If you reckon you’ve learnt all there is to know about coffee, think again! The world’s most ubiquitous liquid pick-me-up is reinventing itself in exciting new ways as millennial appetites that are on the hunt for foodie experiences drive innovation to the fore. In 2017, we welcome the rise of Cold Brew and Nitro Coffee. But just what are these fabulous new caffeinated concoctions?

Let’s start with Cold Brew. “Cold Brew? Isn’t that just good old fashioned iced coffee with a fancy new name?” the cynical among us might ask. But no, this is not a case of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”.  There is a distinct difference between Cold Brew and Iced Coffee, so do not be deceived.

To make an iced coffee the traditional way, you brew a cup of coffee the, er, traditional way. That is, by using hot water or steam to extract all the coffee-ness – the caffeine, natural sugars and flavours - from pre-roasted and ground beans. You then pour that over ice. Or chill before serving with ice. Some even add cream or ice cream to the mix.

Cold Brew on the other hand, is just as its name describes. To make a Cold Brew, you have to soak the beans in cold water – sans any form of heat – for hours and hours, even as long as 12 hours or more. Time is the great brew master, here. Of course, it is possible to make Cold Brew coffee at home, but this will require planning and patience; it’s hardly a spur of the moment drink on the home front. If you’re keen to give it a try, then why not pick up some extra strong beans from the Black Insomnia Coffee Company, who’ll be one of our coffee exhibitors at the upcoming show. Like the quirky name says, the world’s strongest coffee is bound to give you a real kick.

But most people eschew DIY Cold Brew, preferring the more convenient route of picking up a ready-made, chilled Cold Brew at the nearest store. Global sales of this new form of coffee – which generally comes in trendy packaging - are increasingly steadily as more and more brands come to the fore, and 2017 is set to look no different.

Closely related to Cold Brew, but packing even more of a punch, is Nitro Coffee. Yes, that is indeed real live NITROGEN added to - yup, you guessed it, Cold Brew! Nitrogen-infused coffee is foamy on the mouth. Imagine the effervescence of beer added to an icey Cuppa Joe. Nitro Coffee is a specialty drink and is tapped off, draught style. But it’s not just about the novelty of the taste texture or the way it is poured. Nitro Coffee has a deeper rationale in that it holds appeal for those who want to cut back on their sugar and milk by providing a smooth, creamy not-so-bitter solution. In other words, it’s a “hot” (and by that we really mean cold) solution for both the fashion and health conscious.

Come and get these new kicks on the coffee route presented at the Good Food & Wine Show in association with the Speciality Coffee Association of South Africa.