Really, cold brew coffee is good anytime! The principle is simple: coffee gets brewed with cold water instead of hot. Hot water aids in extraction. With cold brew, you will need to compensate for the lack of heat by increasing the brewing time. A cold brew is always going to take hours instead of minutes. Time, however, does not achieve the same qualities as heat and the flavor extraction can be really quite different. Cold brews have far less acidity, which is ideal for those who find hot-water brewed coffee to be bitter, and tend towards the chocolatey and deeper end of the flavor spectrum. Cold brew method has the effect of making a lot of coffees smoother but may not capture the aromatics and characteristics of coffee that are only extracted above certain temperatures.
Here are some tips for the cold brew method: Use coarse ground fresh coffee, this will help reduce the amount of loose grounds in your finished product and keep the brew from getting bitter overnight. Use filtered water and glass containers whenever possible to keep the flavors true. Know that there are several techniques and directions to make cold brew out there, but with some experimentation, you will find a process that is right for you. Generally, to make a cold brew concentrate, the coffee to water ratio is 1:4 (i.e. 1 cup ground coffee to 4 cups water). This concentrate will last up to two weeks in the fridge. Add water, milk, flavorings, ice, etc. to each serving instead of the entire concentrate to keep the brew fresher for longer. Making smaller batches will help with freshness as well.
French Press Cold Brew Recipe:
*6 ounces coarse ground coffee beans
*28 ounces cold filtered water
*8-12 cup French press
Place grinds in the base of French press and cover with cold water, don’t press down the plunger. Cover. Place French press in fridge 12-15 hours (overnight). Press down plunger. Serve. From there, it is up to you. You can heat the coffee up for a less acidic and smoother (vs. hot brew) cup of coffee. You can pour over ice for a cold summer’s day treat. And if it is too strong, add more ice, water, milk, to taste. Enjoy!
Recommended coffees for cold brew method available at The Cupboard:
H + S Coffee Double Diamond Blend
Jackie’s Java Midnight Satin Blend
Lima Coffee 11:11 Blend
Novo Coffee Four Lefty’s Blend
Café du Monde Chicory Coffee