Starbucks is introducing nitro coffee to around 500 locations this summer. What is nitro coffee, though? Is it really better than plain ol’ coffee?
Infusing a drink with nitrogen is actually something that began in the beer industry. Nitro beers are rich and frothy with tiny bubbles that almost taste sharp. Nitro coffee is nothing new. It’s coffee that’s been infused with nitrogen gas. Coffee lovers say that nitro coffee is creamier and richer than straight up iced coffee. Some say it also tastes sweeter than your average cold brew.
Independent coffee shops have been serving cold brew infused with nitrous oxide since around 2012 and it looks like Starbucks is taking the idea into the mainstream. Here in Atlanta, you can get nitro coffee from a keg at a lot of the small, indie coffee shops. My first taste of nitro coffee was from the Wanderlust Coffee Co. Bar at a craft market. It’s definitely thicker and richer than standard cold brew. With a little bit of almond milk, it was a nice treat on a hot day.
The coffee places here in town that serve nitro coffee use stellar beans to make their cold brew base. I can’t say whether cold brew made with lower-quality beans would be worth the trouble. I love coffee, but I’m no expert. Luckily, one of my oldest friends—Jason Card who owns Journeyman Coffee in Tallahassee—definitely is. He was kind enough to chat with me about nitro coffee.
Jason agrees that the beans you start with matter. I’m not crazy about Starbucks iced coffee. I’m more of a medium to light roast person and Starbucks tends to be pretty dark. I asked him whether he thought the nitro would make a difference for someone with my preferences. He said, “It smooths over the flavor a bit. People who like Starbucks roasting style will probably like it.”
Nitro coffee keeps longer in the fridge than regular cold brew does, according to Jason. He also says that it’s best with your cream of choice and a little sugar. “I feel like it smooths over the brighter tastes of coffee, which are the ones that clash with cream and sugar.”
DIY Nitro Coffee
While researching nitro coffee, I came across a really cool video for making DIY nitro coffee at home in a whipped cream canister. In coffee shops, they infuse their cold brew in kegs, conditioning them for days. The method below, though, is small-scale enough to do at home.
I ran this video by Jason and he was kind enough to test this method out for me, since he owns a whipped cream canister. He says that he used two NO2 cartridges in a .5 liter canister, which he admits isn’t the safest thing to do. He said it was pretty close to keg nitro, but he also mentioned that the bubbles didn’t initially last long.
Since keg nitro is conditioned for days, he tried refrigerating the canister overnight under pressure. After a day in the canister, Jason says this method produced coffee “at least as nitrogenated as most kegged coffee on nitro I’ve seen.”
Whether you make your own or grab some at a coffee shop, nitro coffee is definitely worth a shot. It seems to be the opera of coffee. The people who love it really love it. Are you one of those people?
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Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!
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