When it comes to brewing your favorite cup of coffee, there are so many ways
it can be done. Cold brew has become a very famous way to brew coffee as it
extracts the flavor and caffeine directly from the beans, allowing for a rich,
more flavorful and smoother brew.
Why Cold Brew?
Cold brew is simply the bolder and stronger version of iced coffee. If you are
looking to step up your coffee game and fall in love with the process and
taste, cold brew is for you. Cold Brew offers a better taste than iced coffee
as iced coffee tends to become watered down. The process of cold brew
eliminates the bitterness as sometimes tasted in regular brewed coffee. This
process also eliminates the acidity which can be easier on your body. This
guarantees a smoother brew. Below is the Haymakers team process for making our
famous Cold Brew.
Make sure you have the right ratio of coffee to water for the best Cold Brew
The ratio of coffee to water is one of the most important parts of brewing
cold brew. A good starting point for cold brew is a 1:4 or 1:5 ratio (or even
1:6 if you’re using a full immersion method like French press). You can make
it stronger or weaker depending on your taste.
It’s not an exact science and different grind levels will require slightly
different ratios, but as long as you have more water than coffee, you’re in
business!
Grind your coffee beans to the right size.
The next step in brewing your own cold brew is the size of your grind. The
grind size depends on the type of coffee you want to make, which affects how
much surface area of the beans ends up in contact with water throughout the
extraction process (and therefore how flavorful your finished brew will be).
For cold brew, you’ll want a coarse grind.
Use filtered water.
Filtered water is always a better choice than water from the tap.
Brewing Cold Brew
The next step is to add the grounds to a container that is lined with a
cheesecloth, coffee filter or fine-mesh strainer. Containers preferably should
be airtight with a sealable lid. Add the grounds right to the filter and begin
to pour the filtered water on top of the grounds. Seal off the filter so the
contents do not get mixed and place in the fridge!
Cold Brew takes time.
Cold brew is known for its smooth taste, but it is also a slow process. The
coffee needs anywhere from 12-24 hours to steep. This means that planning
ahead is essential—you don't want to start the process at 7 am if you need it
by 8 am!
The amount of time your cold brew will take depends on many factors, including
how coarse or fine the beans are ground and how much coffee you use. To make a
standard concentrate of cold brew (which yields 2 cups), we recommend steeping
your coffee grounds in water for 14-18 hours in order to extract as much
flavor as possible.
Once the cold brew batch is taken out of the fridge, you've now got your first
batch of cold brew! It's ready to be iced or mixed with milk (or even hot
water for people who like it slightly warm). Cold brew is also delicious when
used in place of water when making cocktails. Enjoy!
Add some extras to your Cold Brew, if you're into that.
Now that you've got the cold brew basics down, you're free to experiment with
different flavors. Try adding some of your favorite extras to your morning
cup, such as:
- Milk (dairy or alternative)
- Sugar or sweetener
- Honey (especially in the summer)
- A spoonful of cocoa powder for a mocha flavor
- Whipped cream and mint for a chilly treat
-
Caramel with half and half are one of our top sellers in our Haymaker coffee
truck!
Tips and Tricks for the best Cold Brew
- Use high quality beans (aka Haymaker Coffee)
- Use ‘drinking water’ instead of spring water for a smoother taste
-
Experiment brewing with different ratios to find the best ratio for you
- You CAN heat up cold brew, it won’t change the acidity or flavor!
- Use an airtight container