New Orleans Style Cold Brew: A Bold, Smooth Coffee Tradition You Need to Try

New Orleans is famous for jazz, vibrant culture, and incredible food but its signature cold brew is one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Unlike traditional cold brew, New Orleans Style Cold Brew features a unique blend of coffee and roasted chicory, giving it a smooth, slightly sweet, and subtly spiced flavor.

If you love rich, low-acid coffee with a hint of caramel and chocolate, this is a must-try brew. Whether you drink it black, with milk, or as an iced coffee with sweetener, this classic Southern coffee is a delicious addition to your coffee repertoire.

In this guide, you’ll learn:
✔ What makes New Orleans Style Cold Brew unique
✔ How to brew it at home with step-by-step instructions
✔ The best coffee beans to use for an authentic taste
✔ Frequently asked questions, including its calorie count

With research from SCA (Specialty Coffee Association), CQI (Coffee Quality Institute), and World Coffee Research, this guide provides expert-backed techniques to perfect this bold and flavorful cold brew.

What is New Orleans Style Cold Brew?

Unlike traditional cold brew, which is made with only coffee and water, New Orleans Style Cold Brew is brewed with roasted chicory root. This practice dates back to the 1800s, when coffee was scarce in Louisiana, and people began adding chicory to extend their supply.

Why Add Chicory to Cold Brew?

  • Smooths out coffee’s natural bitterness

  • Adds subtle sweetness and nuttiness

  • Gives a fuller, richer body without extra acidity

  • Pairs beautifully with cream and sweeteners

The result is a bold yet balanced cold brew with a distinctive flavor profile rich, smooth, slightly earthy, with caramel and chocolate undertones.

New Orleans Style Cold Brew: A Bold, Smooth Coffee Tradition You Need to Try

How to Make New Orleans Style Cold Brew – Step-by-Step Recipe

Ingredients

  • 100g coarsely ground coffee (preferably Fine Robusta – Krong Năng for a full-bodied brew)

  • 25g roasted chicory root

  • 1L cold, filtered water

  • Optional: Sweetener (maple syrup, sugar, or condensed milk)

  • Optional: Milk or cream

Equipment

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Coffee & Chicory Blend

  • Use a coarse grind for both coffee and chicory.

  • Mix 100g of coffee with 25g of roasted chicory.

Step 2: Brew the Cold Brew

  • In a large jar or French press, combine coffee, chicory, and cold filtered water.

  • Stir gently to ensure even saturation.

  • Cover and steep for 16-20 hours at room temperature or in the fridge.

Step 3: Strain & Serve

  • Strain through a fine mesh filter or cheesecloth.

  • Transfer to a sealed bottle and refrigerate.

  • Serve over ice, black or with milk and sweetener.

Step 4: Enjoy!

  • Traditionally, New Orleans cold brew is sweetened with simple syrup, maple syrup, or condensed milk, and often served with cream or milk.

New Orleans Style Cold Brew: A Bold, Smooth Coffee Tradition You Need to Try

The Best Coffee for New Orleans Style Cold Brew

For a truly authentic and flavorful experience, the coffee you choose makes all the difference.

Why Fine Robusta – Krong Năng is Perfect for New Orleans Cold Brew

  • Grown at 650m in Krong Năng, Đắk Lắk, Vietnam

  • 72-hour natural anaerobic fermentation enhances caramelized sweetness

  • Rich, chocolatey body with honey-like smoothness

  • Pairs beautifully with chicory, bringing out its nutty depth

This low-acid, full-bodied coffee balances perfectly with roasted chicory’s earthiness, creating a smooth, bold, and naturally sweet cold brew.

How Many Calories Are in New Orleans Style Cold Brew?

Plain New Orleans Cold Brew (Black, no sweetener):

  • Calories: 2-5 per cup

New Orleans Cold Brew with Milk & Sugar (Traditional Style):

  • Calories: 60-120 per cup (depending on milk type and sweetener)

New Orleans Maple Cold Brew (Like Blue Bottle’s Version):

  • Calories: 100-150 per cup (with maple syrup and milk)

New Orleans Style Cold Brew: A Bold, Smooth Coffee Tradition You Need to Try

FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About New Orleans Style Cold Brew

1. Can I Make It Without Chicory?

Yes! While chicory is traditional, you can skip it and still enjoy a rich, smooth cold brew though you’ll miss its signature nutty depth.

2. Can I Use Any Coffee for This Recipe?

Technically yes, but a bold, full-bodied coffee like Fine Robusta – Krong Năng works best because it stands up to chicory’s intense flavors.

3. How Long Does New Orleans Cold Brew Last?

It stays fresh for up to 7 days in the fridge if stored in a sealed bottle.

4. Can I Serve This Hot?

Yes! Just heat it gently on the stove or steam it with milk for a New Orleans Style Café Au Lait.

5. Can I Adjust the Coffee-to-Chicory Ratio?

Absolutely! If you want less chicory flavor, reduce the amount to 15g per 100g of coffee.

Take Your Coffee Experience to the Next Level with Bazan Coffee

A great New Orleans Style Cold Brew starts with the right coffee. The deep, chocolatey notes of Fine Robusta – Krong Năng bring out the best in this traditional Southern brew, enhancing its caramelized sweetness and nutty complexity.

The New Revolution: Fine Robusta from Vietnam

Robusta coffee has long been overlooked, but Vietnam’s Fine Robusta is leading a specialty coffee revolution. Through high-altitude farming, innovative fermentation, and meticulous processing, Fine Robusta – Krong Năng is proving that Robusta can be smooth, sweet, and complex not just strong and bitter.

  • Grown at 650m in Krong Năng, Đắk Lắk, Vietnam

  • 72-hour natural anaerobic fermentation process

  • Taste Notes: Durian, honey, caramel

  • Full-bodied with a naturally sweet, velvety finish

Not Just Robusta - The Best of Both Worlds

If you prefer a smooth, well-balanced espresso with fruit and caramel undertones, Special Vietnam Blend is the ideal choice. This high-altitude Arabica and Fine Robusta blend delivers ripe fruit, pineapple, caramel, and a light floral aroma, making it versatile for both cold brew and espresso lovers.

For those who love a clean, complex espresso, Specialty Arabica – Cầu Đất is an exceptional choice. Grown at 1,550m in Cầu Đất, Đà Lạt, this fully washed Arabica offers bell pepper, spices, and caramel notes, creating a refined coffee experience.

New Orleans Style Cold Brew: A Bold, Smooth Coffee Tradition You Need to Try

Which Coffee Fits Your New Orleans Style Cold Brew?

Your perfect New Orleans Style Cold Brew starts with the best beans. Shop Bazan Coffee Now and experience the next level of cold brew.

New Orleans Style Cold Brew: A Bold, Smooth Coffee Tradition You Need to Try

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