Everything You Need to Know About Cold Brew Coffee

Aug 03, 2020 Most Recent

Everyone loves a fresh cup of coffee, but if it's a hot day that classic brew might not be in your favor. We recommend cold brew coffee. You've probably heard of cold brew before, but it's essentially a version of iced coffee. The difference is that iced coffee is when you take that hot, freshly brewed coffee and pour it over ice. Cold brew coffee is when you let the batch brew at room temperature or in the fridge for a few hours. This creates a much stronger flavor profile than regular iced coffee, because when the hot coffee hits the ice cubes the flavor is dilluted. If you love the true flavor of coffee but also enjoy a cold batch, look no further than cold brew coffee.

How to Make It

Making cold brew at home can actually be pretty easy. When properly brewed, it can last for 10 to 14 days, so you can make two weeks worth! Just follow these steps:

1. The perfect grind: To make the best cold brew, you'll need coarsely ground coffee, so set your grinder to its most coarse setting. It should be similar to the coarseness of raw sugar. Any finer than that and it will give you a bitter blend. If you don't have a grinder, we recommend our classic House Blend in a coarse grind.

  • Tip: Investing in a quality grinder is one of the best things you can do if you want to take your home brewing set up seriously. Take a look at our collection of grinders to find the right fit for you!

2. Prepare a large jar: Since you'll be storing your cold brew for a few hours, you'll want a large and sturdy, clean jar to store it in. For a two week batch, you'll a 1:8 coffee-to-water ratio. It might seem like a lot of water, but coffee is actually 98.75% water!

3. Stir, baby, stir: First pour in your coffee grounds. Then, you'll want to pour water over it. Then, you will stir until all of the coffee grounds are completely soaked, and then some. Don't worry if the grounds all float back up top, as long as they're wet.

  • Tip: Remember to use room temperature or cold water. Some people prefer brewing theirs at room temperature and then putting it in the fridge. Other people prefer using cold water and putting it straight in the fridge. You can learn what you prefer after doing it a few times! 

4. Play the waiting game: You'll want to cover your jar and then let it steep for about 18 to 24 hours. Again, you can either put it in the fridge or let it steep at room temperature, it is your preference. Letting it steep for so long only builds the flavor profile, but don't wait longer than 24 hours.

5. Strain and strain again: Strain your brewed coffee into a bowl using a sieve and a cheesecloth. This would remove the larger grounds. Clean your strainer and then strain your coffee back into the jar. If you want, you can repeat two to three times until the bottom of the jar is clear and you don’t see any murky residue.

  • Tip: Don't squeeze the coffee grounds when straining them. This will only bring out the bitterness of the beans.

6. Enjoy! Enjoy is poured over ice with creamer, milk, sugar, or whatever you would like to add to it!

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