Written & Photographed by Steve Hussey
Can you feel it? Surf, sand and sun. Summer tunes playing on a Bluetooth speaker. Mellow days, chilling at the beach or at the river with the whānau while sitting back enjoying a book. The conundrum is what is the perfect coffee for this summertime vibe? When the thermometer is in the mid-20s you don’t feel like fuelling up on a hot beverage, but neither do you want to imbibe an ‘iced coffee’ full of sugar, cream and yesterday’s espresso. You want a refreshing drink with that coffee hit.
Hallelujah, there is now the solution to sourcing the best cold caffeine alternative. I’ve tried it and am converted. If you care about your crema, I think you will be too.
Welcome to the world of Dan’s Nitro Coffee – an exciting new business in the Nelson Tasman region. Dan’s is bringing cold-brewed, nitrogen-infused coffee to a beach near you. In fact, anywhere summer is making itself known keep a watch out for the very funky wooden-panelled coffee cart.
Brainchild of Dan Farly, Slade Andrew and Adrian Curtis, Dan’s Nitro Coffee is a business that is big on funk, vibe and most importantly the best cold-brewed coffee you will find. Dan’s guarantee: that every coffee they serve will be identical to the one they served before; a chilled expression of smooth, delicious caffeine.
Enhanced flavour
No doubt there will be sceptics among you. To be honest I was a little myself. Coffee is supposed to be piping hot isn’t it? Well sure, until now. Cold-brewed offers an entirely different coffee drinking experience. It is not an iced-coffee or a chilled-down version of a hot coffee. Cold-brewed coffee has never been heated. Instead, the coffee is fresh ground and then brewed for 18 to 24 hours to slowly extract the caffeine and flavour from the beans. Once brewed, it is transferred into kegs and infused with nitrogen to keep it perfectly stored and under pressure until poured into your cup. This gives it a frothy, effervescent texture and a smooth mouthfeel. For this reason, ingredients that are used to enhance the texture of coffee, such as milk, are typically not necessary.
Cold-brewed coffee is lower in acidity (actually estimated to be about 67% less acidic than hot brew), which means enhanced flavour and aroma, much less bitterness and a hint of sweetness. If you usually add sugar to your coffee, cold-brewed nitro coffee may help you cut your sugar intake.
Dan’s Nitro Coffee is just starting its journey with its first woody wagon making its appearance over the last few months. Now they’re also on the hunt for other coffee cart or café partners to supply their special brew of chill to. If you would like to ensure Dan’s Nitro Coffee is at your next event or if you think your customers would appreciate the best cold-brewed, nitrogen-infused coffee then drop them a line.