Spotlight: Cold Brew from Spotter Coffee
Cold coffee might seem strange to some, but cold brewing coffee is a classic way of making coffee that the Dutch invented back in the 17th Century.
The story of the Dutch brand, Spotter Coffee begins on the other side of the world. Founder Chris Veldt was traveling through Australia in a van. He enjoyed the freewheeling lifestyle and worked a variety of jobs while traveling. At various times, Veldt was a crocodile caretaker, a lifeguard, truck driver in a quarry and a mover. At the time, Chris didn’t know how much his job for a relocation company would change the course of his life.
During an assignment in Sydney, Veldt was tasked with helping to move a guy with a unique hobby. He made cold brew coffee in his garage. At first, the idea of cold brewed coffee was strange to Chris, but after his first glass, he was blown away by the taste and developed a passion for this unique type of coffee.
Once back in the Netherlands, Veldt immediately went looking for the best cold brew style coffee he could find. It wasn’t easy, as cold brewing was still a rarity in the country. This spurred Chris to try his hand at cold brewing coffee on his own. He founded Spotter Coffee with a local product that is brewed by hand and bottled.
Today, the thing Chris Veldt loves best about running his company is the reactions he gets from customers trying cold brew coffee for the first time.
Just like before.
It’s ironic that Chris had to discover cold brew coffee on the other side of the world because the process was the standard way the Dutch made their coffee back in the 17th Century. Just like today, most people enjoyed their coffee hot. But this posed a problem for the crews working for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Because they sailed in some very hot regions, the sailors found it more refreshing to drink their coffee cold.
On their journeys to and from Asia, the sailors would place their ground coffee in cold water and allow it to rest for 12 to 24 hours. When it was ready to drink, they enjoyed it as a cool beverage under the heat of the Asian sun. This unique method of making coffee is commonly known as ‘Cold Brew’ but it is also known as Dutch Coffee.