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How to Make Cold Brew Coffee

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Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long…).

Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...).

I thought about starting this post by telling you how much you’d save in a summer by making your own iced coffee. It works out to roughly $150 if you assume you purchase three iced coffees per week over a twelve week summer. And then I’d go on to tell you how easy it is to make cold press coffee and enjoy the best iced coffee ever at home, but it didn’t feel right. It felt rushed, and coffee shouldn’t be rushed or stressful, or tarnished with calculations and figures. It should just be really, really delicious, even if it’s really really hot outside.

A few years ago, I rolled my eyes at iced coffee. I thought it was literally old, cold coffee, or a diluted regular hot coffee over ice. It just didn’t seem appealing until in my mandatory continuing education reading to maintain official coffee snob club membership, I read about cold press coffee. And then I tried it. And now I’m hooked! You see, I was making iced coffee all wrong!

Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...).

If you want to be technical about it, the best iced coffee is actually made by pouring cold pressed coffee concentrate over ice. You could buy coffee concentrate at the store, but then you don’t get to enjoy your favorite local roast, and where’s the fun in that? So I teach you, and after today you’ll know how to make your own cold press coffee like a pro! Look at you, all barista-like and awesome.

Cold press coffee is also GENIUS if you are looking to reduce your sugar intake because the long steeping time actually helps reduce the bitterness brought out from the beans via traditional brewing methods. The flavor is really fabulous, and has just the right strength to be satisfying, even with the addition of ice or milk/cream.

Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...).

Are you ready?

First, start with your favorite whole bean coffee. Fresh ground coffee is really important here to get the best flavor, so I highly highly recommend it. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to purchasing ground coffee again. Well, maybe, we use ground coffee all week for Cuban coffee/espresso. But when we have time on the weekends, bust out our grinder and French press or pour over for big mugs of sipping coffee!

Grind out the proper amount of coffee, working in batches. The desired consistency is like really grainy sand, or coarse sugar. This is much coarser than your usual grind. Then, place your freshly ground coffee in your coffee maker and top with cool, filtered water. Stir briefly, then place the lid on your jar and wait… 12-24 hours.

Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...).

After the brewing time has passed, filter the grounds from the water, pour out your desired amount of coffee, add milk or cream if desired, sugar if you’d like, and enjoy! Keep in mind that this is concentrated, so you won’t need as much coffee as a standard cup to get a nice strong flavor.

If you’re a fan of the blended coffee drinks, you can use this concentrate in those as well. Or in cocktails. I love to pour a little cold brew in my protein shake for an extra post-workout pick up. This mama is *tired* and cold brew is versatile (and caffeinated)!

Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...).

Enjoy, darlings!

Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...).

DIY Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

Yield: about 4 cups

Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...)

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces whole coffee beans
  • 4 cups cool filtered water

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Get ready for even the busiest summer days with this cold brew coffee recipe! DIY cold brew coffee keeps up to a week in the fridge (if it lasts that long...).

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Pen

Sunday 7th of June 2015

You can do this without a press. I just put coffee grounds and water into an extra large Mason jar (regular and large jars aren't enough for my addiction). Cap the jar and leave it on the counter for 24 hour. Then get another jar and stain through a large screen tea ball. You can take a coffee filter, screw it on the top of the jar too but it's a slower process. The tea ball works well but leaves dregs of regular ground coffee. So refrain from shaking the jar and leave the last bit of sediment.

Laura

Tuesday 14th of July 2015

you can always do a second strain through a coffee filter to get the dregs out.

TheGodmother

Tuesday 9th of June 2015

That's really good to know and I hope it helps someone who may want to make this without a French press. :) We have one because we use it regularly to make hot coffee, but I know not everyone does and it's better not to clutter one's kitchen with things you don't use.

Sammi Ricke

Thursday 28th of May 2015

I love this! I have a french press, but never thought to use it for iced coffee! Thank you :) Pinned!

TheGodmother

Monday 1st of June 2015

You know, I've had it for years and only recently started making iced coffee this way. But it's so good! My favorite method by far.

Jamie Tomkins

Wednesday 27th of May 2015

YUM, what a great recipe!!! I absolutely love iced coffee during the summer!!

TheGodmother

Monday 1st of June 2015

Agreed!

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