Cumulus Machine Review: Fast and Frothy Cold Brew

But, a word on oxygen. The device sprays fresh air (79 percent nitrogen, 20 percent oxygen) into the coffee rather than messing with nitro cartridges. This is great, but aeration is a known enemy of fresh tasting coffee. After the nitro dissolved, a side-by-side test showed more oxygen flavors in the nitro than in the non-nitro starters.

But new to the machine, this doesn’t seem like much. What you see is a bubbly, pleasant bubble that also adds to the sweetness that is felt. Those bubbles cover a multitude of sins, creating a thick head atop a cold brew that looks for all the world like a well-watered Irish stout.

A WIRED editor, looking at a photo of a nitro-rich Cumulus, is excitedly skeptical. “I swear they used Guinness in the ad,” he wrote.

Espresso also works well – it has a thick and real crema, made by the power of the device’s powerful compressor. It was the natural ash of the Cumulus espresso that gave me a beautiful frothy martini – which prevented me from enjoying a hot espresso.

A big hat tip to mentor and shop coach Josh Seaburg, from Virginia Model Citizen Cocktailsto find the perfect espresso martini recipe try this. For the record, this included 1.5 ounces of vodka, 0.75 ounces of coffee liquor such as Mr. Black, and half of plain water, mixed with an ounce of cold espresso. Mix, shake, pour. The device produces only two shots, so one capsule provides enough cold espresso for two cocktails.

Who is Cumulus?

On the one hand, Cumulus is an impressive piece of engineering – one that succeeds in a number of areas where other manufacturers have failed.

But it is not a device for coffee snobs. It is especially beneficial for those who appreciate the simplicity of the Keurig and don’t have too much fuss, or those who naturally fill their cold brew with milk and sugar or other flavorings. Cumulus continues on this sweet syrups from Orange Piloncillo to Cinnamon Demerara.

Image: Cumulus