Cold Brew may be expensive when made by your barista, but it’s actually so cheap and easy to make from home! Learn 2 different methods on how to make cold brew coffee!
Have you ever wondered why cold brew is always more expensive than hot coffee? It’s all the same stuff – except one beverage has ice in it.
It’s all about the method. Not saying the method is hard, it just takes more time to make.
Difference between cold brew and iced coffee
Ice coffee is simply hot brewed coffee served over ice.
Cold brew, on the other hand, is steeped for 12-24 hours in cold water. During this slow process, the oils, sugars, and caffeine are extracted, making the coffee less acidic and bitter.
When making cold brew, you are technically left with a cold brew concentrate which means you would add more water to it before serving.
How to make cold brew coffee at home
Sure, they sell fancy gadgets to make cold brew coffee, but let’s talk about using what we got! And that’s a French press and a mason jar.
A French press is how I make my hot coffee daily. It is more small batch (which is perfect for me) and I prefer the flavor. But by all means, if this isn’t your coffee making method you don’t need to go out buying one because a mason jar will work just fine.
Start by grinding your coffee beans. I buy whole beans and grind them at home with a coffee grinder. They have a fresher flavor and keep longer.
If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you can buy coffee beans in bulk and grind them in the store.
Add coffee beans to vessel of choice (either the coffee press or mason jar) and fill with 3 cups of filtered water.
Let sit for 24 hours in the fridge and that’s it!
Once the cold brew is done steeping, strain the coffee from the coffee grounds. I like using a nut bag or cheesecloth over a fine mesh strainer. Feel free to do this process more than once if you still see some residue in the coffee.
Tips on making strong cold brew coffee
- Use fine coffee grounds. Finer the grounds, stronger the cold brew.
- Steep for longer. 24 hours is ideal to make a robust coffee.
- Don’t add as much water. After 24 hours, you will have a cold brew concentrate ready to go. I suggest adding maybe 2 additional cups of water to that so it is more strong. Add 4 additional cups for a lighter cold brew.
What to do with coffee beans after steeping
You can compost coffee beans! If you are into composting, coffee beans are great for composting. In fact, Starbucks will give you used coffee grounds for free to add to your own compost.
What is cold brew concentrate
This recipe makes a cold brew concentrate meaning more water needs to be added before drinking. I think the amount of water added all depends on how strong you like your coffee.
A good rule of thumb is to add 2-4 cups to the concentrate once it is strained.
Best non-dairy milk for cold brew
With infinite options for plant-based milks, what’s the best to use for coffee?
Oat milk has become a super popular option for its creaminess and the way it blends with coffee
Soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk are all great options as well.
I personally opt for oat milk or almond milk!
You can add sugar to your coffee as well to make it sweet (if you choose). I do not like my coffee sweetened, but a liquid sweetener like agave and maple syrup are great alternatives to granulated sugar.
If you tried this cold brew recipe, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee - 2 Ways!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup coffee beans
- 3 cups filtered water
- plant-based milk oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc.
- sweetener (optional) agave or maple syrup are good options.
Tools:
- French press
- Large mason jars
- Nut Bag
- Fine mesh strainer
- Coffee grinder optional. Can grind beans in the store.
Instructions
- Grind coffee beans to desired texture. Fine grounds result in stronger coffee than coaster grounds.
French Press Method:
- Place coffee grounds in the French press. Fill with 3 cups of filtered water. Put lid on top without pressing.
- Place in the fridge and let sit for 24 hours.
- Press French press and pour coffee over a nut bag or cheesecloth over a fine-mesh strainer into a container. Add 2-4 cups of cold filtered water depending on how strong you like your coffee.
- Pour into a glass with ice. Add plant-based milk if desired.
Mason Jar Method:
- Place coffee grounds in the mason jar. Fill with 3 cups of filtered water. Put the lid on top.
- Place in the fridge and let sit for 24 hours.
- Pour coffee over a nut bag or cheesecloth over a fine-mesh strainer into a container. Add 2-4 cups of cold filtered water depending on how strong you like your coffee.
- Pour into a glass with ice. Add plant-based milk if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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My husband has problems with regular coffee because it’s acidity. This looked like a great alternative. And it’s easy to make. Thank you.
Yes cold brew is less acidic! Hope you enjoy Susan!
It looks so good! Especially since I’m always looking for Inspiration for raw recipes. Thanks for sharing this and definitely I will try to make it.
Thanks so much, Candice! I hope you enjoy.