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To brew the best coffee, must you start with cold water?

Connoisseurs often prefer the cold brew method, but do you really need cold water for good coffee?

People often say that to brew the best coffee you must start with cold water. Are they right?

Theo Megarrity, Brisbane, Australia

Coffee becomes more bitter when exposed to high temperatures. As such, starting the brewing process from a lower temperature means the coffee is less likely to have a burnt taste.

The cold-brew method requires a coarser grind than regular coffee. The technique means certain acids that give hot-brewed coffee its distinct bitterness remain mostly unextracted from the grounds, resulting in sweeter, if slightly weaker, coffee. Whether or not cold-brew coffee is 鈥渂etter鈥 depends on what kind of coffee will better suit the drinker. The cold-brew method can take up to 12 hours to produce a single cup, meaning it is significantly less convenient than other methods. Some drinkers prefer a stronger, quicker coffee as a pick-me-up.

To answer this question 鈥 or ask a new one 鈥 email lastword@newscientist.com.

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