Cold Brew Coffee

[Juana]

This stuff is perfect for summer, tastes a little different than hot coffee, and is up to 70% less acidic. It's also absurdly easy to make, though lots of people feel the need to use some sort of special gadget to make it (though a regular french press, if you have it, makes it even easier).

Coarsely ground coffee
Cold water
Bowl/jar/French press
A fine sieve or paper filter if you haven't got a press

There are two ways to make it, depending on when you mean to drink it.

An immediate, single serving:
Put spoonful of coffee in a cup or bowl and add an equal amount of water to it that you would pour into your coffee cup in the morning (so half a mug of coffee becomes half a mug of water in your bowl/cup). Leave it to sit for about ten minutes, strain into your cup with either a fine sieve or a paper filter, and fix it to your liking.
If you have a French press, just use cold water instead of hot.


A concentrate (used for several mornings or for more than one person):
Put one cup coffee grounds to four cups water in a bowl or jar and stick it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, strain it into a pitcher and dilute it with cold water before you drink it (unless you like very strong coffee).

[Triple Zero]

Yes. I did something similar and it is indeed delicious.

[Rev. St. Syn, KSC (Ret.)]

Wow. I never got it to work. It came out tasting shit. Needs further experimentation.

[Triple Zero]

Hm, well my method was very easy. I got a 0.75L bottle, put about 7 tbsp ground coffee in it via a (dry!) funnel, and filled it up with water. Put the cap on it, shake, and put in the fridge.

I didn't do any filtering, just careful pouring. Getting a few black bits in your cup isn't gonna kill you after all.

Mixed with milk because I think 7 tbsp on 0.75L was quite a lot

[Suu]

I'm giving this a shot tonight, actually. If this works, I should have a 16oz concentrate.

[Richter]

Tried this once.  Got an anxiety attack.

[Suu]

Oh this is going to be great.

[Cainad (dec.)]

Wow, surprised I missed this thread. Just today I began my ghetto-ass cold brew, which I guess is the equivalent of the concentrate described above.

A friend gave me a bunch of Folgers single-serving coffee packets (they're like teabags, except they're coffee). I put three of these into a quart-sized milk jug, filled with water, and now I get to wait and see what this does to me tomorrow and the next day...

[Triple Zero]

hey yeah I could of course wrap up the coffee in a filter with some elastic bands or something and that would prevent the bits from getting into the liquid?

[Suu]

Done!

It's tasty! Definitely waaaaay less acidic and fantastic for a good smooth iced coffee. I diluted my concentrate with an equal part of water and it's perfect.

[Jasper]

I made a bottle of almost concentrate last night and I'm drinking it now.  Odd tasting.  Like coffee, without the boldness or bitterness.  It was off-putting, so I heated it up and sugared it, and now it's perfect.

I like!

[Suu]

It's MUCH better for iced coffee.

[Cainad (dec.)]

I made a bottle of almost concentrate last night and I'm drinking it now.  Odd tasting.  Like coffee, without the boldness or bitterness.  It was off-putting, so I heated it up and sugared it, and now it's perfect.

I like!

That was basically my impression of mine this morning; I gulped down about a one-third cup of the stuff cold, and decided to try sugar and milk next time. Good thing I have plenty.

[Richter]

It's MUCH better for iced coffee.

Half of Providence has lost power.  The ground has opened up and swallowed 3 fabric stores. 

[Triple Zero]

It's MUCH better for iced coffee.

Totally.

I am sometimes horrified how disgusting cold coffee (that was hot first) can become.

I wish I had a microwave.