Serving People Serving Coffee Since 2005
Issue link: http://baristamagazine.epubxp.com/i/609699
Why Bottle? So far, we've tackled most of the five Ws: who, what, where, when, and how (the secret W for anyone who ever took an elementary-school English class). All this information doesn't answer why, however. Why bottled cold brew? Surely if it was just for the taste of cold brew, everyone would have a home Toddy kit. "Making cold brew at home is easy, but the copious amounts of grounds are never not a mess when cleaning out a home cold-brewing system," says Mike Morgenstern, roaster for Rumours Coffee in New York, which plans to expand into bottled cold brew in the next few months. "And when it comes to the felt filters, no one wants to see what amounts to a wet shirt in a glass jar next to their butter every time they open the fridge. Having a sixer [of cold-brew coffee] in the fridge is just plain easier and looks better." This could explain why bottled cold brew is popular with consumers, but not nec- essarily in the coffee community. Baristas and roasters alike might scoff at the idea of automating their brewing processes, and with the majority of bottlers still using cold brewing as their main method of produc- tion, there are more than a few upturned noses and complaints that cold brew doesn't authentically represent the coffee. These debates will continue, but quality café owners can't ignore the control that bottling allows in offering polished drinks to customers. "The most inspiring thing about selling bottled coffee is the opportunity to present a finished product to a customer that they can enjoy anytime and anywhere," says Sam. "This is exciting, and contrasts [with] selling whole bean where you have limited-to-no control over the final taste of the coffee beverage." Bottling also allows customers to engage in a brewing method that doesn't intimidate them. "'Cold brew' as an everyday term is new and provides accessibility to the regular consumer who wants into the club," says Mike. "We're not talking about natural pro- cessing or agitation or pressure profiling— we're taking the grounds and putting water over them. It's an easily understood term. It's brewed cold. Done." While the specific processes may be more than people can chew on, the idea of cold coffee isn't, and most bottled cold brews take every chance they can to remind you what cold brew is and why it can be great. "In a bottle, you're actually going to see 'cold brew' more because it's not branded to the side of the plastic cup you're drinking from," continues Mike. "So your associative habits are encouraged every time you look at that bottle, then take a sip." Within ready-to-drinks, or RTDs, cold-brew coffee is one of the fastest-growing categories. Mintel reported on September 25 of last year that bottled cold-brew coffee sales had an estimated 115-percent growth from the year prior, and reached $7.9 million in sales. However fast it's growing though, it remains a small part of the overall ready-to-drink segment, making up just 0.4 percent of sales in estimated 2015. One thing's for sure: Bottled cold-brew coffee is here to stay. Grocery stores are devoting more and more shelf space to it because consumers are demanding it. Roasters of all sizes are getting in on the bottled cold-brew business, and retailers are, as well, and in increasing numbers. As for what the future holds, however? Mintel predicts noth- ing but growth. As La Colombe's Todd Carmichael has said, "I have seen the fourth wave, and it is cold." 81 www.baristamagazine.com