Have you been hearing coffee drinkers rave about the great taste of cold brew coffee? It is perhaps the simplest way to get an amazing cup of coffee. You just need to wait about 12 hours for it to be ready!
In this article we’ll walk you through the steps to making cold brew coffee, throwing in some variations that other coffee lovers swear by. We’ll even share a little secret about getting the taste of sweet smooth cold brew coffee without the work or wait.
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold brew (cold press or toddy coffee) refers to coffee made by steeping grounds in room temperature or cold water for at least 12 hours, often up to 24. The result is a rich coffee concentrate that is low in acidity, naturally sweeter and higher in caffeine than its quicker, hot brew relative.
Stuff You’ll Need
- two-thirds cup of coffee beans
- three cups of water
- a container (plastic, ceramic, glass, or metal will do) to hold the steeping brew
- cheesecloth to cover the container and help with straining after brewing
- a fine mesh strainer
- a second container to collect the finished brew
Steps
- Coarse grind the coffee. Finer grounds will produce an unsatisfactory murky brew.
- Place the grounds in the container and add the water.
- Stir to ensure all the grounds are wet and soaking in the water.
- Cover with the cheesecloth and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours.
- Remove from fridge and place the cheesecloth in the strainer over the collecting vessel.
- Run the brewed coffee in small amounts through the strainer, stopping when you get to the grounds. Do not pour the grounds into the strainer, this could cloud the mixture.
Some cold brew experts recommend not adding all the grounds and water at once. Instead, they advise that you add half of each, stir and leave for about 5 minutes to “bloom”. You’ll see bubbles forming at the top of the mixture. You then put in the rest of grounds and water, stir and continue as usual.
And that’s it – you can now enjoy your homemade cold brew coffee.
It can be stored in the refrigerator and had cold with added milk or water to bring it to the taste that best suits you. It can also be poured over ice to make the perfect chilled pick-me-upper on a warm summer day (or night).
Some cold brew coffee connoisseurs relish the flavor packed goodness produced by blending the brew with ice using chocolate to give it that fabulous cocoa taste that pairs so well with coffee. You can also use it in baking, preparing cocktails and to flavor your favorite dessert.
Alternate Preparation
If you would like to enjoy homemade cold brew coffee without all the manual hands-on work, there are a few alternatives you can try and still get the same great full-bodied taste.
French Press
A French Press can be used to steep the coffee. Once brewing is complete, just depress the plunger to separate the grounds and the brewed coffee can be poured off.
Cold Brew Coffeemaker[easyazon_image align=”right” height=”160″ identifier=”B0040ZR0VS” locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/41ApmQluRCL.SL160.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”160″]
There are coffeemakers that are specifically designed to produce cold brew coffee. The [easyazon_link identifier=”B0040ZR0VS” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Toddy Cold Brew Coffee Maker[/easyazon_link], for instance, is a simple device that uses felt filters in a brewing container that is set over a glass decanter once brewing is done.
Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”B00EBFA2IU” locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/41LHqcmC2BaL.SL160.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”73″]Now here is that little secret we promised to share with you. You can get the wonderful goodness of cold brew coffee from a cold brew coffee concentrate. Some argue that it takes the hands on fun and anticipation out of making cold brew coffee, but users say it tastes just as great. [easyazon_link identifier=”B00EBFA2IU” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate[/easyazon_link], for example comes in a 32 ounce bottle which reconstitutes to a total of 96 ounces with water or milk.Conclusion
As you can see how to make cold brew coffee may take a little longer than traditional coffee, but it will give you a robust and fun alternative. So go ahead and give cold brew coffee a try. The remarkable deep coffee taste is well worth the wait.
