Toddy Training Presentation Recap

Friday January 20, 2017 // By Dana Schlingman

A couple of weeks ago, it was our privilege to host a Toddy Presentation in our Barista Pro Shop Training Cafe. As a cold brew novice, I found the demonstration fascinating and informative.

The day before the event, the folks from Toddy brought over several Commercial and Home Models to show us how to properly set-up and fill the brewers. Though the process is quite straightforward, there are still a few common mistakes that people make:

• Stirring or agitating the grounds which slows decanting and affects the flavor

• Only partially saturating the grounds which affects extraction

• Putting the plug on the inside of the Home Model so that it can’t be removed when it’s time to decant (here's a handy tip about that little stopper)

• Using unfiltered water that taints the taste

After setting up all of the brewers with tea and coffee (including one with agitated grounds and another with partially saturated grounds to demonstrate the decanting and flavor disparities), they left everything to steep overnight.

The next morning, we were surrounded by several vats of delicious brew just waiting to be tasted. During the seminar, we were able to compare the various roasts while walking through cold brewing basics. Here is a brief summary of the presentation:

What is Toddy Cold Brew?
Toddy Cold Brew is an alternative brewing method that replaces heat with time. Instead of using hot water to extract flavor, grounds or tea leaves are steeped in cold water for an extended period of time (usually 12-24 hours).

Why Toddy Cold Brew?

• A Unique Flavor And A Less Acidic Brew: Because some chemical compounds require heat for extraction, cold brewing draws out different chemical proportions (certain chemicals remain in the grounds while greater quantities of others seep into the coffee or tea concentrate). The altered chemical composition of cold brew produces a smooth flavor and a less acidic beverage (for coffee that’s about 60% less acidic). Check out this flavor comparison with coffee expert Chris Schooley.

• High Yield: Cold Brewing generates a fresh concentrate that keeps for about two weeks when refrigerated in an airtight container (that’s 1 part concentrate to 2-3 parts water, milk or alternative - there’s no judgment though if you take your Toddy straight). Which means that it can help stretch your coffee bean and save you time because you won’t have to brew as frequently. See just how much time you could save, in this fun but effective demonstration by Toddy.

• Brews Cold - Stays Cold: Cold brew is ideal for cold or frozen beverages because unlike an espresso shot, it won’t sour while it’s cooling and it won’t melt ice.

• However, It Can Also Be Served Hot: Cold brew makes it easy to be prepared with a tasty high-quality brew that won’t sour or burn sitting in a hot pot. For example, in your cafe use a Toddy to batch up some decaf that can be heated with hot water on demand - you won’t have to dump the leftover dregs at the end of the day and you’ll always have some on hand. 

• Brews Tea Too: As with coffee, this alternative method extracts a concentrate with unique flavor profiles from your favorite teas.

Who is Toddy?
Todd Simpson developed the Toddy brewing system for his wife who loved the taste of coffee but couldn’t drink it because the acidity upset her stomach. After graduating with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1964, Todd tasted a cup of coffee made with a liquid concentrate extracted by an ancient Peruvian process. Inspired, he designed the Toddy Coffee Maker.

Why Choose Toddy Brand?
Did you know that not all plastics are safe for food storage? Some are made with toxic adhesives and sealants that can leach out and contaminate contents (that makes one rethink that 5-gallon drywall bucket for cold brew steeping doesn’t it?).

Made with food safe NSF certified plastic, Toddy’s containers are guaranteed not to emit harmful chemicals or toxins during the brewing process. Plus, Toddy’s intuitive user-friendly design streamlines the brewing process from filtration to decanting. Because both the Home and Commercial Toddy Models have a drainage system, there’s no need to heft a heavy bucket over a strainer or fish out a makeshift, nylon-stocking filter filled with grounds (which by the way, did you know that most nylons contain formaldehyde?!).

Benefits of the Home Model:

• The small batch size makes it convenient and cost-effective for experimentation (much like a sample roaster makes it possible to experiment with smaller quantities of beans)

• The reusable felt filter offers finer filtration (say that five times fast!)

• Step-by-step instructional video about brewing with the Home/Consumer Model
  

Benefits of the Commercial Model:

• Capable of brewing a high volume of coffee all at once

• Sturdy plastic design allows for stacking to save space (no glass components)

• Step-by-step instructional video about brewing with the Commercial Model
  

Shops: if cost is a concern...
Use this drink cost calculator to see how much bang you can get for your bean (or leaf - don’t forget tea). According to the profit margin, you could in theory pay for your Toddy Commercial Model with one batch of cold brew concentrate.

Toddy’s Pro Brewing Tips:
When it comes to brewing methods, the main take away that the Toddy team wanted to impart was: Experiment! Though a lot of great cold brew techniques and recipes exist, there really is no single standard that can be applied across the board. What works for one roast and one application might not for another. With so many adjustable variables the same coffee or tea could be used to craft a whole spectrum of beverages. So where to begin?

The Toddy team recommends thinking backward -

start by considering the type of drink you want to serve:

• What types of drinks do you like?

• If you’re a shop what type of drinks do you sell?

• What would your customers enjoy?

Let the end result define your approach. For example, if you want a drink with subtle nuanced flavor for a purist, start with a light roast and less time to produce a more delicate brew. Or if you need a potent concentrate that won’t be overpowered in a blended frappe, use a dark roast and more time to produce a bolder flavor.

Play Around:

• Use different roasts and beans

• Adjust the brewing time

• Change the concentrate ratio in your final beverage

• Present/pair the beverage differently (try these fun recipes!)

• Consider your water quality and any additives (like Magnesium or fluoride)

Happy brewing all of you mad coffee scientists!