US-based Elemental Beverage Company claims to have created a new cold brew coffee experience through its patent-pending SnapChill Technology.

The popularity of cold brew coffee has surged in recent years, with the US cold brew coffee market growing 580% from 2011 to 2016 according to research agency Mintel, while more than half (56%) of new RTD coffee launches in the US in 2017 were cold brew products.

Time is the important factor when it comes to creating cold brew coffee, as the drink is brewed at a very low temperature over several hours to create a beverage which is less acidic and sweeter than a traditional hot coffee.

This process can take as long as 24 hours and requires special equipment, but Elemental claims that its newly-developed SnapChill Technology allows users to reduce the temperature of a hot coffee in a few minutes.

Elemental claims that this process captures, preserves and enhances every note, distinction and flavour of hot coffee without the need for oxidation, dilution or additives, making these flavours available in a cold format.

To bring this method to market, the company has made a Snapchiller machine available in limited quantities to commercial customers. The Snapchiller takes the heat out of beverages via the refrigerant in its helical, stainless steel evaporator coil and mixer found in the centre chamber, before the machine’s condenser and compressor take the heat out of a beverage and vents it, rapidly cooling the drink.

Ryan McDonnell, chief coffee and tea officer of Elemental Beverage Company, said: “Snapchilling preserves all the flavours of a hot coffee, unlike any other method for making cold coffee.

“Coffee is incredibly volatile at high temperatures, meaning its aromas are rising to our nose and out of the drink. From the moment coffee is brewed, it’s starting to chemically break down.

“By Snapchilling the coffee, we can experience flavours at a more drinkable temperature, without them dissipating into the air. The ability of our Snapchill Technology to ‘dial in’ on the precise, ideal temperature for any variety of coffee, allows even the most complex of single origin coffees to shine brighter than before.”

The company has also released a range of RTD single-origin coffees, which are made using the SnapChill Technology and will be available in 12oz cans to conumsers in the US.

Made using coffee from Kayanza, Burundi; Kolla Bolcha, Ethiopia; and San Alejo, Colombia, each flavour is rated 85 points or higher on the Coffee Quality Institute’s Q Grading Scale and is professionally brewed hot before it is immediately Snapchilled.

Elemental Beverage Company’s CEO Jonathan H. Chen added: “We’re excited to offer our customers delicious, chilled coffee with no compromise on taste or flavour, that can only be extracted when coffee is first hot brewed.

“Whether enjoying our ready-to-drink canned coffees, or one of our exclusive LSO offerings, we’re proud to be providing refreshingly cold drinks on demand, using little more than simple science, artistry and passion.”