Photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash

Sun's out and its starting to warm up, what better time to cool off with a delicious cold brew. Here are some cold brew recipes are sure to please, especially if you're tired of watery, diluted iced coffee with loads of milk and sweeteners. The best part is that these recipes are easy and quick to make on-the-go and they don’t require years of barista expertise!

What is Cold Brew?

While most people know what iced coffee is, some do not know what cold brew coffee is. The main difference between the two is in their brewing process. Iced coffee is made with hot coffee which is cooled down by adding ice cubes, whereas cold brew coffee is brewed cold through the entire process.

The cold brewing process imparts unique properties into the coffee itself and it doesn’t become a watery soup like poorly made iced coffee can.

Lower Acidity Level: For fans that don’t like their coffee bitter, cold brewing creates a smoother, mellow cup of coffee that’s sweeter than traditionally brewed coffee. The intense heat from the boiling water changes the chemical make-up of coffee causing it to become bitter. But that’s not a problem here.

No Dilution or Watery-ness: Unlike iced coffee, which involves pouring hot coffee over ice which dilutes it and makes it watery, cold brewing does not have the same issue because room temperature or cold water is used during the brewing process.

Sweeter: Unlike hot brewed coffee, cold brew has a higher level of sweetness due to the lower acidity. This means that most people will use less sugary sweeteners or heavy creamers.

How to Make Cold Brew

Making cold brew coffee is one of the simplest brewing methods out there. With just a few simple steps, you can recreate any local coffee shop's expensive cold brew options right from your own home. You just need a little bit of time and even less prep work.

Step 1

Combine ¾ cup to 1lb coarsely ground coffee to 6 cups of cold water. Including any smaller coffee grind of coffee will result in a cloudy, grainy mess.

Step 2

Allow the coffee grounds and water to “steep” (similar to tea) in whatever container you have, whether that’s glass, ceramic, or plastic. Feel free to stir gently and then allow the coffee and water mixture to steep for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours for a stronger brew.

Step 3

After steeping your coffee overnight, strain the coffee grounds from the coffee using cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve. The concentrate can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks!

Step 4

Determine the strength you want to enjoy your cold brew by mixing 50/50 with water, then adjust accordingly. Keep in mind that if you will be drinking over ice to mix less water to avoid diluting your perfect cold brew.

Now that you know just how easy it is to make cold brew coffee, let’s try and get fancy. The sky is the limit when it comes to how to make your cold brew. Use your imagination and go wild with the different combinations you can dream of. Be sure to tag us on social media with all of your finest cold brew concoctions.