Cold brew coffee is steeped in cold water instead of hot for 12-24 hours, which results in a less acidic, smooth, and flavorful drink. It’s also strong, so you can either brew a small amount or get a serious buzz!
Making cold brew at home is easy, inexpensive, and healthy. It also makes a much better cup of coffee than buying your favorite iced coffee at the coffee shop.
Equipment
You’ve probably seen ice drip cold brew in the glass towers at your local coffee shop, but this deceptively simple-looking method is also easily adapted to the home. Cold water slowly seeps through a bed of coarse-ground coffee and, once the steeping time is up, drips into a container underneath as smooth, delicious cold brew. It’s a little more labor-intensive than the French press or pour-over methods that put the spotlight on high-quality beans, but this cold brew method is also a good way to showcase blends with earthy notes, chocolate, warming spices, and more. Fresh specialty coffee beans are a must to have a good coffee.
The best thing about this method is that you can use whatever sealable vessel you have on hand as the brewer. Many people choose to make their cold brew in mason jars or other coffee-friendly containers, but you can also invest in specialized cold brew equipment that helps ensure consistent measurements and easy clean up. Those tools can also be useful when making large batches of cold brew to keep in the fridge for several days, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get started.
Before you start your brewing, make sure that you have a large pitcher or other container that will fit the amount of coffee and water you’re planning to use. You should also have a strainer or filter to catch the grounds when you’re done steeping, as well as any other necessary kitchen utensils. It’s also a good idea to sanitize any jars, filters, or coffee grinder you’re using before you start the process. Bacteria thrive in sugary foods, and you don’t want to give them a warm welcome.
While the cold brew trend shows no signs of slowing down, it can be confusing to navigate the world of options. But with a little time, you can make smooth, refreshing cold brew right in your own kitchen for less than you’d pay for a cup at the coffee shop or grocery store.
Preparation
Cold brew coffee is made by steeping ground coffee in cold water for several hours, which makes it lower in acidity and a little less bitter than regular iced coffee. This simple technique produces an incredibly smooth and delicious iced coffee with all the flavor of traditional drip-coffee but without the acidity that can cause stomach upset.
This slow infusion also helps to extract more of the coffee beans’ natural oils, which can add an extra layer of flavor to your cup. You can use it straight up or diluted with milk, sugar or any other sweetener of your choice. If you’re feeling adventurous, try stirring in a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin spice, a splash of chocolate sauce, caramel syrup, or even a dash of vanilla vodka, orange liquor or bourbon!
For a quick and easy recipe, simply mix 3/4 cup of ground coffee with 3 cups of cold, filtered water in a jar or pitcher and let it sit in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. If you’d like to make a stronger cold brew, increase the ratio of coffee to water.
When it’s time to strain the grounds, pour the strained concentrate through a filter (such as a mesh sieve or nut milk bag) into another container and store it in the fridge. This will produce a super strong, caffeinated cold brew that’s great for drinking over ice or diluting with a little water or milk before serving.
You can even re-use the coffee grounds and keep making more cold brew for up to 2 weeks in your fridge, as long as it’s kept covered and chilled! Then just add ice, a splash of milk or your favorite sweetener and enjoy!
Brewing
Cold brew is a type of coffee that is steeped in cold water instead of hot. It takes longer to brew, but the result is a smoother, less acidic cup of coffee.
The process involves allowing ground coffee beans to soak in cold or room temperature water over a long period of time, usually 12-24 hours. This slow infusion eliminates most of the compounds that give coffee its bitter taste, making it a much more pleasant tasting beverage than the usual brewed coffee and iced coffee. This method is known for its smooth flavor and low acidity, which can be a plus for anyone who struggles with acid reflux or other digestive issues associated with regular coffee.
To make your own delicious homemade cold brew, you will need a few simple ingredients and a pitcher or jar to store it in. The first step is to grind your chosen beans to a coarse consistency. Using a coarser grind makes it easier to filter out the grounds and leaves behind only the liquid. It’s also recommended to use filtered water, as this helps to create a more pure, clean taste for your cold brew.
For the best results, you will want to choose a dark roast of coffee. Darker roasts are full of flavor, but they don’t have the bitterness that light and medium roasts often have. You can experiment with different ratios of coffee to water, but a general rule of thumb is 1:8 coffee to 1 part water. You can also decide to make a stronger batch of cold brew, called a concentrate, by using a higher ratio and leaving it in the fridge for even longer.
Straining
You can find cold brew concentrate at coffee shops and some grocery stores, but this simple recipe allows you to make your own at home using only two ingredients. Unlike coffee made in a regular drip or pour over maker, cold brew uses low heat to steep coarsely-ground beans for up to 24 hours, producing a smooth and strong concentrate with no bitterness. It is also less acidic than traditional coffee and has a deep, rich flavor that is perfect for adding a splash of milk or creamer to make iced coffee.
This simple method works in a jar or pitcher of any size, so no expensive equipment is needed to get this cold brew on your table. To start, measure out your coffee grounds and grind them in your grinder to a medium-coarse texture (or skip this step if you’re using pre-ground coffee). Then, add the ground coffee to a large container like a mason jar or pitcher and fill with water up to the top. Give the jar or pitcher a stir to ensure that all of the coffee grounds are evenly saturated with water and then cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
When the brewing process is complete, remove the container from the fridge and strain the coffee grounds by pushing down on the filter-plunger of your choice. I use a fine mesh sieve that fits over the top of a wide-mouth mason jar, but you can also use a clean handkerchief, a nut milk bag or a few layers of cheesecloth.
Your cold brew is now ready to drink! You can enjoy it as-is or diluted with water or milk, or you can add a bit of sweetener like sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, or Stevia. For a delicious treat, try stirring in some cinnamon, pumpkin spice, chocolate sauce or another flavored syrup or adding a shot of your favorite liquor to make a coffee cocktail!
Enjoying
Cold brew is a little different than traditional coffee. It is made by steeping ground coffee beans in cold water for several hours, then straining the grounds and serving it over ice. It has a smoother, less acidic flavor and is often served with cream or milk.
The cool thing about this method of making cold brew is that it only requires two ingredients, water and coffee grounds! It couldn’t be easier or more frugal to make at home. You can also scale this recipe up or down depending on how much you want to make. For example, for every 1 cup of water you will need 1 ounce of coffee grounds.
Another reason why this is my favorite way to make iced coffee is that it’s less acidic than regular hot coffee. When you use a drip coffee maker or pour over, the hot water extracts acidity from the beans which can be rough on your stomach and the lining of your small intestine. With cold brew the grounds are never heated so there is no extraction of the acids which makes it much easier on the stomach and digestive system.
You can serve your cold brew just as is over ice, or you can dilute it to your liking with water or milk. I usually drink it with just a splash of milk or creamer but you can play around with it to find your perfect ratio.
Try adding a cinnamon stick to your grounds as they steep for a warm, cozy flavor! You can even re-use the cinnamon stick after you strain out your coffee to re-infuse it with the delicious flavor. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy iced coffee, especially during the summer when it’s super warm and humid!
