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Cold Brew Top Five

April 17, 2013 -

Since having first tried cold brew coffee a couple months back, I've become a huge fan. Because I enjoy sharing, here are my favorite five things about cold brew coffee.

1 - More Caffeine Cold brew coffee has way more caffeine than regular coffee. I haven't been able to locate any information online to indicate exactly how much more, but it seems like quite a lot. Many people drink the stuff diluted, but I prefer it straight, despite the fact that my friend is warning me of an impending heart attack.

2 - No Bitterness Because there's no hot water to extract the coffee beans' bitter acid, I drink cold brew coffee without sugar. I just add a bit of half and half and I'm good to go. It's strong, but it's delicious.

3 - Shelf Life Whereas a fresh pot of traditional coffee has its life measured in hours, cold brewed coffee will stay fresh for days. Mine is usually gone in 48 hours, but it's nice to be able to carry it around in a thermos.

4 - Cold coffee doesn't get cold Originally, I'd been microwaving the cold brew coffee to heat it up, because I was accustomed to hot coffee. But I've learned to enjoy it cold. While I still like hot coffee, cold brew coffee really is a different beverage, and it's an aquired taste in much the same way that coffee is when you first start drinking it. Cold coffee doesn't have the same aroma that traditional coffee has, and that hot coffee smell is a large part of coffee's allure. But when you really start to enjoy the flavor of the cold brew, there's nothing like it.

5 - Easy to make To make cold brew coffee, you don't need a french press, a percolator, a drip coffee machine, or an aeropress. All you need is a container of some kind. Grind coffee, add water, and let it sit for 12-24 hours. Then strain out the grounds and you're done.

Seriously, it is so choice. If you have the inclination, I highly recommend trying it out.

Comments on Cold Brew Top Five
 
Comment Thu, April 18 - 11:47 AM by Kris Johnson
What's your recommended water:coffee ratio for cold brewing?
 
Comment Thu, April 18 - 3:02 PM by Greg
12oz (.75lb) grounds per 7 cups (56 fl oz) water. That's pasted from Wikipedia. After figuring it out the first time, I just fill up my container with filtered water and add a grinder full of beans. That's halving the proportions mentioned above.
 
Comment Tue, April 30 - 6:30 PM by Monica Swanson
Interesting. Never heard of this. Generally use a filter, as it supposedly absorbs the coffee beens acids, which arent supposed to be good for you. Though I am intrigued by the idea of a Chemex's simplicity and all-glass construction, I haven't tried it, mainly due to initial cost. I especially love that this method uses no energy, and that it I wouldn't need my ugly coffee maker taking up precious space on my counter! What size grind do you use? (I grind in store.) Also, how exactly do you strain away the grinds? Some teapots have built in filters. I have some muslin sachets, so I was thinking of making a giant reusable teabag immersion-type set-up, rather than straining. Do you think this might work? Another thing I notice about the proportions you list is that it actually ends up being a really expensive way to make coffee. 12 oz. of coffee grounds for 56 oz. of liquid product? Yikes!!! Makes Starbucks look like a bargain!