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Maybe it’s the heat in the country, even in the middle of the rainy season, or maybe it’s the taste; but for some reason, Cold Brew is now my preferred way of drinking coffee and apparently, I’m not alone in this. It’s supposedly growing in popularity and more and more Filipinos are falling for its smoother and naturally sweet flavor. I credit Starbucks for introducing me to the complex and compelling flavors of Cold Brew with its custom Cold Brew blend. From the name itself, we can glean that Cold Brew undergoes a different process from ordinary brewed coffee. Cold Brew is made using cold water all throughout the 20-hour preparation process. It uses coarsely ground coffee and is steeped slowly in cold water. This procedure, which relies on time instead of heat, gives Cold Brew its naturally sweet flavor and smooth texture. So of course, when Starbucks introduced more ways to enjoy it, off I go to the nearest branch to try it, pronto. Since I’m currently in Iloilo, all that’s available to me is the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. I enjoyed the delicate float of house-made vanilla sweet cream that cascades throughout the cup, complementing the soft and chocolatey flavors of Starbucks Cold Brew. It’s refreshing and sweet without overwhelming my palate. It actually quenches my thirst while perking me up on a hot, humid day. You can enjoy the bold coffee taste with every sip, without being overpowered by the cream. The Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew (P160 for Tall, P170 for Grande, and P190 for Venti) is now available in all Starbucks stores. However, I have to wait ’til I get back to Manila to try the new Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew at Starbucks Reserve 14 Jupiter store in Makati. According to the baristas here at Starbucks Iloilo, this one is also available in the newest Starbucks branch in Bacolod; unfortunately, I’m not going there anytime soon. The infusion of nitrogen to Cold Brew gives it a naturally sweet flavor and a rich and velvety cream that can be tasted and seen. It is supposedly served cold and unsweetened, without ice, to highlight the flavor the cold-brewing process brings out in the coffee. It is dispensed through a tap and it also gets a dense and creamy head akin to the look and texture of stout beer fresh from the tap. Now, that’s definitely worth experiencing! For more info on Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew and Nitro Cold Brew, visit starbucks.ph.

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