Advantages Of Cold Brew Coffee
Normal hot coffee can be highly acidic, bitter, and slightly lower in caffeine in comparison to a cold brew coffee. However, its the taste and super-smooth consistency that has created such a phenomenon over cold brew in the coffee world.
Here is a quick breakdown of why people are starting to make cold brew coffee at home:
- Slow immersion method creates an amazing coffee flavor that tastes less bitter.
- Less watery than a quickly brewed cup of coffee.
- More concentrated coffee leads to higher caffeination, depending on the coffee beans and time spent steeping the coffee.
- If you love having ice with your coffee, this approach creates a sweeter, smoother taste.
Here are a few other facts and things to consider for cold brewing coffee.
The Best Coffee Beans For Cold Brew At Home
Updated: September 20, 2021 by Owen Richardson
On a hot summers day, there is nothing quite like an ice-cold brew to satisfy your caffeine craving. Because making your own cold brew is so easy, there isnt much point in buying an expensive one from your local barista if you have stashed the best coffee for cold brew at home.
Drinking your coffee cold offers a refreshing beverage while still enjoying the rich flavor you love so much. Choosing this brew method also creates a sweeter-tasting coffee. While the cold brew method does require long extraction times, it also leaves the bitter taste behind in the grounds instead of in your cup.
This less acidic drink will be easier on your stomach as well, while maintaining the strong coffee flavors. So why dont more people enjoy delicious cold brew coffee at home? Most people I talk to say cold brew is too watery and, sometimes, even bitter.
Since I already explained that this method should not be bitter, what exactly goes wrong and turns a sweet, refreshing cold brew into a bitter, unpleasant drink? If this has happened to you, you may not be using the right type of coffee for your cold brew.
So, all thats left to ask is what are the best coffee beans for cold brew? Lets find out why these top six picks are my favorite cold brew coffee bans.
TOP PICKSpoiler alert! My ultimate top pick is Stone Street Cold Brew Coffee. Its delicious and balanced and ethically sourced from Colombia.
Cold Brew Vs Iced Coffee
Cold brew coffee is all the rage at coffee shops these days! In the summer, it certainly always sounds refreshing.
I make cold brew often at home its very easy to make, so I like to always have some in the fridge for when my coffee cravings hit.
Cold brew is different from iced coffee. Iced coffee is simply brewed coffee that has been cooled, and then poured over ice. Cold brew coffee is slowly brewed in cold water, which results in a smoother cup. While iced coffee needs to be brewed fresh, cold brew coffee tastes great for a week if refrigerated.
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Best Mason Jar: County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Coffee Maker
The County Line Kitchen Store Cold Brew Coffee Maker looks like a Mason jarand acts like a coffee maker. Instead of boasting a classic metal lid, the coffee maker comes with a silicone one that attaches to a metal steeper, allowing you to craft your brew overnight. When youre satisfied with the look of your cold brew, remove the steeper and reattach the lid. It promises to keep your coffee fresh with an airtight seal, and it comes with an adjustable flip cap you can open any time you need a refill.
Use It As A Fertilizer
Ground coffees can be a big help if you are into gardening because the used grounds will add some nitrogen to your soil and enrich it. It can also help the compost dilute into the soil quicker.
You can also add some water with your coffee grounds and sprinkle it onto the roots of your plants to make the ground more fertile.
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How To Use Cold Brew Coffee Ratios Correctly
Lets use the ESPRO Cold Brew;CB1 coffee maker as a real-world example.
Heres what we suggest:
- 1 lb / 454 g of coffee
- 34 oz / 1000 ml or grams of water
Thats roughly a 1:2 ratio1 gram of coffee per 2 grams of watervery concentrated!;
Remember: most people agree that a 1:15 to 1:18 ratio is ideal for balanced strength for regular coffee. However, some people like to drink their cold brew coffee a little strongeraround a 1:10 to 1:14 ratiobecause once you add ice , you end up at a balanced strength.
- To dilute your cold brew to a 1:10 ratio, you need to mix 1 part concentrate and 4 parts water. Add ice and see how it tastes.
- To dilute your cold brew to a 1:14 ratio, youll need to mix 1 part concentrate and 6 parts water. Add ice and see how it tastes.
You are the final say on what tastes good to you.;
If you like a more concentrated cold brew coffee, dilute to 1:10. If you want it to be less strong and more relaxing, dilute to 1:14 or 1:16.
The good thing is, you can do it all in one session. Dilute to 1:10, then take a sip and see how you like it. Then you can just keep adding a little water until its just right for you.
The Best Grind For Cold Brew Coffee
Even if one finds the absolute perfect coffee grounds, the consistency of the grind cannot be off or it will impact the cold brew in a negative way.
The most ideal type of grind to use with cold brew will be one that feels like sand from the beach when you touch it. There cannot be any water where the coffee will be stored or else it may compromise the coffee, so take care to ensure there is no moisture in the air.
Avoiding the idea of using any type of instant coffee, it leaves a person with two options; pre-ground coffee, or ground by hand. There are pros and cons to both.
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How Should I Strain The Cold Brew When Its Ready
One option is to put a funnel into a storage jar or container, place a paper filter over the funnel and pour the cold brew into the funnel.
While this method is ok, it can be easy to tear paper filters, so the best method is to use a cheesecloth and a strainer. This is done similarly to the funnel and filter method, but instead you place the cheesecloth over the strainer.
Place the strainer over your spare, empty jar/container with the cheesecloth sitting on top and then pour in the brewed coffee. This filtering process can take time, so be sure to pour the coffee slowly to avoid any spillage.
DO NOT press/squeeze the coffee grounds to extract liquid from them! This will not give you any benefit, but instead extract the bitterness from the coffee beans.
Your brew is now ready to consume. Ensure that you add one part water or milk to one part coffee.
Toddy System Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
For the following recipe, youll need 12 ounces of medium to coarsely ground coffee and 7 cups of water.
How to make cold brew coffee with a Toddy System:
- Place the rubber stopper in the bottom of the brewing container.
- Dampen the filter so its damp on both sides.
- Place the filter inside the brewing container above the recessed area where the rubber stopper goes.
- Add one cup of filtered room temperature water in the Toddy brewing container.
- Add 6 ounces of medium to coarse grounds.
- Add 3 more cups of water, pouring in a circular motion.
- Submerge the floating grounds without stirring.
- Let sit for about 5 minutes.
- Add 3 more cups of water
- Add 6 more ounces of medium to coarse grounds.
- Submerge the floating grounds without stirring.
- Cover the brewing container and allow the coffee to steep in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. Or if you dont have space in the fridge you can leave it on the counter for between 14-18 hours.
- When its ready, hold the brewing container above the glass pitcher and remove the rubber stopper. You can set the brewing container on top of the glass decanter and allow it to drain.
- Discard the grounds and place the airtight lid on the glass decanter, place it in the fridge.
- With this ratio, its suggested to dilute the concentrate 1:3 cold brew to water.
Helpful tips: When putting your coffee and water in the brewing container try not to stir the ground coffee, but gently press whats floating under the water surface. Stirring can clog the Toddy System.
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How Do I Brew The Grounds
The short answer: Place the grounds in a cotton filter, pour enough water just to wet, let it sit for a minute, then pour the rest of the water slowly over the grounds. Close the filter bag and steep.
More details
If you dont already have a cold brew kit, of course we recommend it. Its the easiest and least messy way to make cold brew coffee. Because the filters are made from organic cotton, youll also note the difference in the taste.;
After you add your grounds to the filter, pour just enough water over the grounds to wet them completely. Then let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute. This is called letting the coffee bloom. It allows the water to fully penetrate the grounds so you wont have dry pockets of coffee that dont get steeped.;
You can also put grounds directly in a jar and pour water over it. Then you can filter the brew through a cotton filter at the end of the brewing cycle. And if you have a larger french press, you can use that too.;
Brew perfect cold brew coffee with your CoffeeSock cold brew kit.
Ideal Grind Size For French Press
A coarse grind is best for a French Press.
The French Press is a popular brewing method, and it is easy to see why. It is simple, inexpensive, easy to clean, and it makes a great cup of coffee. Many people are turned off by their first French Press experience, however, because they are not using an appropriate grind size.
The coarse grind also allows you to filter the coffee when plunging without letting lots of fines sneak by. That leads to silty coffee and a stiff grimace for the last sip of the mug.
Note that some modern French Presses can be used with paper filters, and some have fairly tight microfilters. This allows you to try a finer grind, which means you can experiment with brew time and find something that suits your taste.
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Serving Nitro Cold Brew
Nitro Cold Brew has become a phenomenon of its own. The creamy texture and Guinness-like visual effect of injecting nitrogen gas into the brew is a real crowd pleaser.
Of course, if you want to serve cold brew on tap, you going to need to get some extra equipment.
The easiest option is to grab an all-in-one benchtop unit, like the creatively named Nitro Cold Brew Coffee System. With a system like this, you plug it in, drop the hose into a container of cold brew and pull the handle.
For more, check out our full review of this device here
If you like a more hands-on approach, you can search through your local home brew shop and put together a kit of kegs, nitrogen gas cylinders & Stout taps. It takes a bit more know-how, but a keg system will allow for larger capacity if you need to go big
In my opinion, you really need to be moving a lot of cold brew for this to be a desirable setup. After all, fresh is best
Is A Cold Brew Easier On Your Stomach Than Regular Coffee
Yes, when brewing regular coffee, the heat extracts the acid that can upset your stomach if you are sensitive to acid. The cold brew method doesnt extract the acid, so in addition to the less bitter flavor, you wont be drinking as much acid as you would with a regular coffee.
Now that you are ready to enjoy some cold brews, why not find the best cold brew maker for easier brewing?
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Storing It Too Long In The Fridge
Unlike hot coffee, which is pretty much crap after a few hours, cold brew will keep in your fridge. As an undiluted concentrate, it’ll keep for up to two weeks, although the flavor quality will degrade after the first week. If you’ve cut the concentrate with water, that shortens the shelf life to a mere 2-3 days.
How To Make Cold Brew Coffee With Ground Coffee
Learn how to make cold brew coffee with ground coffee.; This takes a while, but it will give you delicious coffee to make iced coffee drinks.
For many, cold brew coffee is a wonderful alternative to traditional coffee. It is perfect for enjoyment in the morning, or at any time of day. Plus, it is especially pleasant during the hot summer as a refreshing and energizing drink.
When you learn how to make cold brew coffee with ground coffee, it opens up a whole new world of coffee for you. Learning the recipe for cold brew coffee is pretty simple and it does not take too long to prepare.
I use my homemade cold brew coffee to make coffee popsicles and iced coffee drinks. If you love iced coffee drinks from the coffee shop, you’ll be shocked at how easy they are to make at home!
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Best Splurge: Kitchenaid Brushed Stainless Steel Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Crafted from stainless steel, KitchenAid’s Cold Brew Coffee Maker is a pretty hefty machineand one that makes a seriously great brew. Add your favorite ground coffee to the stainless steel steeper in 2-ounce doses, and fill the glass around it with 6-ounce doses of milk, water, or ice. This versatility makes it easy to craft the exact brew you want, and since the coffee maker can handle up to 14 servings at a time, youll have plenty of coffee to go around.
Stone Cold Jo: Cold Brew Coffee Blend
For the coffee snobs out there, Stone Cold Jo delivers specialty-grade, ethically sourced, artisan coffee. The company highlights that all of its beans are roasted by artisan craftsmen in a micro-roastery, so you get attention to detail missing from other brands. Stone Cold Jo sources from multiple regions, so each blend can be different.
These beans are 100 percent organic, fair trade, and even kosher. The company also offers a satisfaction guarantee so that you can buy a bag with confidence. This particular blend is a dark roast with hints of toffee, chocolate, and caramel. You can buy a 12-ounce or two-pound bag.
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Make Cold Brew Coffee At Home It’s So Easy And Your Iced Coffee Will Never Taste Watery Or Bitter Again
If you crave a good iced coffee in the summer, but loathe the way so many end up tasting watery or overly bitter, then there’s only one solution: cold brew coffee. This method guarantees a smooth and icy cup, every time.
Making cold brew coffee is no great secret, nor does it require the ninja-level skills of a trained barista in order to master. You don’t even need much special equipment beyond a large container for making the coffee and a strainer.
How To Make A Cold Brew Coffee At Home
The cold brew coffee rewards those who are patient and prepared. The perfect cold brew press coffee will need to be prepared well in advance, usually at least 12 hours. You can either choose to invest in a specific cold brew appliance which are designed specifically for this type of brewing or use a more DIY approach as outlined above, using equipment youll almost certainly have in the kitchen already. The appliances can help make the process smoother and can avoid making mess when filtering your brews, but are by no means essential to do it right.
If you dont want to buy these specific appliances, then you can try it at home using just about any carafe, jug or container. Just be wary of its capacity, which you can obviously measure by weighing how much water it holds. One gram of water equals one millilitre of water, so thats a nice easy conversion for you!
Personally, I recommend not investing any extra cash and using a large French press or Chemex coffee brewer instead. As long as you already have some paper filters at home, these will be fine. The size of the container will influence how much you can make, and ultimately how strong or weak you can make a recipe using whatever fixed dose.
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What Makes Them The Best Coffee Beans For Cold Brew
The beans listed above have something in common; they are all delicious when fully immersed in cold water and chilled to perfection!
These beans also have something else in common; they are the best coffee beans for cold brew. Why is this? Well, each of these beans has a different flavor and taste when brewed hot or with ice.
Each of the above six choices is unique in its own way and I love trying out new flavors. If you love flavored coffee, then try these beans out and see what you think!