I recently came across a trending Instagram Reel that claimed you could make a nitro cold brew just by using your espresso machine. Of course, I was immediately skeptical and had to give the video a watch to figure it out.
There were various opinions about the outcome in the comments, so I decided to go a step further and give it a try myself. While it’s not technically a nitro cold brew since there’s no nitrogen involved in the process, this hack supposedly gets you pretty close to the real thing.
Nitro Cold Brew in an Espresso Machine
In the video from @tannercolsoncoffee on Instagram, an idea that was credited to a Redditor named Tom V is shown by describing how to make a nitro cold brew drink by just using an espresso machine that has a steam wand.
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Though this is technically called an Aerocano, since it’s quite literally a steamed iced Americano, it’s claimed that this method gives all the tasty effects of a nitro cold brew in a much quicker process.
The video instructs coffee lovers to first pull a double shot of espresso from their machine, making sure that it’s dialed in well. This ensures a delicious taste that will greatly impact the flavor of your drink creation.
Next, you’ll want to fill up a small carafe or pitcher with some ice cubes and a splash of water. Pour the espresso shots you pulled onto this mixture and you have a small iced americano. Using this and your steam wand, you’ll then inject air into it.
Since the steam slowly melts the ice that’s in the mixture, you then get a frothy and airy texture. The hot steam balances out the melting ice so that the drink still stays pretty cool throughout the process. After you’ve nicely frothed up your iced americano and the ice has finished melting, the drink is ready to go.
Making My Own Nitro Cold Brew Using an Espresso Machine
I was very curious to try this method of making a drink that resembles nitro cold brew myself. So I followed the steps listed in the Instagram video and ended up with my own Aerocano.
I could see how it visually looked a lot like a nitro cold brew drink since the foamy head was definitely very similar. However, when it comes to the flavor of this beverage creation, it’s very much not like a nitro cold brew.
The steaming process does give the iced americano taste a much smoother mouthfeel, especially after it settles. There’s no doubting that this drink is still delicious and, if you’re looking for a slightly similar drink to the nitro cold brew that you can make at home without any special equipment besides a steam wand, then this is a super quick and tasty hack.
Wrapping Up
Overall, this was definitely a fun experiment to find and try. While you won’t get the special taste that you get from an actual nitro cold brew, you can still replicate the smoothness of one by crafting up your own Aerocano.
Infusing a bit of air into your iced americano through the use of a steam wand is a fast and easy way to elevate your coffee-making skills and home drink options.
Happy Caffeinating!
