COLD BREW COFFEE: HOW TO MAKE IT AND WHY YOU SHOULD

Have you heard all the hype about cold brew coffee? It’s starting to pop up in trendy coffee shops and farmer’s markets everywhere. Even Starbucks is now marketing their cold brew coffee. Have you ever noticed how much more expensive it is than regular brewed coffee? Ridiculous. There’s no need to pay extra for this simple summer treat. Cold brew is delicious and super easy to make at home!

Summer is a perfect time for a chilled coffee treat, but cold brew coffee can even be enjoyed hot, and many people only drink cold brew coffee.

If you’re wondering why, it’s pretty simple. It tastes better. Cold brewed coffee is less acidic and bitter while being more flavorful. The slower extraction rate produces a mellow, naturally sweet cup of coffee. Yum.

I have some friends that prefer a hot cup of java yet they still make a big batch of cold brew coffee, keep it in the fridge and just nuke a cup at a time. Unlike a traditionally brewed coffee that get more and more bitter the longer it sits, cold brew coffee remains fresh and tasting great for up to 2 weeks! That’s a huge time-saver for our busy mornings.

Want to make a batch to try? It’s super easy. Here’s my super simple recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

1 part coarse ground coffee (French press grind)
4 parts cold water
Wooden spoon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Add coarsely ground coffee to French press pot. Pour in water and use a long wooden spoon to stir coffee grounds. Place top on French press. Wait a minimum of 8 hours, and up to 24 hours and then press down. Pour and enjoy over ice, or with a bit of milk and sugar.

Cold brew produces a nice strong coffee so it usually requires a bit of dilution – either over ice cubes, or with milk. If you prefer hot, black coffee, you might find that you need to add a bit of water to get a less intense flavor.

Note: My French press pot has a really fine filter, so just pressing and pouring it works for me. If your filter isn’t as fine, you can pour through a coffee filter to remove more of the silt/grinds if needed.