Philip Ashby
Tumbling from a tapper in a cascade of velvety froth, the nitro cold press coffee from Crescendo Espresso Bar + Music Cafe could easily be mistaken for a pint of Guinness. Silky smooth, slightly effervescent with just a hint of sweetness, it even tastes a little bit like a stout — but this innovative way to serve iced coffee offers drinkers a different kind of buzz.
Nitro iced coffee is still a fairly new concept — it’s been more popular on the coasts — but the trend is catching on fast. Devotees love the creamy texture, the bubbles and the extra-strong jolt of caffeine.
Crescendo, 1859 Monroe St., is so far the only coffee shop in Madison that offers nitro cold press on tap, though a new bike cart, Velostein, that serves the brew just launched.
It’s brilliantly simple to make. Coffee concentrate is cold-brewed overnight in a container called a toddy and then kegged with water and treated with pressurized nitrogen gas. The Atomic Blend from Milwaukee’s Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company gives Crescendo’s nitro brew a rich, dark flavor with notes of molasses.
Coffee-inspired beers are everywhere, but beer-inspired coffee has been harder to find. At Crescendo, the execution is perfect — and it might be even better than a regular iced joe.
