As the weather starts to warm up and we approach summer, there’s no better time to take a look at some cool and refreshing ways to enjoy our favourite beverage; coffee.
What is Cold Brew Coffee? Is it the same as Iced-Coffee?
Cold brew coffee, sometimes also called ‘cold water extraction’ or ‘cold pressing’ is a method of making coffee by steeping ground coffee in cold (or room temperature) water for an extended period. The ground beans will usually be steeped for a minimum of 12 hours, but possibly all the way up to 18 hours.
This means it’s a much slower process than regular coffee made with hot water. With cold brew, no hot water is involved at any stage, which is what makes it different and unique from iced-coffee.
Iced-coffee is made by brewing coffee the traditional way using hot water, such as in an espresso machine or French press, and then cooling it down by pouring over ice. So, both are cold drinks, but they’re made in different ways.
A Brief History of Cold Brew
The Japanese are said to have been making coffee using the cold brew method since the 1600’s, however it’s considered possible that they were introduced to this method by Dutch traders, who made it that way so it could be carried on their ships. The original Japanese form of cold brew was called Kyoto-style, due to its popularity in the city of Kyoto.
In true Japanese style, they continued to experiment and innovate, with shelf-stable, ready to drink (RTD) cold brew coffees becoming available in the late 1960’s.
Cold brew remains very popular in countries like Japan and Korea to this day, with many RTD options available.
Making Cold Brew: Step by Step
If you’re keen to get hands on and have a go at making your own batch of cold brew coffee, the good news is it’s actually pretty easy and straightforward…though you will need to be somewhat patient, because as mentioned above, it is a slow process. The results however, are definitely worth it!
We’re going to keep things simple and talk about the ‘full immersion’ brewing method, where ground coffee is in full contact with the water for the entire brew time. The end result will be a cold brew concentrate which can then be diluted with water/ice/milk.
Step 1.
Grind your preferred coffee beans to a fairly coarse consistency, something similar to breadcrumbs. The grind needs to be coarse due to the long extraction time. Finely ground beans will likely mean your coffee is over-infused, and can make the end result gritty and unpleasant.
(You want a coarse grind like this)
Step 2.
Add your coarsely ground coffee to a large mason jar or some other sort of glass storage container (you could even use a French Press) and then add cold or room temperature water. Suggested ratio is 4:1, i.e. four cups of water for each cup of coffee. Give it a gentle stir.
(A large Mason Jar like this will do nicely)
Step 3.
Now you must wait… Let the coffee steep for 12-15 hours. A bit longer is fine, but any less than 12 hours is not recommended. The coffee can steep either on your countertop or in the fridge.
Step 4.
Strain the coffee into a large bowl (or something similar) using a fine mesh sieve, a muslin cloth or a nut milk bag. Repeat this process at least 2-3 times or until there is no murky residue left at the bottom when you finish the pour.
Step 5.
Pour your strained cold brew concentrate into a clean mason jar, seal it up and pop into the fridge to let it get nice and cold.
Step 6.
Enjoy the fruits of your labour! You can now serve your cold brew concentrate over ice, mixed with a bit of water or with milk/cream. The options are basically endless and you’re limited only by your imagination. Have fun and experiment with various additions and combinations.
Again, keep in mind that this is a concentrate, so you’ll likely find it a bit strong if drunk on its own.
Keep it stored in the fridge in an airtight container, where it can last for up to 7-10 days. For optimum flavour and taste, try and consume within 5-7 days.
Why Bother?
Because it’s very delicious and refreshing, that’s why!
Cold brew undergoes a slow, gentle extraction process in cold water, where less bitter compounds are extracted. This means that compared to regular hot coffee, the result is smoother, sweeter, more full-bodied and less acidic and bitter.
Enthusiasts of cold brew often claim that it’s rich and has a greater depth of flavour than hot coffee, with more of the coffee bean’s original flavours shining through, resulting in fruity flavour notes.
Being less acidic and bitter also means it’s easier on the stomach, which is ideal for those that may have sensitivities. So, you can get all the health and energy benefits of hot coffee, without any possible tummy upsets. Chlorogenic acids and antioxidants are some of the healthy compounds present in cold brew coffee.
It’s also quite easy to make, and convenient since you can make up a decent size batch in one go so you’ll have plenty of ready to go coffee for those busy mornings on the run.
Finally, cold brew is wonderfully versatile and can be made into a whole bunch of different drinks. You really can let your creativity run wild!
Recipe Ideas
Ready to dive into the world of cold brew? Once you’ve made your first batch of concentrate, have fun with these cool and classy recipe suggestions…
As the name would suggest, this is the most straightforward of the lot. Simply fill a glass/cup halfway up with ice, and pour cold brew over. Serve.
- 1 cup of Cold Brew
- 1 Orange (for zest and skin)
Pour cold brew on ice in a glass. Peel approx. 5cm of orange skin. Place skin in glass. To serve, garnish with a small amount of freshly grated orange zest.
Tip: For a more intense orange flavour, apply a flame to the orange skin, as this extracts the oil.
Fill a large glass/cup with ice. Add Cold Brew coffee to ice (approx. ¾ total volume). Add cold milk or mylk (approx. ¼ volume). Serve.
- 1 tbsp of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- ¼ cup of cold brew
- Ice to serve
Pour/spoon condensed milk into the bottom of the serving glass. Gently pour Cold Brew on top of the milk to layer. Place ice in glass, careful not to disturb the layering.
- 40 ml of Vodka
- 20 ml of Espresso Liqueur (preferably Australian)
- 30 ml of Cold Brew
- 1 pump of Indulge Your Senses Vanilla Syrup
- Indulge Your Senses Superfine Dark Drinking Chocolate to garnish.
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Pour into martini glass. Garnish with Indulge Your Senses Superfine Dark Drinking Chocolate. Tip: Pre-chill Martini glass.
- 250ml of Cold Brew
- 20g of Indulge Your Senses Milk Powder
- 1 pump of Brown Brew Sugar Syrup
- Ice
In a blender, combine all ingredients until creamy. Serve.
- ¼ cup of Coconut Milk (or cream for a thicker, creamier result)
- ¼ cup of Coconut Water
- ½ cup of Cold Brew
- 1 pump of Indulge Your Senses Vanilla Syrup
- Ice to serve
Combine all ingredients, shake/stir to combine. Pour over ice. Serve.
- Add 1 tbsp of Indulge Your Senses Superfine Dark Chocolate Powder to the above ‘Coconut Double’ ingredients. Shake/Stir. Pour over ice. Serve.
