How to Make Cold-Brewed Coffee- A Guide:It's easy to assume that heat is required to brew a good cup of coffee. After all, that's the primary way it's been done for generations around the world. Cold brew coffee has been around for centuries, however, and it can actually make better a better cup of coffee. (NOTE: You can print the PDF instructions below the article)
With cold-brewed coffee, you get a richer, sweeter flavor without the bitter taste. It does take longer to make, but the health and flavor benefits make it a great option for coffee drinkers, even those who gave it up because of digestive issues.
The best aspect of cold brew coffee is that you can serve it however you like. It's great as is, over ice, with milk or sweeteners, and you can even serve it warm!
The Benefits:
Cold brew coffee is made without heat. Instead, coarsely ground coffee beans are steeped in water for about 12 hours. It's an incredibly easy process and there are a few reasons why you might want to make the switch.
- Lower Acidity: Heat extracts the oils that produce acids from coffee beans. This can cause stomach issues for some people and irritate conditions like acid reflux. Cold brewing leaves those acids in the bean, producing a coffee that some claim has 67 percent less acid.
- Less Bitterness: Along with those stomach-churning acids, heat also contributes to the bitter flavors in coffee. In contrast, the cold brew method produces a naturally sweeter coffee.
- Freshness: If you've tried day-old hot brew coffee before, you know that it leaves a lot to be desired in the taste department. I may wake you up, but it can be hard to drink! Cold brew coffee can taste as fresh as the first day for up to a week. That means you can brew a big batch and enjoy it for days.
Caffeine Content
There's some debate in the coffee world about the caffeine content of cold brew coffee. In reality, it has about the same about of caffeine as a drip-brewed coffee. That is when the cold brew is undiluted, though.
Cold brewing produces more of a coffee concentrate that many people prefer to water down. That will increase the drink's volume and decrease the amount of caffeine you're drinking per cup.
It's Not Iced Coffee
You can certainly turn your cold brew coffee into an iced coffee drink, but it is not iced coffee in the customary sense. Iced coffees are typically chilled hot brews, so you still taste coffee's bitter, acidic flavors. They're simply masked by sweeteners and milk.
Cold brew coffee, on the other hand, starts out cold. You get the sweeter, truer taste of the coffee bean and there's nothing to hide.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarsely ground coffee
- 4 cups filtered or distilled water
Steps to Make It:
Step 1: Gather the ingredients.
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Step 2 : Grind 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee beans.
Step 3: In a large jar, add the ground coffee. Slowly pour 4 cups of water over the beans as you stir until the coffee is thoroughly saturated.
Step 4: Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator and let it steep for at least 12 hours. You can brew up to 24 hours, depending on your personal taste.
Step 5: Filter the beans from the coffee. Pour slowly and stop as needed to avoid overflowing the filter.
Cup of fresh coffee and a french press on the tray with cupcake
Any filter system will do, so use whatever's most convenient: A paper coffee filter set inside a funnel is easy and inexpensive. A cold-brew maker has a built-in filter. When using a French press, push on the plunger and pour your coffee like normal. You can also use a fine-mesh strainer or sieve to catch the larger particles. If you find small grounds left over, run it through a paper or metal coffee filter.
Step 6: Store filtered cold-brew in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to a week—a shelf life hot-brewed coffee can't touch!
Step 7: Serve and enjoy.
TIPS:
- Cold brewing produces a coffee concentrate. It has a nice, bold flavor that's very smooth, but it also has a lot of caffeine. When serving, it's often diluted with water: 2 parts coldbrew coffee to 1 part water is an excellent place to begin.
- If you're in the mood for a hot cup of coffee, add hot water. Do not microwave coffee! It's just as devastating to cold brew as it is to any other coffee, ruining all that amazing flavor you were so patient to obtain.
- Sweeten cold-brew with your favorite liquid sweetener, milk, or cream. You can serve it over ice or freeze some to make coffee cubes to avoid diluting future drinks with water.
- This type of coffee also makes superior iced coffee drinks compared to a hot brew method, and it's already chilled, so there's no waiting. It's an excellent alternative for mixing up iced coffee cocktails, giving you the rich flavor of espresso without the need for a fancy machine. Since it lacks the bitterness, cold-brew is an excellent way to add the taste of coffee to baked goods, marinades, and sauces.
