The coffee trend that’s here to stay: Nitro cold brew

Thursday, February 18, 2021

We recently dived into the world of cold brew coffee, exploring its popularity and history around the world. Now let's focus on one of very popular applications: the unique up and rising revolution of Nitro Cold Brew coffee!

Nitro Coffee

Quick refresher on Cold Brew Coffee…

Brewed from cold water, cold brew coffee generally takes several hours and leaves you with a smoother, less bitter and naturally sweeter taste, compared to your standard hot coffee. With sales jumping to $38.1 million, a 370% jump from the $8.1 million the category saw in 2015, according to Statista, the dramatic rise of cold brew has seen it appear in several formats, with Starbucks leading the trend since 2015 followed by other giants.

Quality coffee going mass market and innovations in the technology space is allowing for the introduction of a new way of experiencing this unique cold brew. Through nitrogen infusion, Nitro cold brew attracts both the curious millennials and the beer crowd, and is set to be a winner in the coming hot summer nights and onwards.

The future is now: introducing Nitro Cold brew coffee

Nitro cold brew was born from an experience that Mike McKim, owner of Cuvee Coffee in the United States, had while selling La Marzocco machines in 2005. He saw a customer serving a coffee and milk drink from a tap in his shop and was intrigued and captivated by the idea of coffee on tap.

It wasn’t until the Summer of 2012 that McKim served his first nitro coffee – cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen in a keg, served directly from a tap! Tasty like cold brew coffee, with a rich creamy foam like beer, his nitro creation quickly gained traction around Texas, but growth was limited beyond his region… and he believed it could be expanded further.

And rightly so.

Nitro Coffee


Growing by 20% year on year in Oceania, Nitro cold brew can now be served via multiple different equipments! Some portable and some in-built in bar, some requiring a separate Nitrogen tank and some in-built in the system! Regardless of the system of your choice, Nitro cold brew is now served in small shops and cafes, including Starbucks and other coffee giants, and is set to be next hottest thing in town…

What’s so different about Nitro Cold Brew?

1. Taste, texture, mouthfeel: velvety smooth and naturally sweeter, Nitro cold brew essentially tastes like cold brew at its core. Each Nitro Cold brew serve will come with a small and creamy crema that sits on top of the beverage – this is the micro-bubbles that softens but thickens the taste and texture of the drink!

2. Healthier option: Capturing all the benefits of a cold brew and coffee in general, being naturally sweeter and creamy means that no sugar is needed in the beverage. As only coffee and water is used in the process, it’s generally served as a zero calorie beverage. And with many gyms set to offer it as an alternative to energy drinks, it might not be such a bad idea to have it on tap…

3. “The Craft Beer connection”: Its similar appearances and connection to craft beer means that it naturally fits in exciting bar settings and attracts a broader crowd… "If I had to guess, I think we'll see a bit more of it in restaurants and particularly in places that are selling to people that might order a specific craft beer. The profitability is there (…).” says Allen Leibowitz, partner in Momentum Coffee in Spring, Texas.


Nitro Trial

Nestlé Professional have added Nitro machines to the beverage portfolio! Enquire for trials now with your Nestlé Professional representative:

Tim Harris
Field Sales Manager NZ
MP +64 274 588 384 [email protected]

Scott Bell
Beverage Operations Manager
MP +64 27 473 8804 [email protected]

For more information on product and equipment, go to