A summer fling with cold brew coffee

Every coffee-lover recognises that moment; the instant the coffee hits the palate and the world becomes a better place. Naturally, there’s a build up to this point – whether it’s the aroma of fresh coffee, released as the beans are ground, the scent that swirls in the air as the coffee machine brews its magic, or the delicious odorous trace when you pop the cap on an iced coffee. Then there are the choices we make – a sweet, milky latte; a strong espresso hit; a frothy cappuccino; or a bittersweet Americano.

Now, another fine option has been added to the mix, created by NOMI. Cold Brew Coffee is fast becoming one of this year’s hottest trends. The glass bottles of cold brew exude a heady scent of pure, fresh, mouth-watering coffee from the moment you pop the cap. There’s something distinctive about the flavour too – NOMI coffee is brewed with fresh cold water for 16 hours and triple distilled. The result is an unusual silkiness that slips smoothly down the throat. It’s usually followed by a small sigh of satisfaction.

This British family run micro-brewery found inspiration in Japan, where canned coffee, both hot and cold, is the staple in vending machines across the country. While living in snowy Niseko, NOMI founder, Kieran Goodacre developed affection for Japan’s cold coffee scene and NOMI is the result.

The fine folk at NOMI select the finest ethically sourced single origin coffee beans and the York Coffee Emporium then roast to their specifications. The freshly ground coffee is steeped for its 16+ hours using cold water for a reason – brewing coffee this way produces a naturally sweeter, less acidic flavour. The result is less a coffee, and more an elixir, without preservatives, additives or colourings.

The NOMI concentrate is also delivered in eco-friendly boxes. Not only do these boxes save on space for transport, but they’re also 70% less harmful to the environment, compared to glass or plastic. And what’s also neat is they stack in the fridge. The smooth concentrate is perfect for cocktails or pouring over ice and mixing with milk or soy milk to produce quality iced coffee in your own kitchen. It can even be served hot, just by adding boiling water.

Could NOMI be spearheading a coffee revolution? As a keen coffee connoisseur, I was skeptical, but the velvety Kyoto Iced slid down so easily that I was forced to reconsider. Somehow it was more than a cold latte. The Tokyo Black was also a surprise. I’m not a black coffee drinker, but with the bitterness tamed, this brew is a winner. NOMI are definitely onto something. And we’re onto them.