Cold Brew: How to Make Cold Coffee Perfect for Hot Weather

Cold brew is a specially prepared cold coffee. When made correctly, the drink refreshes and quenches thirst. Jamie Oliver, Ashley Rodriguez, Danilo Alfaro and Sonya Overhiser spoke about cold brew, its features and secrets of preparation.

Cold brew taste and preparation specifics

Restaurateur and cookbook author Jamie Oliver was thrilled when he tried cold brew at a New York coffee shop. The drink was subtly sweet, rich but not overpowering, icy and not at all watery. It had everything that coffee connoisseurs love about it, and it was unlike anything Jamie had ever had before. What makes cold brew so special?

What is cold brew

Cole brew is prepared using the cold brewing method. Ground coffee is poured with cold water and left for a long period. Infusion can take place at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The resulting drink is completely different from the hot one, prepared from the same type of coffee beans. It is distinguished by a brighter taste, inherent in a certain type of coffee.

Time remains the main factor in ensuring the perfect cold brew. Typically, cold brewing takes from 8 hours to a day, depending on how strong the drink needs to be.

Over time, the resulting concentrate has an extremely high coffee to water ratio. Compared to regular drip coffee, it has 1 part ground beans to 20 parts water. In the case of cold brew, the ratio can reach 1:4.

What are the features of cold brew?

Cold brew is the best option for those who have never even tried to make coffee in their life. The trick is that the process does not require special precision, which is extremely important in other ways of making a fragrant drink. To get the most delicious cold coffee, you do not need scales, a special kettle or filter. You only need coffee, water, a container with a lid and a lot of patience.

In addition to the significantly simplified process, there are other features:

• the finished coffee has minimal acidity;
• the drink retains all the benefits of its hot-made analogue;
• The finished drink can be stored for quite a long time.

Old beans are also suitable for cold brew. Thanks to long brewing, even stale coffee will produce a drink with an acceptable taste and divine aroma.

One of the myths about cold brew is that cold coffee contains too much caffeine. This is partly true, but only the cold brew concentrate, which must be diluted before drinking, has a higher content. Add water, ice and milk to the concentrate. The result is a drink comparable in strength to that produced by a home drip coffee maker.

Important: all of the above applies only to home-made cold brew. The quality of the drink in a coffee shop may differ, and not necessarily for the better.

Recipe, nuances of using and storing cold brew

Writer and barista with 12 years of experience Ashley Rodriguez advises to buy the best coffee you can afford. For cold brew, beans grown in Central and South America are ideal. They have low acidity and a pronounced chocolate flavor. Give them preference if you like coffee with milk and sugar.

The cold brew method of making coffee allows you to experiment with beans that have fruity flavors, higher acidity, and light roasting. This coffee is best drunk black and bitter, or slightly sweetened.

Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

To ensure that the drink brings true pleasure, determine the optimal ratio of water and coffee for yourself. To obtain a concentrate, it is enough to use 1 part coffee and 5-6 parts water. If you need a drink that is suitable for consumption without dilution, then take a ratio of 1:8 or even 1:12.

To prepare concentrate for 10 servings of coffee you will need:

• coffee beans - 150 g;
• water - 850 ml.

It will take you 3 minutes to prepare and another 5 minutes to make the coffee. To get a truly delicious American drink, do the following:

1. Grind the coffee beans coarsely. If you prefer ground coffee, use coarse or medium grind.
2. Place the coffee in a 1 liter container and fill it with filtered or bottled still water at room temperature.
3. Mix the grounds thoroughly with the liquid.
4. Cover the container with a lid and leave at room temperature for 12 hours.
5. When the time is up, strain the coffee. To get the purest drink, use a fine sieve lined with double-folded cheesecloth. Filter the coffee twice.

If you have a French press, you can use it to make cold brew. After steeping, press the grounds with a plunger, and additionally filter the drink through a paper filter for a drip coffee maker. If the fine suspension of coffee grounds does not bother you, feel free to skip the last step.

How to drink and store cold brew?

Cold brew is usually served in a tall, clear glass, diluted with pure water, milk, or both. Sweeten the drink with sugar or honey. You can add a little cognac, almond or cream liqueur, lemon slices.

Chef Danilo Alfaro, who has created over 800 recipes and cooking guides, writes that cold brew coffee is usually prepared with ice. But this is not a canon, so you can skip adding it to the drink. Chef Sonya Overhiser recommends a basic ratio of concentrate to added liquid - 1:1. To avoid violating the correct proportion, first fill the glass with ice, then halfway with concentrate, and then add cold water and milk.

Cold brew can be heated if you don't like cold coffee. This can be done in two ways: dilute the concentrate with cold water and heat it in the microwave, or pour a portion of boiling water into it instead of cold liquid.

Cold brew concentrate will keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days. Store it in a jar or pitcher with a tight-fitting lid and use as needed. The drink diluted with cow's or plant milk stays fresh for 1-2 days.

Cold brew is a cold, refreshing and invigorating drink. It quenches thirst perfectly and is very easy to prepare. Water, ground coffee and patience are all that is required to obtain the most delicious cold brew. Try cold brewing coffee and share your impressions in the comments.