Cold Brew
Recommended coffee
Grind size
Coarse to extra-coarse
What you’ll need
OR Filtron set
OR a French press
OR a mason jar
Long-handled fine mesh strainer
Cheesecloth or paper coffee filter
A big bowl
Grinder
Scale
Measuring cups
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Although it may seem like cold brew has only risen as a recent global trend, it carries a long history dated before the 17th century. The list of reasons for falling in love with cold brew can be endless: it’s a cooling, refreshing, and highly caffeinated beverage with a sweeter, more full-bodied in flavor. One batch of cold brew concentrate takes less than five minutes to prep but can serve for the whole week.
You can easily make a perfect glass of cold brew at home without ever spending four dollars at the coffee shops again. Well well well, we won’t judge if you fail to overcome the temptation of buying a Starbucks’ pumpkin cream cold brew because that it is so delicious and probably the coffee giant’s best creation so far.
To make cold brew, you don’t necessarily have to own a Toddy system or a Filtron set. It can be a French press, a mason jar, or any containers (glass recommended) available in your kitchen.
Step 1
Grind the coffee beans to a medium-coarse or coarse consistency. Avoid using finely ground coffee as it will cause a gritty-tasted cup.
Step 2
For a clean cup of coffee, only use filtered water or boiled water that has cooled down to room temperature.
Pour the coffee grounds and then the water to a container. Give it a stir. The ideal ratio for cold brew is 1:4, meaning for every cup of coffee you’ll need 4 cups of water. For example, with a 25-gram Sampler bag, you can add 100 grams of water and create about 100 ml (3.5 oz) of cold brew concentrate.
Please note if you use a French press, just cover it with the lid yet don’t plunge the filter immediately.
Step 3
Leave the coffee in the fridge to steep for about 12 to 15 hours.
Step 4
For those who use mason jars or other glass storage containers, you need to strain the coffee through a fine-mesh strainer that’s lined with paper coffee filter or a few layers of cheesecloth.
Step 5
Store the cold brew concentrate in a clean jar and keep it cool in the refrigerator.
Step 6
Serve the cold brew concentrate over ice with milk or dilute with water (ratio 1:1).
Again, be adventurous and creative with the toppings: rum-flavored sweet cream, pumpkin-spiced whipping cream, salted cheese foam, a lemon twist, a mint sprig, you name it.
