Cold Coffee Three Ways
It’s that time of year again! The plants are lush and full of life, there are occasional tornado sirens in the distance, and the temperatures have us seeking cool refuges — it's time for iced coffee!
Cold brew coffee is a very different beast from a hot cup of coffee — it’s typically very body-forward, and it doesn’t retain the lovely aromas or acidity that you find in a cup of hot coffee. Cold brew drinkers often describe coffee made with this method as nutty, chocolatey, and oily. These characteristics make it an appropriate brew to pair with a dash of cream and some maple syrup!
Here are a few methods from our lab. Serve over ice and enjoy!
French Press
If you want to make a smaller or larger batch, you can adjust the recipe, just try to stay at a 5:1 (water:coffee) ratio.
What you’ll need:
36oz french press or similar vessel
180g coffee
900g water
1. Grind the coffee coarsely and add to your french press.
2. Add the water slowly while stirring to ensure even saturation.
3. After 5 minutes, use a spoon to break the crust of grounds that has formed on top.
4. Put a lid on the press and place in the fridge.
5. Let brew for 12 hours, filter and serve.
This recipe yields a concentrate, so start by diluting it with a 2:1 (water : concentrate) ratio and adjust based on preference.
Toddy Home Cold Brew System
What you'll need:
Toddy Home Cold Brew System
340 g coarsely ground coffee
8 cups (64 oz) filtered water
1. Fill
Insert the stopper into the outside bottom of the brewing container; then, dampen the filter and insert it into the inside bottom of the brewing container.
Next, add 1 cup of water into the bottom of the Toddy brewing container and 170 g of ground coffee. Slowly pour 3 more cups of water over the grounds in a circular motion.
Wait 5 minutes, then add the remaining 170 g of coffee. Finally, slowly add the last 4 cups of water. DO NOT STIR (stirring the bed of grounds can result in a clogged filter). Lightly press down on the topmost grounds with the back of a spoon to ensure all grounds are wet.
2. Brew
Steep your coffee grounds at room temperature 8 to 24 hours to create a smooth, rich flavor.
3. Filter
Remove the stopper and let your coffee concentrate flow into the glass decanter, where it will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator.
4. Serve
We recommend starting with a ratio of 1 part coffee concentrate to 2 parts water or milk. Mix to taste. For rich, smooth iced coffee, simply pour coffee concentrate and water or milk over ice.
Flash Brew
What you’ll need
Hario V60 Brewer and filter
30g coffee
320g water
Carafe/brewing vessel
1. Begin by rinsing your filter to remove any paper taste.
2. Fill the carafe with 120-130 grams of ice.
3. Grind the 30g of coffee to table-salt fineness.
4. First pour: 90g of water heated to 205F, allow to bloom for 1 minute. Stir the slurry with a spoon to ensure all the grounds are fully saturated.
5. At 1 minute, slowly pour up to 200g water.
6. At 1:40, slowly pour up to 320g water.
7. Allow the coffee to drop completely until the brew-bed is dry. Add ice to the carafe, give it a swirl, and pour into your favorite cup for pure enjoyment.
