Like coffee needs anything to make it better but regardless someone felt the need to add nitrogen to it. Apparently, it is being added to coffee in n place of carbon dioxide to prevent oxidation – much like nitro beers.
Nitro infused coffees are creamier with a foam head giving it an appearance similar to beer. Nitrogen bubbles are smaller and denser than those of carbon dioxide, resulting in a smoother, richer consistency.
Mike McKim, founder of Cuvée Coffee, tells Eater that his shop was the first place to offer its 71 Classic Blend in nitro taps and was the first to offer nitro coffee in a can.
Recently, more coffee shops have also begun adding nitro coffee on tap and in cans. Quite a hipster revolution.
Manhattan pop-up shop, Mighty Brew Bros., created a drink called the Nitro Pop, a glass of nitro coffee garnished with a coffee popsicle, and a Nitro Float, composed of nitro coffee and vanilla ice cream. San Francisco company, Highwire Coffee Roasters, offers a Howling Wolf nitro coffee that is designed to emulate the taste and mouth-feel of a Stout beer with notes of chocolate, barley, malts and orange peel.
These coffees are actually pretty tasty though and are highly recommended by this site.
