Cold brew is so great because you can make it ahead of time and use it when you’re in a rush. I LOVE having coffee in the morning, but I don’t always love making it. This allows me to quickly make an iced coffee, or heat some cold brew up on the stove. I also love that the final product is not bitter or acidic, which are two aspects of coffee I also don’t love! If your stomach gets upset from drip coffee or espresso, cold brew could be a game-changer for you.
The Perks of Homemade Cold Brew
The Best Beans to Use?
Certain companies sell "cold brew" coffee, either whole beans or already coarsely ground. This can be very convenient, and will yield a great batch of home-made brew. You can definitely use any type of beans that you like, or simply what you have at home.
I really love this company because of their amazing ethical practices, and I love supporting this Organic Roastery from Brooklyn, NY.
The most popular choice for making cold brew are dark roasts, due to their mellow, smooth and rich profile. But they do produce more sediment and may be cloudier than other roasts.
Some people prefer medium roasts for cold brew. They have a brighter and more complex flavor than many dark roasts. They've also been roasted at a lower temp than dark beans, so you don't risk getting any hint of a "burnt" flavor.
Light roasts tend to have the brightest flavor profile, but they might not be the top choice for making cold brew. If you do use a light roast, grounds will need to soak longer to extract a full flavor, and your coffee may turn out more acidic.
Cold Brew Coffee to Water Ratio
When it comes to measuring your amount of grounds and water, you don’t need to be exact. You’re making a concentrate, so the final product can be diluted further with more water. A good guideline to follow is 1 ounce of coarsely ground coffee per 1 cup of water (that’s about ¼ cup whole coffee beans). Hence, ¾ cups whole beans combined with 3 cups of water are what this recipe calls for. You can change the amounts if you want a smaller or larger batch.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes + 12 hours for steeping
Yields: 5 cups of cold brew
What You'll Need
- ¾ cup whole beans of your choosing (3 oz. / 85 g)
- 3 cups water (filtered if you have it)
- A coffee or spice grinder
- A small strainer
- Cheese cloth, thin paper coffee filter, or any clean cotton cloth will do
- Large glass bottle or jar
I go old-school and use a wide-mouth mason jar,
but I HAVE to share these awesome, convenient cold brew makers, all-in-1 & no fuss!
Instructions
1. First, you need to coarsely grind your coffee. I do 1-second pulses in my basic electric grinder. If you’re using a machine, set it to the coarse/french press option. If it is ground too fine, the cold brew will turn out cloudy and gritty.
2. Add your coffee grounds to your bottle or jar, and then pour in the water. Mix with a spoon to make sure all the grounds are saturated with water. Cover with a lid and set on a countertop or in the fridge.
3. Now you wait. Your coffee must brew, and this will take time because the water is cold. Anywhere from 12-24 hours will do. Even if you forget about it for more than 24 hours, it should still be fine, maybe just a bit more bitter and strong. After you start making cold brew often, you can experiment with steeping for different amounts of time.
4. The final step is to filter your coffee. Place a cheesecloth or large coffee filter into the strainer over a separate bowl or jar. Now slowly pour your mixture into the strainer until all the coffee is filtered through.
I hope you enjoy this revelation of making cold brewed coffee at home as much as I do. It's perfect for spring and summer, when you're serving a group of people, or simply to enjoy easier mornings.
Be sure to check out our Does Coffee Go Bad post to learn about the shelf-life of coffee and tips on how to keep yours fresh.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Cheers & Eat Well,
Kristina