What Is Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew coffee is a coffee drink that’s been around for quite some time but wasn’t until Starbucks released their proprietary version of it in 2015 that it because extremely popular. Before this surge of popularity, coffee lovers could enjoy this drink in Japan and Japan—and eventually in New Orleans and other U.S cities.

Nowadays, it’s so popular it’s harder to find a coffee shop or even a grocery store that doesn’t serve this tasty drink. Its popularity has a lot of people wondering whether they should try cold brew for themselves. Of course, the rise of the drink’s profile also has a lot of other people wondering what cold brew coffee even is—a question that we’re going to answer in this post. So, if you’ve been wondering what exactly a cold brew coffee is, or even how to make a great one, then we’ve got you covered with some of those answers.

What Is Cold Brew Coffee?

Although cold brew coffee is often used to describe the finished product that the coffee drinker drinks, the term refers to how the coffee is prepared. That means that a cold brew coffee doesn’t have to be cold when it’s served. Yes, we know that might sound like an oxymoron but it’s not, and we’ll explain why it’s not next.

Cold-brew coffee refers to the process of soaking the ground coffee beans in room temperature or cold water for a long time. The grounds are usually soaked in water for anywhere for 12-24 hours. This lower temperature brewing process makes for a smooth highly caffeinated coffee that’s less acidic than hot-brewed coffees.

What’s The Difference Between Iced Coffee & Cold-Brew Coffee?

Iced coffee is different from cold-brew coffee because its name refers to how it’s served, as compared to cold-brew coffee, which refers to how the coffee is brewed. Iced coffee is made with hot-brewed coffee that’s simply served over ice. And because iced coffee is hot-brewed, it has more acid than cold-brew coffees, and that’s the main difference between these two coffee drinks.

How To Make A Great Cold Brew Coffee

Before we conclude this article, we’d like to talk about how the average person can make their own cold-brew coffee instead of having to spend a fortune buying one from a local coffee shop. Having said that, let’s find out the steps to making a great cold-brew coffee that will impress friends and family.

Items Needed:

  • Two Large Jars
  • Coarsely Ground Coffee Beans
  • Filtered Water
  • A Wooden Spoon
  • A Mesh Sieve
  • 2-Cheesecloths

Step One: Add Your Coffee Grounds

Using coffee that’s been freshly ground to a coarse grind, add it to the bottom of a large jar. For every cup of cold-brew coffee, you’re going to want 8-ounces of water for every 1-ounce of coffee grounds. For example, if you want 40-ounces of coffee, then you’re going to need 40-ounces of water and 5-ounces of coffee. Just put the grounds in the bottom of the jar and you’re ready to go.

Step Two: Add Filtered Water

Trust us, if you want great cold-brew coffee, then you’re going to want to use filtered water. The better the water quality, the better the end result is going to be. Also, make sure that the water is room temperature or even slightly chilled. Once the water is added, use your wooden spoon to stir the mixture.

Step Three: Cover & Put It In The Refrigerator

After you’ve mixed it, place a cover over the top of the jar and place it in your refrigerator. Make sure that you don’t touch it for at least 12-hours but no more than 24-hours. We like to cold-brew our coffee for 16-hours, but you may want to brew it for a shorter or a longer amount of time—depending on your tastes.

Step Four: Filter The Brew

After your cold-brew is done brewing, place the cheesecloths in a metal sieve and strain the mixture into another jar. Now the coffee is ready to serve and it can be stored for approximately 24-48 hours. For best results, be sure to serve your cold-brew with milk, cream, or any other coffee additives that you like.