Cold-brew is a way of brewing coffee that does not use heat or pressure and it produces coffee that as the name suggests, is cool and refreshing in Summer months. It is different from iced coffee which typically uses hot espresso coffee served over ice.
Coffee is no longer just a morning pick-me-up but has become an indulgence or snack that can be consumed at any time of day. This, combined with a drive for better, more premium focused food and beverage experiences, has resulted in a renewed interest in what is a growing coffee trend for 2018.
Initially, Cold Brew emerged as a small-batch, slow-brewed product, but as it has grown, entering more mainstream coffee houses and ready-to-drink beverages, the increased demand and interest opens the market up to home coffee drinkers like you and me.
How to Make Your Own Cold Brew Coffee
It may seem like making cold brew at home is hard, but really all you need are two main ingredients -- a good coffee like Bailies Coffee and water. That's it.Cold brew coffee produces a full-bodied, aromatic flavour profile that translates into a bold, super-smooth taste. It is extremely versatile and can be mixed or infused with other flavours to create a range of drinks to perk up anyone!
When making your own cold brew coffee, the key to creating that beautiful bold flavour profile is letting it steep overnight on the counter. Don't refrigerate it until it has had at least 6-12 hours out on the counter.
You can buy expensive cold brew filtering products, but all you really need is a jug or container and a strainer.
Step 1: Pick great beans
You want good beans for your cold-brewed iced coffee! Go for a robust, medium roast for the best flavour. My very favorite beans for iced coffee come from Bailies Coffee Roasters.
Their Costa Rica La Luna coffee is big and bold, but still super smooth and fruity. It makes the perfect cold-brewed iced coffee.
Step 2: Grind Your Beans
Take one cup of beans and grind them. Go for a medium-to-large grind not too fine. Preferably, you can grind your beans at home (click here for a link to the best coffee grinders) for the freshest, most flavourful result but if you need to have them ground at the store or coffee shop, you'll still be in good shape.Step 3: Just add water and stir
Place the grounds in a 2 litre or larger jar or pitcher with airtight lid, and add one litre of cool water, preferably filtered, but if you don't have filtered (you should get a filter jug, btw), no biggie. And then stir. The grounds and water need to be stirred well so that the flavours meld together.
Step 4: And now the magic happens!
Put the lid on the jar or pitcher and set it somewhere on your kitchen surface, out of direct sunlight. And let it sit overnight (at least 6 hours), or up to 12 hours.Step 5: Strain and Enjoy
Once your cold brew has had enough time to steep, you can strain it. There are many ways to do this, and I have listed them below.- Place a coffee filter into a funnel and set the funnel over a bottle. Pour the concentrate into the funnel to strain out the grounds.
- Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth. Set it in a bowl and pour the concentrate over the sieve.
- Nut milk bag -- which happens to be the easiest and best method.
- Pantyhose (no judgment here, lol) works as a great stand-in for nut-milk bags.
Ingredients:
- 150g coffee beans, coarsely ground
- 1 litre water
- 120ml iced coffee concentrate
- 120ml water
- Ice
- Sugar or coffee syrup if desired
- Milk - semi, skimmed, almond, coconut, cashew, soya, oats or any that work for you
Directions:
- Add the grounds and the water to a 2 litre or larger jar or pitcher with airtight lid. Stir. Put the lid on and put the jar/pitcher somewhere out of the way on your kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight.
- Let it sit for at least 6 hours, up to 12.
- Line a fine-mesh sieve with a couple of layers of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour the water and grounds over the strainer and discard grounds.
- Pour the iced coffee concentrate into an airtight jar or pitcher and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will keep for up to one week.
- To make iced coffee, fill a glass with ice and add 120ml coffee concentrate and 120ml water. Add milk and sweetener as desired and serve.
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