter basket, you don’t need to invest in specific equipment for each new drink you launch. If you want to keep your menu dynamic or launch new seasonal products throughout the year, being able to use the same machinery matters.
All of these benefits mean that sourcing equipment that speeds up the cold brew extraction time is an investment for the future. “I can’t see consumers losing interest in cold coffee anytime soon,” Tess adds. “It could be essential to maximise and streamline your processes using one of these machines.”
Discover how Hardtank’s cold brew systems can help you serve fresh, high-quality cold brew on demand while saving time and space. Request a quote or schedule a consultation here.
FAQ
How long does it take to make cold brew traditionally?
The traditional cold brew extraction time is between 12 and 24 hours, depending on the batch size and brewing conditions.
Why is the cold brew extraction time so long?
The lower brewing temperature means that the coffee’s soluble compounds dissolve much more slowly into water compared to hot brewing. This leads to a longer cold brew extraction time to achieve the desired flavour and strength.
How can you speed up the cold brew extraction time?
Using cold brew equipment such as the Baby Hardtank or Hardtank 20 reduces the cold brew extraction time. It has patented recirculation technology that constantly pushes water around the grounds. This helps dissolve soluble particles faster, reducing cold brew extraction time from 12–24 hours to as little as 45 minutes.
Is a cold brew machine easy to clean?
Yes. Hardtank machines feature an automated self-cleaning and sanitisation program, which minimises manual cleaning tasks, reduces hygiene risks, and ensures compliance with food safety standards.
Can a cold brew machine be used to prepare other drinks?
Absolutely! By simply changing the ingredients in the extraction basket, you can use the same machine to prepare iced teas, botanical infusions, cascara (coffee cherry tea), and even cocktail bases or low-alcohol options.
How does faster extraction help my business?
A faster cold brew extraction time lets you serve customers more quickly, adjust to changing demand (e.g., busy periods), reduce waste, and free up staff for other tasks. This can improve both profitability and customer satisfaction.
