A couple of years ago I tried coffee in a new magical way. I am going to share a cold brew coffee recipe. You may wonder what cold brew coffee is. You may wonder if you need a cold brew coffee maker. In a nutshell, cold brew coffee is easy to make, and you don’t need a cold brew coffee maker.
Cold brew coffee is coffee that is ground and then allow to steep in the refrigerator for about 10 to 12 hours. The coffee is separated from the beans, and it is served. This way you can reheat the coffee to serve it hot, or it makes spectacular iced coffee.
The first time I tried cold brew coffee I thought it was magical. It can be referred to as low acid coffee, this acid causes many people problems. High acid can give some people heart burn. Cold brew coffee is coffee as it should be. It is smooth, and you can taste many of the nuances that coffee offers. It isn’t sharp, it isn’t bitter or has any off flavors that you wished weren’t there in coffee. What I did find it that if you buy it, it is extremely expensive. When I say expensive I have seen it range from 7 dollars to 16 dollars for 16 ounces of cold brew coffee. I promise it isn’t near this expensive to make.
You might wonder if you need a cold brew coffee maker, I thought I did. We all have too many kitchen gadgets. Well for this you don’t need a fancy cold brew coffee maker. I used a french press that I have. It works well. You could even use a simple mason jar, you will just need to run the coffee through a filter before serving.
You will need to either purchase whole beans and coarsely grind them, or you will need to to have it ground at where you buy the coffee. I find many grocery stores, and large box stores like Costco have grinders so you may want to have it ground at the store. When I make cold brew coffee, I like to buy a slightly better coffee than I might drink every morning. I will buy a coffee with a lighter roast. This way I can pick up all of the wonderful chocolate and fruity flavors coffee has to offer.
I also use filtered water when I make my cold brew coffee. Sometimes my local water has a lot of chlorine in it. So I like to use a water filter this way I am getting the pure coffee flavor as I can get.
After you make your old brew coffee, you will want to store it in your refrigerator. You can serve this as iced coffee by simply pouring over ice. You could also reheat this and serve it as hot coffee. Either way you go you will love your cold brew coffee. Interestingly the folks at Business Week claim that cold brew coffee never gets stale. The coffee doesn’t get stale because When coffee is heated and then cooled, the chemistry changes and the compound 2-furfurylthiiol — which contributes to that amazing coffee smell — degrades as it cools off. Cold Brew doesn’t change temperature, so this doesn’t happen.
I hope you will give this cold brew coffee a try. It’s so easy to do, and it tastes so good.
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How to Make Cold Brew Coffee
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of water
- 1/2 cup coarsely ground coffee
Instructions
- Use either a French press or a large mason jar, add 16 ounces of water to the water vessel. Add 1/2 cup of coarsely ground coffee. Place a lid on the container, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
- After 12 hours separate the coffee from the grounds. If using a French press, press down the plunger and pour off the water. If you are using a Mason jar, pour the coffee through the coffee filter. Store coffee in the refrigerator.
Kelly says
Do you heat the water before adding the coarsely ground beans or it it room temp? Then stir and refrigerate. Please advise, thanks!
Glenda Wallace says
I love iced coffee or hot coffee. I drink it without milk, cream, or sugar. I hate, hate Luke warm coffee. Thank you for this post. I can’t wait to make my cool brew coffee. I love your posts and appreciate your hard work.
stromy93 says
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I’ve given it a try myself. But I’ve tried using regular ground coffee grounds from like Folgers and such. Then run through a coffee filter using a funnel. Comes out pretty good. I’ve even experimented using a half gallon pitcher and making a double batch at once. Came out pretty good. Then I experimented around and made your Dunkin’ Donut iced coffee. Then saw you’re post and realized I had came up with the recipe on my own! So thanks there!
Stephanie says
I usually make my cold brew coffee in a French Press. It is so easy to do! I am glad you practiced this one your own. Cold brew coffee is so expensive when you buy it out.
kevin1 says
This recipe calls for an awful lot of grounds, the caffeine content will turn you into Cornholio. It only takes three ounces of grounds to 6 cups of water to make cold brew that tastes fabulous.
Stephanie Manley says
Kevin1, I will have to give that a try. Loved the Cornholio comment 😉 I am a major fan of Beevis and Butthead.
kevin1 says
A coarse grind and longer steep is the secret, I steep mine for about 14 hours before serving. That way the stronger infusion can be be diluted into a few ounces of water. When you have GERD and love coffee you have to be creative.
RoundPonda says
The only problem with this method and making cold brewed tea, is that nutritionists have WARNED consumers from making cold brewed coffee or tea, because mouse droppings and other nasty contents may be present in beans or tea leaves that will not be neutralized by heating… There is no cure for the Hanta Virus…
jackiegene says
Going to the kitchen now, Thank you so much, I am excited!
stephaniemanley says
Oh great, I hope you enjoy the cold brew coffee.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I prefer iced coffees to hot coffee (I’m weird!) – this sounds like a great idea!
stephaniemanley says
I understand. I love hot coffee, and iced coffee, but nothing inbetween.
Susan Savarese says
I can’t WAIT to try this. I’m going to go grind my beans now! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
stephaniemanley says
Susan, let me know how it goes!
Susan Savarese says
I DEFINITELY will, Stephanie! It’s chilling in the frig now!!
stephaniemanley says
It costs so much less to make than to buy it. It’s great stuff.
Susan Savarese says
Oh my goodness! I just poured myself a cup. You are so right, it is REALLY good, Stephanie! It’s very smooth, no bitter taste at all. The only time I’ve purchased cold brew is at Dunn Bros. and it is $10 for a “jug”. This is, obviously, cheaper but moreso, it’s so much better. I’m so excited you posted this! Keep ’em coming!
stephaniemanley says
I love it! Now you don’t have to pay all of that money to enjoy the cold brew! It’s so easy to make.
Mary says
What would be an easy way to sweeten (with sugar) the cold coffee? Sounds great but I gotta have my sugar! Thanks.
stephaniemanley says
Sugar would work well. I have to have a little sweetness in my coffee too!
Mary says
Thanks!
stephaniemanley says
You could also use a simple syrup to help sweeten your coffee. It does wonders.
Luap says
Or, you could use Stevia… a couple of drops and it’s virtually calorie free.
You do realise that sugar feeds cancer right? Minimise sugar, do NOT use Nutrasweet, Equal etc. as they contain either phenalanilines (sp?) or derivatives of it. Quite simply D.A.N.G.E.R.O.U.S.
stephaniemanley says
How do you feel about coconut sugar?
CathyLee says
Vitamins nourish cancer.