No. 1 in the “NIKKEI Plus 1” Cold Brew Coffee Feature! What Makes REC COFFEE Cold Brew Special?
REC COFFEE’s Cold Brew Coffee Bag (Fruity) was selected as No. 1 in the cold brew coffee feature of NIKKEI Plus 1, published by The Nikkei.
Coffee experts praised the distinctive character of our Fruity blend, describing it as:
- “Exceptionally floral and fruity”
- “Ripe berry flavors with refreshing acidity”
- “Like walking around tasting different fruits”
REC COFFEE’s Cold Brew Coffee is available in two different styles, so you can choose the flavor that suits your preference. It also offers great value with a generous yield.
Each bag makes 750 ml, making it perfect for enjoying throughout the day. It combines the quality you would expect from a specialty coffee shop with the convenience of an easy-to-make cold brew.
What’s the Difference Between “Fruity” and “Classic”?
Cold brew coffee is made by steeping ground coffee in water and slowly extracting it over approximately 8–12 hours.
Because cold brew is extracted without heat, it tends to have less bitterness and acidity, resulting in a smooth, clean, and mellow flavor.
REC COFFEE offers two cold brew styles: Fruity and Classic. Here’s a closer look at their characteristics and the moments when we recommend enjoying each one.
Fruity
A medium-dark roast cold brew made with Ethiopian coffee.
It features an elegant, distinctly Ethiopian character reminiscent of berries and ripe fruit, along with gentle acidity and rich sweetness.
Classic
Made with Kissa Blend, our signature dark-roasted blend.
Inspired by traditional Japanese kissaten coffee culture, it features a rich aroma and full-bodied character.
When brewed as cold brew, it has less bitterness than hot-brewed coffee, allowing you to enjoy refreshing acidity and a gentle, lingering sweetness.
Two Cold Brew Coffees for Different Moments
Fruity is perfect for moments when you want to enjoy something a little out of the ordinary—such as taking a walk along a different route on a sunny day off or relaxing after a bath surrounded by the scent of a new shampoo.
With its gentle bitterness, it is also easy to enjoy for those who do not usually drink coffee or prefer tea.
Pair it with fruit-based sweets for an even more vibrant and aromatic experience.
Classic is recommended when you want to concentrate or enjoy a more pronounced coffee character.
When a summer shower rolls in and you want to quietly reflect, or when you finally open a book that you’ve been meaning to read, Classic is a comforting companion for those moments when you want to slow down and enjoy some time for yourself.
It pairs especially well with rich, sweet desserts such as cheesecake and gâteau au chocolat.
The same cold brew coffees are also available at REC COFFEE stores.
Our staff can recommend pairings and ways to enjoy them based on your preferences, so please feel free to ask us.
A Barista’s Recipe for Delicious Cold Brew Coffee
Simply prepare the cold brew coffee bag the night before, and it will be ready the next morning.
No special equipment is required, making it easy for anyone to enjoy at home.
Basic Brewing Recipe
All you need is a cold brew coffee bag, a pitcher, and water.
STEP 1
Place the cold brew coffee bag in a pitcher.
(1 bag makes 750 ml; 2 bags make 1.5 L.)
STEP 2
Add 750 ml of filtered water (or regular drinking water) per coffee bag.
STEP 3
Leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours to extract.
Adjust the brewing time according to your taste.
STEP 4
After 8–12 hours, remove the coffee bag and your cold brew is ready.
Be careful not to squeeze the bag when removing it, as this can cause unwanted astringency.
Store the brewed coffee in the refrigerator and enjoy as soon as possible.
STEP 5
Pour into a glass filled generously with ice and enjoy well chilled.
Tips & Creative Ways to Enjoy Cold Brew
One of the first things you may wonder when making cold brew is how to determine the right brewing time.
At REC COFFEE, we recommend 8–12 hours, but the ideal time can vary depending on the water, surrounding temperature, brewing environment, and personal taste.
We recommend starting with a brewing time that fits your lifestyle.
If the coffee tastes a little too bitter or astringent, try shortening the brewing time. If it tastes too light or under-extracted, try extending the brewing time. Experiment to find the brewing time that suits your taste.
You can also enjoy cold brew in creative drinks and desserts, such as milk brew, coffee tonic, and coffee jelly.
The key is to brew the coffee at a higher concentration than usual.
With our cold brew coffee bags, you can adjust the concentration by reducing the amount of water or extending the brewing time.
REC COFFEE’s Cold Brew Coffee Bags are generously sized and produce more coffee per bag than many standard cold brew products.
Experiment with different recipes until you find your own favorite way to enjoy them.
Behind the Development: How Two Flavors Came to Be
Creating the perfect cold brew coffee involved plenty of trial and error.
“We want to make even better cold brew coffee.”
“We want people to be able to enjoy cold brew more easily at home.”
These ideas led us to revisit the roasting process, brewing time, and recipes.
The current Fruity and Classic styles are the result of many challenges and experiments.
Developing a Roast Specifically for Cold Brew
This year, REC COFFEE worked with our roasting team to improve our cold brew coffee with one goal in mind: to make it even more delicious.
Previously, we used our existing Lucy Blend and Kissa Blend as they were for cold brew.
However, we wondered whether we could make them even better by reconsidering the roasting process specifically for cold extraction. This marked the beginning of developing roasts designed specifically for cold brew.
After numerous trials, we decided to keep the blends themselves unchanged and adjust only the roast levels.
Fruity tended to feel lighter when brewed cold, so we slightly increased the roast level to bring out more of its fruitiness and sweetness.
Our Goal: “Delicious Cold Brew Made Easy”
We previously used a recipe that required 24 hours of extraction.
However, we wanted to make cold brew easier for customers to enjoy, so developing a recipe that could produce delicious results in about half a day became another important goal.
The 750 ml yield was also determined by considering the size of pitchers commonly used at home, extraction efficiency, and the shape of standard bottles.
Two Flavors Born from Trial and Error
We have experimented with many different coffees for cold brew over the years.
Through this process, we arrived at two styles: Fruity, made with one of REC COFFEE’s popular Ethiopian coffees, and Classic, with a more traditional coffee flavor.
REC COFFEE’s Cold Brew Coffee is filled with the care and attention that went into all of these experiments.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cold Brew Coffee
Q1. How long can I store brewed coffee?
A. We recommend drinking the coffee within 3 days after removing the coffee bag and storing it in the refrigerator.
Q2. Can I brew it at room temperature even in summer?
A. Yes. You can brew it at room temperature during summer as long as it is kept indoors and away from direct sunlight.
Q3. Who is it recommended for?
A. REC COFFEE’s Cold Brew Coffee is recommended for anyone who wants to easily enjoy high-quality coffee at home.
Even if you think, “It’s too much effort to go to a café on a hot day,” “I don’t have time to brew one cup at a time,” or “I want to enjoy specialty coffee without buying coffee equipment,” all you need is water and a pitcher to make it easily at home.
Bring Cold Brew Coffee Into Your Summer
In this article, we introduced the characteristics of REC COFFEE’s Cold Brew Coffee Bags—Fruity and Classic—along with recommended occasions, brewing methods, tips, and ideas for creative recipes.
Our Cold Brew Coffee Bags are a summer-limited product and will be available through August. If you are considering purchasing them, we recommend ordering soon.
Enjoy cold brew coffee in all kinds of everyday settings—from home and the office to REC COFFEE stores.
Sales are scheduled to continue through the end of August.