Americans drink a lot of coffee. By making coffee a staple in your bakery, you’re sure to gain customers and ensure that new ones will begin to show up, especially if your coffee is good. In today’s quality over quantity society, and in light of the foodie and gourmet movements, a retailer must do more than just offer the standard, brewed coffee from a pot to make a shop a coffee destination.
Something Special
Specialty coffee sales are increasing by 20 percent per year and account for nearly eight percent of the $18 billion US coffee market. Fifty percent of the population, equivalent to 150 million Americans, drink espresso, cappuccino, latte, or iced coffees. Iced coffees give consumers a summer alternative without sacrificing their need and love of specialty coffee.
Methods
There are various brewing methods, with the fundamental division being cold brew—brewing the coffee cold, yielding different flavor, but not requiring cooling—or brewing hot and then cooling, generally by simply pouring over ice or into ice cold milk. In case of hot brewing this can be normally brewed coffee or espresso.
Cold brew coffee contains up to 70 percent fewer bitter acids than heat brewed coffee, making for a smoother, richer tasting coffee drink. Regardless of brewing method, iced coffee is generally brewed at a higher strength than normal coffee, due to the dilution caused by the ice.
Add Ins
In case of hot brewing, sweeteners and flavorings are often mixed into the hot coffee before cooling, due to higher solubility in hot water. Alternatively, syrup (sugar pre-dissolved in water) is used in cold brews, particularly gum syrup.
