How To Make Cold Brew Coffee
Caffeinated and chilled, cold brew coffee is made for the Texas heat. More than just chilled coffee, cold brew coffee never experiences the heat of traditionally brewed coffee and therefore has a lower acidity level producing a smooth cup of joe. Plus, cold brew is easy to make in large batches and keep on hand for when craving strikes. Find out how to make this coffee shop favorite at home in 3 easy steps.
First things first, the coffee:
The ratio of coffee grounds to cold water depends on personal taste, but a good place to start is 3/4 cup of beans to 4 cups of water. This ratio can be used to double or triple the recipe for large containers.
| Coffee Grounds | Water |
|---|---|
| 3/4 cup | 4 cups |
| 1 1/2 cup | 8 cups |
| 3 cups | 12 cups |
Buy whole bean coffee and grind your beans very coarsely. Cold brew coffee soaks in water for much, much longer than its hot brewed cousin so beans need to be in large chunk to keep the coffee from getting overly caffeinated and cloudy.
Start Brewing:
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1. Pour measured coarsely-ground coffee and water in container, any container will do as long as it is large enough to hold your desired amount. It can be plastic, ceramic, or glass and no lid is required. Another option is to use a French press. |
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2. Let stand at room temperature for 12 hours. A long steep is important for proper flavor extraction.
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3. Strain – Plunge the French press or add cheesecloth to a fine mesh strainer on top of a large pitcher and start pouring your coffee mixture into the pitcher. Discard coffee solids left in the cheese cloth. |
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Enjoy! Now you have cold brew. Chill and serve cold on ice. Keep in mind this concoction is more caffeinated than traditional coffee so you can add water or milk to dilute if desired. Your cold brew will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. |