Photo: Starbucks

But now there’s a new (and arguably more delicious) way to drink the cold brew you know and love-it’s called nitro cold brew, and it’s available at many coffee shops and almost all Starbucks stores nationwide.

Not quite convinced? Here’s everything you need to know before trying nitro cold brew.

How Is Nitro Cold Brew Made?

To make nitro cold brew, traditional cold brew is poured into a keg (just like the ones you probably saw at college parties) and filtered through a special tap system. If you’ve ever watched a Guinness poured from a tap into a glass, you’ve probably noticed something called a “reverse cascade,” where the nitrogen bubbles rise from the bottom of the glass to the top and form a dense, creamy head.

When nitrogen is infused into traditional cold brew, the same reverse-cascade effect takes place. Since nitrogen doesn’t easily dissolve in water, the bubbles give your cold brew a more velvety and rich mouthfeel that tastes like cream and sugar has been added (but it hasn’t!)

Nitro cold brew is awesome for those trying to cut back on the additives in their coffee, or for those who love the mouthfeel of a latte but can’t have dairy.

Does Nitro Cold Brew Have More Caffeine?

Cold brew gets a bad rap for giving people a jolt of caffeine, but it might not deserve that reputation. Here’s the thing: The hotter water is when it touches coffee grounds,the more caffeine it extracts. Since cold brew is brewed in, well, cold water, it’s technically less caffeinated than hot coffee.

However, there are a few caveats: Caffeine content is largely related to the type of bean, where and how it was grown, and its roast level (translation: that nitro cold brew from Starbucks could have a different amount of caffeine than the single-origin brew at your neighborhood coffee shop.)

Another thing worth mentioning: Cold brew is made with a higher coffee grounds-to-water ratio than drip coffee, so it’s inherently “stronger” and more caffeinated. However, cold brew is meant to be used as a concentrate and diluted with equal parts water or milk (which brings that caffeine level back down).

For caffeine comparison, I looked at Starbucks' nutrition guidelines. A grande-sized Nitro Cold Brew from Starbucks has 280mg of caffeine (about the same as three, 8-ounce cups of hot coffee), while a grande Blonde Roast (a light-roasted hot coffee from Starbucks) packs 360mg of caffeine (nearly four cups of coffee worth)! So if you’re caffeine-sensitive, you’d almost be better opting for a nitro cold brew over hot coffee, or opting for a caffeine-free coffee instead.

The Bottom Line

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