Making delicious cold brew coffee at home is incredibly simple!
What is Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold brew coffee should not to be confused with iced coffee! To make iced coffee you brew strong hot coffee and pour it over ice. Cold brew is actually brewed (ie. extracted) at a cold temperature over a long period of time – hence the name! This results in a stronger, less acidic and more flavorful coffee.
What you need
Note that for these instructions I use a Cold Brew Coffee Maker, specifically the Hario brand one pictured. I like using this because it makes it much easier to get the grinds out. However it is possible to make cold brew with just a jar and a filter- watch for a post in the near future to go into this further. For now, please see below for what you need to do using a Cold Brew Coffee Maker.
- Cold brew coffee maker – My husband and I started using this cold brew coffee maker from Hario a few years ago and it has been a game changer. It is simple to use and has a very fine mesh filter that fits into the lid of the bottle. This makes it easy to remove at the end of the extraction process so that it doesn’t leave behind a lot of grinds. Takeya has a similar one that is also popular.
- Coarse Ground Coffee – I like to start with whole beans and grind them right before using. Your coffee should be a medium-coarse grind. I love this burr grinder which helps grind the beans to a uniform size.
- Water – I recommend filtered water for a clean taste.
- Refrigerator – you will need to place the bottle in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 to extract your cold brew
How to make it
The instructions below are specific for the Hario type of cold brew maker but the general process applies to any cold brew recipe.
- Grind your coffee to a medium-coarse grind.
- Pour the ground coffee into the strainer basket. I like to use around 70g for the pictured Hario 650mL Cold Brew Coffee Maker, but follow the instructions for your specific equipment.
- Attach the top of the strainer basket then insert the assembly into the groove on the lid, twisting to secure it in place.
- Insert the assembly into the glass bottle and push down so the lid is secure.
- Now remove the cap from the top of the lid and add water through the hole until it is almost full
- Place the cap on to seal and then shake gently for around 30 seconds – you want to make sure to get the grounds wet
- Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit for 8 to 12 hours!
- After the time is up, gently shake for around 10 seconds. Open the lid and remove the strainer attachment.
- Now you have a cold brew coffee concentrate! This concentrate will be strong and high in caffeine content, so it is best to dilute before drinking. I like to dilute it in the jar directly by filling up with water to the top, but you could dilute directly in your cup.
How to serve it
My favorite way to enjoy it is over ice! I like to enjoy it black but you can also add a little cream and sugar or flavored syrup for some extra sweetness.
