How to Make Cold Brew

I have to be honest with you, I LOVE my coffee. The best part of waking up really is coffee in my cup. I like a low acid, dark roast, and I grind my own beans. To me, the whole act is a part of the ritual that adds to the enjoyment. As much as I like that hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning, I also love a tall, cool glass of iced coffee on a hot summer afternoon. I used to treat myself to an iced coffee from a local coffeehouse once a week. Then I learned about cold brew. Wow! For years I had actually deluded myself into thinking that the coffeehouse's ice coffee offering was actually good. Boy, was I wrong. Having made my own cold brew, I now see that what I had been drinking, and paying dearly for, was really rather watery and tasteless. Never again will I buy iced coffee.

Making cold brew is very simple, the only downside is that you must plan 1-2 days ahead. The ratio of freshly ground coffee to water is really up to you and your personal tastes, but I find that one cup of freshly ground coffee (I use the medium grind setting) to three cups of water works perfectly for me.

Place the grounds into a French press or quart Mason jar if you don't have a French press, and then slowly pour the water on top.

Stir everything together.

Cover the top of the press with plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band. If using a Mason jar, simply seal with the lid.

Put the coffee and water into the fridge and leave it there, undisturbed for 24-48 hours. There is an ongoing debate among cold brew enthusiasts as to the ideal length of time.  The first time I made this I put it in the downstairs fridge and completely forgot about it, so mine chilled for 48 hours. The end result was exactly what I was looking for, so now I always go with that.

After the allotted amount of time has passed, separate grounds from water with the plunger, and strain. 

I have found that the easiest way to strain the cold brew is by pouring it through a filter attached to a little four-cup coffee pot. If you don't happen to have something like this available, you can strain it through strategically placed coffee filters, or multiple layers of cheesecloth.  The idea here is not only to separate the grounds from the liquid, but also to remove any and all silt. You want your coffee syrup (as it is now called) to taste bright and clean.

Once strained, store your syrup in the fridge for 7-10 days. Mine never lasts that long. I pour mine into a tall, ice-filled glass and add a splash of chocolate syrup and cream. So delicious!

This post is linked to:

Melt In Your Mouth 
Amaze Me Monday

Metamorphosis Monday 

Clever Chicks Blog Hop