Cold brew coffee
Cold brew is one of the earliest and oldest methods of making coffee, but unfortunately it is not well known to everyone. Cold brew coffee not only has a milder taste but is also much friendlier to the human stomach. And it's easy to make in your own kitchen!
Cold brew coffee was discovered in Japan, which has long been famous for its coffee and tea ceremonies. It was in Japan that coffee was brewed in this way for centuries, so pouring hot water over the crushed beans was out of the question!
Interestingly, the process of pouring cold brew over the beans and letting them age for 12-24 hours reveals completely different chemical characteristics and, at the same time, a much more subtle flavour. Cold brew coffee has a milder flavour, much less acidity and more caffeine. Despite the fact that the pH of both cold and hot brew coffees is almost identical, cold brew is friendly to people with stomach problems due to its lower acidity.
It should also be mentioned that cold brew coffee is made as a concentrate which, if it is drained in the fridge, can stand for about 2 weeks without losing any of its flavour and aroma.
When making a cold latte, it is recommended to add one quarter cup of coffee and three quarters of milk. For black coffee, dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2, depending on your preference.
That said, there is a lot you can do with cold brew coffee concentrate, experimenting with flavours and syrups, drinking it both cold and warm. The best part is that once it is ready, you can enjoy your coffee quickly, without having to heat the kettle, without having to wait, and without putting any strain on your stomach.
In the original cold brew preparation, it is recommended to crush the coffee beans to make them coarse. But I've made cold brew with ground coffee many times and it's been amazing! And don't worry if you don't have a Chemex, Harry's or French press - aged coffee can be freely spun through a metal strainer or a salt shaker.
COLD BREW benefits:
- Fully brewed cold brew coffee can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge and still retain its flavour. Whereas hot coffee brewed on ice tastes best on the day it is brewed.
- A much milder, sweeter and less acidic taste.
- Less acidity - more well-being. The hotter the water used to brew the coffee, the higher the acidity. Because cold brew coffee is never heated, people with stomach acidity problems can taste it and experience absolutely no disturbance to their well-being.
- Due to the high ratio of coffee to water, cold brew coffee is stronger and is quite often used as a concentrate. But despite all this, there is no bitterness or sourness in the drink as in regular coffee brewed with hot water.
- Always on hand. Despite the long maturation time, if you make a larger quantity at once, you can quickly refresh yourself with a tasty drink in just a few minutes on hot days.
- If you want hot coffee, you can freely heat cold brew coffee.
- The cold brew method is also ideal for decaffeinated coffee.
COLD BREW disadvantages:
- Long preparation time. It takes only a day to brew coffee fully for the first time. Not waiting at least 12 hours for the coffee to fully mature can result in a runny coffee water. So it's definitely worth the wait and simply necessary.
Well, for those who want to experiment, I advise you not to be afraid to do so! Cold brew coffee can take on a whole new flavour with the addition of spices, syrups or simply hot whipped milk. So get cooking now!
Cold brew coffee was discovered in Japan, which has long been famous for its coffee and tea ceremonies. It was in Japan that coffee was brewed in this way for centuries, so pouring hot water over the crushed beans was out of the question!
Interestingly, the process of pouring cold brew over the beans and letting them age for 12-24 hours reveals completely different chemical characteristics and, at the same time, a much more subtle flavour. Cold brew coffee has a milder flavour, much less acidity and more caffeine. Despite the fact that the pH of both cold and hot brew coffees is almost identical, cold brew is friendly to people with stomach problems due to its lower acidity.
It should also be mentioned that cold brew coffee is made as a concentrate which, if it is drained in the fridge, can stand for about 2 weeks without losing any of its flavour and aroma.
When making a cold latte, it is recommended to add one quarter cup of coffee and three quarters of milk. For black coffee, dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2, depending on your preference.
That said, there is a lot you can do with cold brew coffee concentrate, experimenting with flavours and syrups, drinking it both cold and warm. The best part is that once it is ready, you can enjoy your coffee quickly, without having to heat the kettle, without having to wait, and without putting any strain on your stomach.
In the original cold brew preparation, it is recommended to crush the coffee beans to make them coarse. But I've made cold brew with ground coffee many times and it's been amazing! And don't worry if you don't have a Chemex, Harry's or French press - aged coffee can be freely spun through a metal strainer or a salt shaker.
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COLD BREW benefits:
- Fully brewed cold brew coffee can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge and still retain its flavour. Whereas hot coffee brewed on ice tastes best on the day it is brewed.
- A much milder, sweeter and less acidic taste.
- Less acidity - more well-being. The hotter the water used to brew the coffee, the higher the acidity. Because cold brew coffee is never heated, people with stomach acidity problems can taste it and experience absolutely no disturbance to their well-being.
- Due to the high ratio of coffee to water, cold brew coffee is stronger and is quite often used as a concentrate. But despite all this, there is no bitterness or sourness in the drink as in regular coffee brewed with hot water.
- Always on hand. Despite the long maturation time, if you make a larger quantity at once, you can quickly refresh yourself with a tasty drink in just a few minutes on hot days.
- If you want hot coffee, you can freely heat cold brew coffee.
- The cold brew method is also ideal for decaffeinated coffee.
COLD BREW disadvantages:
- Long preparation time. It takes only a day to brew coffee fully for the first time. Not waiting at least 12 hours for the coffee to fully mature can result in a runny coffee water. So it's definitely worth the wait and simply necessary.
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Well, for those who want to experiment, I advise you not to be afraid to do so! Cold brew coffee can take on a whole new flavour with the addition of spices, syrups or simply hot whipped milk. So get cooking now!
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Ingredients
- cold water: 2 cups (table or filtered)
- coarse ground coffee: quarter cup (preferably freshly ground or crushed coffee beans)
- 1. First, pour the water over the coffee and stir well to prevent the dry coffee granules from floating on the surface of the container.
- 2. Cover the container with cling film or a lid and place in the fridge for about 12-24 hours.
- 3. After 12 hours, strain the coffee through a fine metal sieve or a coffee pot with a paper filter (Chemex, Hario V60, French Press coffee pot if available).
- 4. Re-cover the container and put it in the fridge for about an hour to set and for the remaining fine coffee granules to settle.
- 5. Then put the ice cream in the glass, pour in the coffee and top with milk (vegetable or cow's) and cream.
- 6. If you have a sweet tooth, add agave or sugar syrup (both regular and flavoured). Delicious!
Recipe Directions
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