If you enjoy an excellent iced coffee but are often disappointed by its watery or overly bitter taste, there’s a simple solution: make cold brew coffee. This method brews the coffee with cold or cool water instead of hot water, resulting in a smoother, less acidic drink.
The Easiest Cold Brew Recipe in a Mason Jar
Making cold brew coffee is no secret, and you don’t need the skills of a trained barista to master it. Plus, you can recreate this without any special equipment- just a large container and a strainer.
- Preparation Time: 5 minutes
- Brewing Time: 12-24 hours
- Total Time: 12-24 hours
- Serving: About 3 cups of concentrate
Cold brew coffee is perfect for those who enjoy a smoother, less acidic coffee experience. With a few simple steps, you can make a batch that will last all week, saving you time and money compared to buying it from a coffee shop.
Step 1: Coarsely Grind the Coffee Beans
We recommend using freshly ground coffee beans for a richer flavor. If you have a grinder, you can grind the beans at home or ask the vendor to grind them for you at a specialty store. You’ll need about 4 ounces (1–1 1/2 cups) of coarsely ground coffee beans.
Freshly ground coffee enhances the taste and aroma, ensuring your cold brew is flavorful. Using a coarse grind is crucial because it prevents over-extraction, which can make the coffee bitter.
Step 2: Blend the Coffee with Water
Pour the coarsely ground coffee into a glass jar (any large container will do) and add cool water at a ratio of 4:1 to the amount of coffee used. You can use either room temperature or chilled water.
Gently stir the mixture, cover the container or jar with a lid, and let it steep overnight or for about 12 hours in the refrigerator. The coffee slowly infuses into the water during this time, creating a strong, concentrated brew.
Using cold or room temperature water ensures a slow extraction process, which reduces bitterness and acidity, resulting in a smoother, more flavorful cold brew.
Step 3: Strain the Coffee
Place a strainer over a large bowl and line it with a coffee filter. Pour the coffee through the sieve to separate the grounds from the liquid.
Step 4: Store the Cold Brew in the Refrigerator
One of the main advantages of cold brew coffee is that you don’t need to make a new batch every day. You can prepare a larger quantity in advance and store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Properly straining the coffee ensures a smooth, grit-free drink. Keeping it refrigerated maintains its freshness and flavor, making it a convenient option for your daily caffeine fix.
For a visual guide, we suggest watching a video on how to make Cold Brew.
Cold Brew Recipe in a French Press
This method requires a French press, which simplifies the filtration process.
To achieve a strong cold brew concentrate with a French press, you’ll need to use more coarsely ground coffee than with other methods.
- Coffee Grounds to Water Ratio: Use a ratio of 1:6 by weight. This means you’ll need 140 grams of coffee for 840 grams of water. In cup measurements, that’s about 1/2 cup of coffee grounds to 3 ½ cups of water.
- Cold Brew Concentrate to Water Ratio: Mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part water or milk to serve once your concentrate is ready.
Using a French press streamlines the cold brew process, providing a convenient way to make and filter your coffee in one step. Adjust the ratios to find the perfect strength for your taste.
Toddy Cold Brew Recipe
The Toddy method is a classic approach to making cold brew coffee. It was invented by chemical engineer Todd Simpson in 1964. Today, the “Toddy” system consists of a particular funnel with a hole at the bottom, a tight cloth filter, a glass server (container), and a set of large paper filters designed to produce up to 1.8 liters of coffee. However, you can make smaller batches if needed.
Here’s how to make cold brew using the Toddy system.
Prepare the Toddy System
- Insert the stopper from the outside into the bottom of the brewing container.
- Moisten the filter and place it at the bottom of the brewing container.
Layer the Coffee and Water
- Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the Toddy container.
- Add six ounces of coffee grounds.
- Slowly pour three more cups of water over the coffee grounds, ensuring even saturation.
- Add the remaining six ounces of coffee grounds.
- Wait five minutes, then pour the final three cups of water over the top without stirring.
- Use a spoon to gently press down the coffee grounds to ensure they are fully wet.
Brewing Time
- Let the coffee steep for at least 12 hours for optimal flavor extraction.
Strain the Coffee
Remove the stopper from the bottom and let the cold brew concentrate drain into a glass carafe.
Storage
- Storing cold brew is easy—just place it in the refrigerator, and it will stay fresh for up to two weeks.
- The Toddy method is praised for its smooth, rich flavor and ease of use. Watch a video tutorial to see all its benefits in action.
Watch the video review to learn about all the benefits of this method.
Cold Brew Hario Recipe
Cold Brew Hario is a method that uses the Hario Dripper to brew cold coffee with low acidity, rich flavor, and a sweet aftertaste. Hario offers various devices, including bottles and pitchers, to suit different volumes of coffee.
Ingredients
- 80 grams of coarsely ground coffee (preferably light roast for maximum aroma and flavor)
- Water
Equipment
- Hario dripper
- Filter
- Pitcher
Instructions
- Prepare the Coffee Grounds: Use light roast coffee beans and grind them coarsely just before brewing to preserve the aroma and flavor.
- Chill the Water: Pour water into the pitcher and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to cool it.
- Set up the Hario Dripper: Insert the filter into the Hario Dripper and evenly distribute the ground coffee across its surface.
- Begin Brewing: Slowly and evenly pour the chilled water over the coffee grounds in the dripper. Ensure the water level in the pitcher stays below the filter. Allow the coffee to drip through the filter into the pitcher.
- Steep Time: Place the pitcher and dripper in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
- Final Steps: Carefully remove the dripper and filter when the process is complete. Optionally, add ice to the coffee for a more refreshing drink.
Notes
The Hario method results in a slightly lighter and less intense coffee compared to the Toddy and Mason jar methods. This difference is due to the filter’s position at the top of the device, which affects the extraction process.
Cold brew is one of the easiest ways to enjoy a smooth, low-acid coffee at home. But what makes it different from iced coffee, and how do you get the best flavor? Let’s break it down.
