how to make cold brew coffee

What we’re talking about today is cold-brew coffee, where you just grab the coffee, immerse it in the water, and allow it to infuse. It’s simple, cheap, and very easy to repeat on a day-to-day basis.

There are people who love cold-brew coffee, and there are a whole lot of people who don’t. I tend to be somewhere in the middle. Just because you can find cold brew almost anywhere doesn’t mean it always tastes good. So, I thought it’s the perfect time to make cold brew at home. You don’t need fancy equipment; a saucepan, a French press, and a filter bag will do the job for you. So, let’s get into it.

What is a cold-brew coffee? Cold brew vs. Iced coffee

Before we begin, let’s get one thing straight: cold brew is not iced coffee. Cold brew is cold from the start, has very low acidity, doubles the caffeine, and is perfect for a summer pick-me-up.

On the other hand, iced coffee simply involves pouring coffee over ice. We make it by diluting hot coffee with cold water, ice, or milk. The heat used in this process extracts more bitterness and acidity. Cold brew, on the other hand, extracts coffee slowly over a long period of time, reducing acidity and bitterness. It’s easy to make, lower in acidity, and requires no hot water or coffee maker. But if you like it hot, it’s even easier to make coffee without a coffee maker.

The Principle of Making Cold Brew Coffee

The principle of making cold-brew coffee is simple. You’ll need whole coffee beans, a grinder, purified water, a strainer, cheesecloth for filtering, and two large pitchers or containers. You can use anything that can hold coffee grounds and water, like a French press, a mason jar, or even a saucepan.

2 Easy Methods to Make Cold Brew at Home

There are two main approaches to making cold brew coffee: ready-to-drink and cold brew concentrate.

Ready-to-drink cold brew is somehow similar to filter coffee. On the other hand, cold brew concentrate is useful if you plan to dilute it with water, ice, milk, or tonic water.

The only difference is that cold brew is much weaker, whereas cold brew concentrate is too strong to drink straight. These two methods use different coffee-to-water ratios. Ready-to-drink cold brew has a 1:16 ratio, whereas cold brew concentrate has a 1:4 ratio.

Making Cold Brew Using a Mason Jar

As we know, cold brew is incredibly delicious but can be expensive to buy. The good news is that it’s very simple to make at home. You don’t need a fancy grinder or a lot of equipment—just some basic kitchen tools and patience. In this case, patience pays off. So, let’s make cold brew at home using just a mason jar.

List of Equipment and Measurements

1) coarsely ground coffee (80 grams of coarsely ground coffee bean)

2) purified water (400 milliliters of water)

3) a mason jar

4) strainer

5) cheesecloth or coffee filter paper.

A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO FOLLOW

1) Coarsely grind your coffee beans: You simply take whole coffee beans and grind them as coarsely as your grinder allows. The best part about this is that you don’t need a fancy grinder to do it. The grind should be as coarse as your grinder will allow you to go.

2) Add coffee and water to a Mason jar: Now, add 80 grams of ground coffee to a Mason jar. Once the coffee is in, pour in 400 ml of filtered, clean water, following a 1:5 coffee-to-water ratio. You don’t need to be precise; just play with water-coffee ratios until you find one you like.

3) Let it sit for 12 to 24 hours: Next, give this mixture a good stir using a ladle or a spoon until the coffee grounds get nicely saturated. Put the lid on and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.

4) Use a strainer: So, now that your cold brew has been chilling in the fridge for 24 hours, it’s time to filter it. Place a cheesecloth in a strainer, then slowly pour the coffee into the strainer to filter out your delicious cold brew.

5) Ta-Da! Enjoy your cold brew concentrate: Now, I have to warn you: this cold brew is really strong and full of caffeine. Before drinking, you need to dilute it with your choice of liquid—water, cashew milk, or whatever you prefer. With it, you can do pretty much anything you want.

6) Store your favorite brew: You can store your brew in the fridge for about 1–2 weeks. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about the next week. Just add equal parts concentrate and water, and you’ll have a nice cup of cold brew all week long.

Making Cold Brew in a French Press

Cold brew is easy to make and incredibly delicious, too. There’s nothing fancy going on here, as long as you have a French press and a way to filter the coffee. It’s a good idea to do it in your French press because it has a built-in filter, which helps to separate the water from the grounds. As a result, this method will produce a cup of rich and flavorful concentration.

List of Equipment and Measurements:

1) Coarsely ground coffee (1 ounces or 30 g)

2) Cold water (120 ml)

3) French press coffee maker

A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO FOLLOW

1) Grind your beans: First, coarsely grind the medium-roasted coffee beans in a grinder. If you don’t have a grinder, you can buy your coffee from a grocery store with an adjustable grind size or from a coffee shop where they can grind it coarsely for you.

2) Add the Coffee in French Press: Add approximately 30 g (about 1 ounce) of coarsely ground coffee to the French Press with 120 mL of clean, filtered water. The amount of coffee and water depends on your French press size and preference. I recommend using a 1:4 ratio to ensure there’s enough space for the grounds and water.

3) Steep the brew for 12–24 hours: Gently stir the coffee to mix the grounds and water, then place the brew in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Make sure you stir just enough to thoroughly combine the coffee grounds and water.

4) Push the Plunger Down: After 12–24 hours, push the plunger down. This plunger will keep the coffee grounds at the bottom of the pitcher, allowing you to effortlessly pour out perfectly strained cold-brew coffee.

5) Serve Your Delicious Cold Brew: Now, pour the cold brew over ice, or you can dilute it with water, milk, or anything of your choice. Alternatively, you can just drink it straight away; there are many ways you can experiment to enjoy this versatile beverage.

4 Pro Tips for Your Next Successful Cold Brew at Home

Best Coffee For Cold Brew

You can use any coffee you like, but I recommend choosing a naturally processed coffee with a heavy body and fruity flavor profile. For me, the deep fruity, nutty sweetness of Ethiopian natural or the heavy chocolaty flavors of Brazilian coffee are right on the money for a cold brew.

Your coffee choice depends on how you serve it.

An espresso blend can work fine if you’re planning to add water or milk to the finished product. But if you’re planning to serve it black, I would recommend filter-roasted coffee.

Now, cold brew is made from good beans. Use your favorite beans, or ideally, use locally sourced, freshly roasted coffee. Some say that older coffee is better, but that is up to you. You can learn more about coffee beans, their origin, and the various processing methods they undergo, so that you can enjoy a delicious brew every day.

Grinders and Grind Size

While we’re talking about coffee, you’ll also need a grinder. Since the coffee will be brewing in cold water for a long time, you need a much coarser grinder. So, you need a grinder that can produce a coarse grind size than a standard espresso grinder. If a grinder is not available, try grinding your coffee fresh when you buy it at a grocery store or a local coffee shop, and they’ll know what to do with it.

Cold Brew Ratio

In terms of cold-brew coffee, the brew ratio is really important. It’s a way to adjust the amount of coffee and water you use to match the size of your brewer. For instance, a ratio of 1:5 means using one part coffee to five parts water. Therefore, if you use 30 grams of coffee, you’ll need 150 ml of water for the concentrated brew.

The classic method of making cold brew involves concentrating the brew. You can dilute it with water or milk of your choosing. Not only, it’s a deal for mixing with water or milk, it can be used as an ingredient in cocktails, Frappes and even in cooking.

Using Clean, Filtered Water

One of the most important ingredients after coffee is obviously water. This works as a base for your brew. If you want all of the goodness in your cup of brew, you must use high-quality water. Brewing coffee with water balances the bitterness and acidity of the coffee. So, if you use good-quality, filtered water, it will help you produce some fruit over time.

Does Cold Brew Taste Good?

Now, this is where some people may disagree. One of the main reasons that people choose cold brew over hot brew is that cold brew tends to be smoother and less acidic. A good cold brew is less bitter than hot coffee, which means that the subtle flavors in the coffee beans can shine.

If you want to make your own at home, you can tailor it to your taste by using your favorite coffee beans. Plus, you can make it as strong or as weak as you want. In my humble opinion, cold brew definitely tastes smooth and refreshing and does not have much of the intensity and bitterness found in hot coffee. It’s definitely worth trying to figure out your opinion on this.