Cold brew coffee becoming hot new trend in cafes and stores

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There may be health benefits to a hot trend hitting stores and cafes. Well it's actually a cold trend - cold brew coffee.

You might have noticed a growing variety of cold brew coffee in markets and restaurants lately. But unlike simple coffee poured over nice, true cold brew involves a much more complicated process.

"It's where you grind the grounds and you actually steep it in room temperature water for 15-24 hours and then you drain off the grains and you have a concentrated brew," food biologist Lela Buttery said.

She says you can make a small batch with a French press order a Toddy Maker, which allows you to brew about seven cups at a time.

"That lasts a really long time. You could have it in your refrigerator up to 30 days," Buttery said.

Buttery says it has more health benefits than regularly brewed coffee. "It's higher in polyphenols, antioxidants, it's less acidic but more caffeine," she said.

That's good news for many who can't have coffee due to its acidic nature.

According to research groups, cold brew sales have more than tripled in the last five years, with younger males and millennials in general buying the most.

Another coffee craze right now is adding butter and coconut oil to coffee. Coconut oil, which is classified as a trans glyceride, is an easy-to-digest anti-inflammatory fat.

Experts say it's a healthy combination with butter, which also contains a good fatty acid.

"It's good energy your body can digest," Buttery said.

It's from a new breed of brews that many drinkers believe offers a healthier, more flavorful alternative.

Written and produced by Tim Didion.