Make super easy cold brew coffee for the perfect cup of iced coffee! Cold brew is less bitter than regular coffee and is so tasty!
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Do you run your day on caffeine? I’m over here in solidarity with you. My day cannot begin until this momma has at least 2 cups of coffee in peace & quiet. It’s why I wake up 45 minutes before the rest of the family. But, I have a small confession to make…. I never liked coffee. Like Ever. Never Ever.
Then, Jordan introduced me to iced coffee. Ohmigosh, it was a game changer. I’ve learned there are several perks to being a former barista’s wife. One of them was learning about iced coffee and cold brew.
The Perfectly Easy Recipe for Cold Brew Coffee
First things first. Let’s be honest, iced coffee is NOT hot coffee poured over ice. It’s not the hot coffee that you meant to drink this morning and then set in the fridge. #RealMomMoment
Real iced coffee is actually something called Cold Brew.
I’ve learned that by allowing the coffee beans to sit in cold filtered water allows the oils to be released into the water. I’m not a chemist, I’m not sure whathappens. But it’s magic. Pure caffeinated magic in concentrate form. *sigh*
For our iced cold brew coffee, we use a French Press
. If you haven’t used one before, it isa method of drawing out theoils of coffee beans, but for hot coffee. In this house, we use it exclusively for iced coffee (see above note aboutperks ofliving with a former barista).
This is the time to break out the French Press thatyou received as a wedding gift. YES. If you don’t have one,you’ll need to make the coffee & water in a pitch or mason jar and strain with a cheesecloth. It will be one extra step of filtering itthrough the cheesecloth.
Don’t have a French Press? Need to see cold brew coffee in action? This video tutorial on Cold Brew Coffee is super helpful!
Love making coffee at home? Make your own little DIY coffee bar! I’ll send you the must-haves to get it started 🙂
The Best Coffee for Cold Brew
It all begins with great coffee! And it doesn’t need to be expensive.
We’ve tried everything from Caribou, Godiva, Colombian, Folgers in Bulk, and all the Starbucks.
Each has their own taste and it’s definitely what you prefer.
However, over the years, we’ve learned the most important thing about making cold brew coffee-— fresh coarse coffee grounds.
First, you’ll want to begin with freshly ground coarse coffee.
But wait, you have lots of little people running around and don’t have time to grind them yourself?
That’s okay before kids I had the nerve to do it myself, too. 😉
Now, this momma has to rely on someone else to grind her coffee. Win some, lose some I guess. Anyways, if you can grind your own beans, fabulous, I’m envious. If you cannot, measure out 1/2 cup of your grounds from your Costco sized tub.
If you don’t buy your coffee from Costco, you can always go to your neighborhood coffee shop or Starbucks. They will grind your whole bean coffee for you on-site! Make sure to share that you want it coarsely ground, not the usual.
Store your coffee tightly sealed and out of sunlight. You’ll be good to go.
Related Posts I Think You’ll Enjoy:
- Copycat Starbucks Salted Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew
Love coffee at home? Grab a copy of my favorite DIY coffee bar checklist located at the bottom of this post! It only takes a few items to create your own little coffee shop 🙂
In a Bodum French Press , I fill the press with cold filtered water just to the bottom of the top metal band. This gives enough head space for the coffee. Pour the coffee grounds over the water.
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Patiently wait 8-12 hours for the coffee to develop! Then it’s the best part. Not only do you get to enjoy the fruits of your patience, but you get to press down the French press. My husband usually beats me to it. It makes me sad for a small moment. 😉
I like to serve my coffee over a glass full of ice (it dilutes it perfectly) and some sweet creamer. Feel free to toss in your preferred sweetener or milk.
Enjoy!
P.S. Since we’ve moved North to Michigan, and it seems unusual to drink iced coffee all year long, I’ve learned to appreciate the hot stuff too! 🙂
P.S.S. We’ve moved to Arizona! I’m back to enjoying cold brew coffee year around!
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
Learn how to make your own iced coffee at home with this delicious and simple cold brew coffee recipe!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coarse coffee grounds
- 32 ounces of cold filtered water
- Optional: Creamer or Sweetener
Instructions
- Fill the French Press with water to just below metal collar. Leave enough room for the coffee.
- Pour the coffee grounds over the water.
- Gently set the French Press Lid on top of the coffee mixture. Do not plunge.
- Let sit for 8-12 hours. Plunge the French Press.
- Pour the concentrate over a glass of ice. Add creamer or sugar as desired.
- Store remaining coffee concentrate in the refrigerator.
Cheers!
Love coffee at home? Grab a copy of my favorite DIY coffee bar checklist! It only takes a few items to create your own little coffee shop 🙂
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