United Airlines will soon be introducing cold brew onboard its flights. This was first rumored a couple of weeks ago, and is now official — talk about an exciting and long overdue development!
Continue reading: United Adding Illy Cold Brew To Drink Lineup
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I never really understood the "plane tank water is gross" argument. How many people check the cleanliness of their own water pipes at home? And how many people check the facilities bottled water is produced in?
"talk about an exciting and long overdue development!"
Really? I think this is in line for the most boring and irrelevant post of all airline b/vlogs this month.
And how anybody who is "passionate" about coffee could possibly like a tinned something which is stirred together from water, 4,3% coffee extract and potassium hydrogen carbonate is a complete mystery for me.
And to add, it’s heated to near boiling in order to brew coffee or tea. I’m not sure how much bacteria actually survives that. I’m not a scientist but I’m comfortable drinking plane coffee.
@ CapitalMike -- Okay, let me take your comment at face value. First of all, I didn't say that this is something you have to be excited about, but rather that it's something I'm excited about. I'm certainly not alone in my enthusiasm, though I understand if this is totally irrelevant to you.
Regarding how anyone could "possibly" like cold brew, I think you're missing the point. I'm not suggesting that illy cold brew is the world's best coffee drink, but rather that it's better than the alternatives. It's not like an airplane cabin is your favorite local coffee roaster, and you can have whatever you want.
I guess the issue is retorted canned cold brew tastes exactly like any other retorted or UHT treated coffee and that is: not good. I guess it's the only sanitary way to bring cold brew to an airplane, but I'd rather have a freshly (hot) brewed coffee or espresso over ice than any tinned coffee, no matter how it was extracted in the first place (cold, hot or redissolved instant). The heat treatment and the addition of the buffer salt to counter natural acidification really does level everything down to a sort of coffee-based fishy soy sauce. So why use cold brew that's much more expensive to make than any other RTD black coffee is a bit beyond me. It will make it more likely to go soon as costs are cut.
Now it's a no calorie cold beverage option that's not showered with aromas and sweeteners so I guess it is something in the great scheme of things. Still it's a single use packaging to transport a lot of water.
I wish one of the coffee machine makers would develop a versatile plane-ready machine that could do all sorts of coffees. From brewing a couple of batches automatically for cattle class during climb, to custom made to order coffee drinks for premium cabins. THAT would be an exciting coffee development.
I have been waiting for this moment! As a cold brew drinker I have been waiting for an airline to provide this. So this is a BIG win!
Happy to hear that!
Wish it was free in economy too - safer than hot coffee both for spills and bacteria.
Hopefully other airlines will copy
I love it! I am excited. I can’t wait to spill it in my crotch anf not be burned!
Can we state the obvious here about what happens when you drink coffee? If half the plane is drinking this stuff, it’s possible that people will not be able to access the restroom and you may see a long line of fidgety folks in the aisle waiting to go!!! I’m not so big on cold brew and I’d rather not have to use an airplane bathroom unless it’s in Emirates first class 🙂
A great new beverage for America’s most premium airline - United! Hope to try one out on my next flight.
This makes sense, recently departing IAD on a transcon Illy had setup between the dreaded C and D concourse and was handling out the cold brew in cans and another option.