I love coffee. If you're reading this blog post, then you probably love coffee too. I wasn't ever really a huge fan of the taste of coffee. I always felt like it tasted too acidic and like dirty water, but I drank it anyway for the caffeine. One day while talking with one of my friends she mentioned that she loved cold brew coffee, so I decided to give it a try! After my first sip, I was hooked and I've never looked back. It was smooth, flavorful, and just simply delicious.
This does take a little bit of planning, but it is easy for a grab and go coffee in the morning because it will already be brewed and ready to go! That's one of my favorite parts of cold brew. Alright enough of the talking, lets get to the good stuff!
Ingredients:
- Your favorite coffee (Any roast will work just fine)
- Cold water
- French press (I use a 32 oz press)
Directions:
1. Place about 5-6 Tbsp of ground coffee in the french press (you can add more for a more concentrated coffee)
2. Fill it up with cold water making sure to saturate all the grounds
3. Place the top on, but don't press down
4. Let sit on counter top overnight (or 12-18 hours)
5. In the morning, press down the filter and pour yourself a delicious cup of coffee!
My favorite way to enjoy this coffee is 16 oz (or half of the brew) poured in a mason jar with an ice cube and a splash of vanilla almond milk creamer! You can also warm this up in the microwave if you like hot coffee but the flavor of a cold brew. This coffee is somewhat concentrated, so you can dilute it with some water if you'd like as well. However, I love concentration of this coffee. I store the second half of the coffee in a closed jar in the fridge. This will last a couple of days, but I always drink it the next morning.
Why cold water for brewing? The short answer is that hot water brings out the acid while brewing. Hot water will also brew the coffee way too fast. So, using cold water is the best way to go getting the most flavor out of the coffee grounds without the acid.
Why so many coffee grounds? Since you are using cold water, it will take a long time to brew. Using that many grounds will ensure that you get a delicious tasting product. The end product right out of the french press will be concentrated. You can dilute this to a strength that you like, or you can enjoy it in the concentrated form. Normally a cold brew uses a ratio of 1 part coffee to 5 parts water, so this is already a less concentrated brew.
What roast is best? I personally really enjoy a flavored light roast for this recipe. Normally I strongly dislike a light roast for a hot brew because it usually has a strong acid flavor, but this method really brings out the best in a light roast! You can taste all of the delicious flavors without all of the acid! It also doesn't matter what roast the coffee is, you are still getting the same amount of caffeine out of it. You should give it a try and it might just be your new favorite way of making coffee!
Let me know if you try it and how it tastes!