Can You Put Creamer In Cold Brew Coffee?

Last updated on October 4th, 2022 at 09:46 am

Many people love their coffee hot, but a growing section of people love their coffee cold. And I get it, sometimes it’s too hot for a steaming cup of coffee, but you desperately need that caffeine kick. This is where cold brew coffee comes in handy.

Cold brew coffee is similar to hot brewed coffee. However, there are some significant differences as well. Of course, they taste very similar, but some people have noticed that cold brew is much smoother, naturally sweeter, and less acidic than hot brew. So you might want to hold off on adding extra sweetener.

Another difference is that since cold brew has a smoother, less acidic taste, adding too much dairy might overpower the coffee taste. So you might need to adjust the level of milk or cream you add to your cold brew.

That said, can you put creamer in cold brew coffee? 

You can put creamer in cold brew coffee. The trick is to make sure that there are no significant temperature differences between the cold brew and the creamer. 

Additionally, many commercial creamers come with preservatives and other ingredients like dipotassium phosphate, which helps prevent coagulation.

How Do You Make Cold Brew Coffee?

By definition, cold brew coffee is the process of steeping coffee grounds at room temperature or cold water instead of hot water. Cold brew coffee has to be steeped for an extended period (usually 8 -12 hours) because the lack of heat prevents the coffee granules from entirely dissolving.

This brewing process makes cold brew coffee less acidic, sweeter, and smoother. Generally, cold brew coffee has little to no bitter components.

Is cold brew coffee the same as iced coffee?

The answer is no. Iced coffee is typically hot brewed coffee that has been cooled and is served with ice.

Why Does Liquid Coffee Creamer Coagulate In An Iced Coffee?

Liquid coffee creamers curdle in iced coffee because of the sudden temperature change. The same thing can occur regardless of what creamer you use, whether dairy or plant-based. The main reason for this clumping is that the proteins in the creamer react to the sudden temperature change resulting in coagulation.

To avoid coagulating your liquid creamer, I recommend allowing the coffee to cool for a few minutes before you have your ice. If waiting doesn’t sound too appealing to you, you can add the ice to your coffee before adding the creamer. This will allow the coffee to cool fast enough so that your liquid creamer remains liquid.

If you’re like me, you can make a whole pot of coffee, allow it to cool, and then store it in the fridge. This way, you won’t have to wait for your coffee to cool in the morning. You’ll have a fresh glass of cool coffee ready and waiting for you every day.

Can You Add Milk To Cold Brew Coffee?

Some people prefer milk in their cold brew coffee, and that’s perfectly alright. Milk is excellent cold brew coffee; I like creamer because you can make cold milk foam.

Just keep in mind that you won’t need as much milk with cold brew coffee because it’s not as strong as hot brewed coffee.

There are several reasons why I like using cold milk foam instead of regular milk for my cold brew. While it might seem like extra work, there are two significant benefits which are:

1. The foam floats on top of the cold brew and doesn’t blend in. This allows me to taste the coffee itself as the milk is not overpowering the taste of my cold brew coffee. You can taste both the milk and the foam. If you like sweet coffee, you can add sweetener straight into the coffee itself, but if you’re not much of a sweet tooth, I recommend sweetening the foam instead. It should balance out the taste.
   
2. –Foam is made by aerating the milk; this reduces the taste and flavor intensity of the milk. If you’re not much of a milk fan but would still love some milk in your cold brew coffee, this is a great way to get the best of both worlds. The foam will not overpower the taste of the coffee and will add a level of sweetness to the milk.
   

Can You Use Other Types Of Milk?

If you’re lactose intolerant or vegan, I haven’t forgotten about you. You can add any type of milk you desire to your cold brew coffee. So whether you love soy, almond, coconut, or oat milk, you can use any of them in your cold brew coffee.

In my opinion, plant-based milk might be even better for cold brew coffee, especially if you want to mix it directly with your cold brew. This is because these types of milk don’t have a dominant taste, so adding it directly to your cold brew won’t overpower the taste.

However, plant-based milk is hard to froth, so you might not be able to get that foamy goodness.

How Do You Cold Brew Coffee?

Making cold brew coffee is a relatively simple process. You’ll need the following things:

• Cold milk
  
• French press with a glass
  
• Iced tea pitcher
  
• Fresh coffee grounds
  
• Filtered water
  

How To Cold Brew Coffee

Step One: Place your fresh coffee grounds into your pitcher. You will need a 1:8 ratio of coffee to water. So, for example, to make a quart of cold brew coffee, use at least 4 oz. of coffee to 32 oz. of filtered water.

Step Two: Pour the mixture into a pitcher and allow it to steep for 8-12 hours, or overnight, in the fridge. Keep in mind that the longer you let it brew, the stronger the coffee will be.

Making Your Own Cold Foam

There are a few ways to froth cold milk. You can use a blender, a hand-held frother, or an electric frothing machine like the Nespresso Aeroccino4, which features cold-frothing capabilities. If you have the money, using the electric frothing machine is the easiest way. All you have to do is pour your cold milk and press a button.

If you’re using the hand-held frother method, you can use the following steps:

• Fill a tall glass with some milk. Keep in mind the ratios so that you don’t overpower your cold-brewed coffee. Make sure that you can submerge the wand in the milk, though, as this will make it a little easier to froth.
  
• Froth the milk until thick and foamy, then serve immediately.
  

If you’re using a blender, you can follow these steps:

• Pour your milk into a blender.
  
• Run the blender for 15-30 seconds, or until the milk is foamy. Pour immediately and enjoy your cold-brewed coffee.
  

Bonus Tips

• Ensure that your coffee grounds are slightly coarse. It should resemble breadcrumbs; if the grind is too fine, the coffee will over-extract and create a gritty, cloudy coffee that won’t taste good at all.
  
• Ensure that you pick natural processed coffees if you can; this will add an excellent level of sweetness to your cold brew. You won’t even need to use a sweetener if you don’t have a strong sweet tooth.
  

Final Thoughts

Adding creamer to your cold brew all boils down to your personal preference. As I’ve stated before, I prefer milk because it doesn’t overpower the taste of the coffee. If you’re more of an iced coffee type of person, the key thing to remember is to allow your coffee to cool before adding any creamer to it.

There are many creamer options for you, whether you like regular milk, plant-based, or anything in between.