We all know springtime in Memphis is far too brief, and before long any way to cool down will be welcome. Barista Drew at Muddy's Grind House sat down with me this week to give the lowdown on quite possibly the most refreshing, pleasant way to stay cool in Midtown: Muddy's cold brew coffee!
So tell me what this cold brew coffee is all about.
We use what's called the toddy method. We grind the coffee like normal coffee, and from there we brew it hot. And then we let it sit for three days, and we put it in a thin cloth bag and let it sit on ice. After it ages for three days, that's when it comes to its max potential.
Why go to all that trouble?
For the flavor! And the great texture too. Our iced coffee is very silky and smooth goes down easy. It's naturally sweet and has a nice aroma, so it's really good without added sweetener. It's better than any old iced coffee, as it's something intended to be served cold. We wanted a product that you could drink straight up without adding a lot to it. But it's versatile enough to add to about anything.
How do you recommend drinking it?
There's no end to the options. It can be simply served over ice, with room for cream. That's our customers' favorite right now. But it can also be substituted for espresso in all our iced drinks.
Iced drinks like what?
Almost anything that can be served hot can be served cold... Iced Americanos, Iced Mochas, Iced Lattes, these are all great cold options. Of course we don't steam the milk at all for a cold latte, so don't expect the foam! When you substitute cold brew for hot espresso in these drinks, you get a better consistency and better overall product because cold brew is meant to be cold.
And what is your favorite way to drink it?
I really recommend our Iced Mocha or Iced White Mocha. My absolute favorite is an Iced White Mocha with soy milk. Paired with a Tomboy Cupcake or a Vegan Choco-Peanut Butter Bar, it's great. But then anything is good with chocolate and peanut butter!
I almost forgot to ask, do you use a special blend for the Grind House cold brew?
Yes! It's so good, and this is the only place you can get it. It's produced for us by The Kaffeeklatsch out of Huntsville, Alabama, and it's official name is the Muddy's Blend.
What about decaf options?
Unfortunately we don't offer a decaf cold brew right now, but all of our espresso drinks--hot or cold--can be ordered with decaf espresso!
Anything else you'd like to add?
Just a reminder about how great it is to enjoy an iced coffee on the Grind House porch! Our porch is a nice little gem of Memphis. Especially at night with the lights on. It's such a great atmosphere here on Cooper, with a nice view of everything. The sunset in the evening, the sunrise in the morning, Easy Way's flowers across the street . . . there's simply nothing else like it in Memphis!
