The Best Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Maker? - Phil & Sebastians Experience with the BROOD

Every summer, Phil & Sebastian aim to bring in refreshing and innovative drinks to their menu. A recurring beverage is the Nitro Cold Brew, which adds nitrogen to the coffee, resulting in a smooth texture while decreasing the bitterness of the drink. I had the opportunity to visit their Marda Loop location during “Marda Gras” and interview Lausanne Mackay, the Assistant Director of Café Operations, about her experience with Nitro Cold Brew and their brewer of choice, the Brood. 

Lausanne started off by saying that the texture achieved by the Brood is “unreal,” and when you pour it you can see all the “thick, opaque layers going down… kind of like when you pour a really great beer… and in your mind, you see that and you’re just going to go: this is going to be the smoothest drink I’m ever going to taste.” She also stated that people who prefer coffee with added cream or sugar usually don’t need anything in their cup due to the added sweetness and creamy texture the Brood gives. 

Some Phil and Sebastian cafe’s have a Brood year round while others bring in the Brood for pop-ups or events such as “Marda Gras.” Lausanne “loves the Brood because it hardly takes up any space, and it’s such an easy set up.” She goes over how it’s perfect for both cafe use and for portable events. She also talks about how easy and convenient it is to use. Since the Brood pulls nitrogen from the air and automatically decreases the temperature to 2.2°C (36°F), there is no need to hook it up to a keg or other machinery, meaning it only takes up a foot of space in your cafe. 

An added advantage of the Nitro Cold Brew and the Brood is that it’s a novelty that draws people in. From Lausannes experience at Phil & Sebastian, cold brew nitro is something people try out of curiosity, then they easily fall in love with the creaminess it gives. Nitro on the Brood isn't limited to just coffee, you can run almost anything through it.. Last year, the Phil & Sebastian Simons location served nitro milk tea. The Brood added a lightness to the milk tea (made with oat milk) and created a more interesting textural experience. 

Lausanne and her team at the Marda Loop location spent the entire day serving donuts, nitro cold brew, and other specialty drinks at the event. It was amazing to see first hand the amount of people asking what the nitro cold brew is, and then falling in love with the drink at first sip. Even I, as a person who hates coffee without cream, was able to enjoy the cold brew because of its lack of bitterness and soft texture. Make sure to visit Phil & Sebastian to enjoy a Nitro Cold Brew if you are in Calgary, you will not regret it!

If you would like to learn more about the Brood, feel free to email us as commercial@eightouncecoffee.ca. Our Experts are here to help!