While I like coffee-flavored things, I’m not a regular coffee drinker. Until a few summers ago, if I had anything it was a cappuccino to end a very good meal. Then I tried cold brewed coffee and realized that I may want to drink coffee more often, so I decided to give it a try at home. Since I don’t do well with caffeine, this also allows me to make it decaffeinated which is especially helpful as many places don’t have decaffeinated cold brew.
There’s no heating cold brew coffee. You start with cold filtered water and ground coffee and you let it sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours (depending on how strong you’d like it). Not heating the coffee results in a lower acidity level making for a smoother finish (which is also easier on your stomach).
I originally started with a big gallon jar and put both the water and coffee grinds into the jar. Then I’d pour the brewed coffee through a fine sieve into another container. This turned out to be a lot of work and also messy. Then I found a stainless steel filter that fits into a two quart Mason jar from County Line Kitchen (you can order directly or from Amazon) and the whole process got a lot easier. You can buy just the filter or the filter/Mason jar combo.
It’s important to get the coffee right. You may need to experiment until you find what you like best. You’ll want to use coarsely ground coffee – I know it may be taboo but the pre-ground bags work well. Coffee ground too fine can make your cold brew coffee too bitter. I also recommend a light roast (such as a breakfast blend) so that the end result isn’t too strong.
Here’s how you make cold brew using the stainless steel filter (see recipe Notes for a non-filter method). Simply fill up the filter with ground coffee (one inch from the top) and add to the Mason jar filled up with about 7 cups of cold filtered water. It takes a bit of finessing to get the filter into the jar without it overflowing. Slowly insert the filter into the water allowing the coffee to soak up the water. The grounds will rise to the top of the filter as you do this. Cover the jar and let steep for 12 to 24 hours, very lightly shaking every few hours (don’t worry if you forget). When it’s done, remove the filter and coffee. Fill the Mason jar up to the top with cold filtered water (it’s about 2 cups – don’t worry about diluting it as it’s pretty strong) and refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy.
We prefer our cold brew with a bit of milk or cream and sugar. To make for an optimal experience, make a raw sugar simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part water) and keep it in the refrigerator. Adding simple syrup to your cold brew ensures balanced sweetness throughout and no sugar leftover at the bottom that didn’t dissolve. We’ve switched to half & half since the containers are much smaller (avoiding some waste as we don’t always get through a small milk container) and since we’re not using much (less than a tablespoon) it’s not too bad for you – and it tastes so much better.
For years I’ve been bringing tea to work with me in the morning. Now I’m happy to add cold brew to the mix (and to use my pink and green Lilly Pulitzer cup!).
Hint: Never want to run out of cold brew? Get a second two quart Mason jar. Once you’ve finished brewing one batch transfer the filter (you only need one filter) to that second jar and make another batch. We typically have two in rotation. A jar keeps for about a week.
| Cold Brewed Coffee | Print |
- 6 ounces coffee, coarsely ground light roast (caffeinated or decaffeinated)
- 8 cups cold filtered water (divided)
- Milk or half & half
- 1 cup turbinado (raw sugar)
- Add approximately six ounces of coarsely ground coffee to stainless steel filter – coffee should come to within about an inch of the top. (Don’t have a stainless steel filter? See Notes.)
- Fill a 2 quart Mason jar with 7 cups of cold filtered water.
- Slowly insert filter into water allowing coffee to soak up water. The grounds will rise to the top of the filter as you do this. It takes a bit of finessing to get the filter into the jar without it overflowing.
- Cover jar and let steep for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator, very lightly shaking every few hours (don’t worry if you forget).
- When the coffee is done, remove the filter.
- Fill the Mason jar up to the top with cold filtered water (it’s about 2 cups – don’t worry about diluting it as it’s pretty strong) and refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy.
- Bring 1 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add sugar and stir until it completely dissolves. Remove pan from heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Pour syrup into a clean bottle or Mason jar and refrigerate it until needed.
- Syrup makes about 1-1/2 cups and keeps two months or longer in the refrigerator.
- Fill a tall glass or travel mug with ice.
- Pour in coffee, top with syrup and milk or half & half to taste.
- Stir and enjoy.
* Cold Brew recipe makes 8 cups of coffee.
* Raw Sugar Simple Syrup makes about 1-1/2 cups or 24 tablespoons. You can use white granulated sugar in place of raw (or turbinado) sugar.
I thought you learned at Il Due G not to have cappuccino after dinner. Love the cold brewed coffee.
Dad – I did learn that – and will never forget it. But, sometimes I stray…