Cold brew coffee is picking up steam among caffeine lovers near and far, but is it fit for the home kitchen?

Cold brew coffee may seem like it requires unique technology to perfect, but it actually requires nothing more than a little time. With a little foresight, you can prepare yourself a smooth cold brew coffee beverage each and every morning. The following cold brew coffee recipe shows just how easy and fuss-free the process can be.

Besides its temperature, cold brew coffee bears other perks. Because it never comes into contact with heated water, the coffee’s chemical profile is different, since the flavor leeched from the beans is different. Cold brew coffee is naturally sweeter and much lower in acidity – 67 percent less to be exact – than regular coffee. And do not confuse cold brew coffee with iced coffee. Ice coffee is usually made with coffee that has been brewed hot and the chilled with ice.  Some cold brew coffees are served with ice, but there is a clear distinction in the process.

Cold brew coffee involved steeping coarse-ground coffee beans in water for about 12 hours. During that time, the flavor is leeched from the beans. The result is a coffee concentrate that can be further diluted with water or milk.

The following cold brew coffee recipes requires a cloth sieve, preferably a nut milk bag.

Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

Makes 2 quarts (8 cups)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coarsely ground espresso roast coffee beans
• 8 cups water

Directions

Coarsely grind the coffee beans. The more fine the beans, the more bitter the cold brew coffee will be. Try to keep the grind medium. Place the ground beans into the nut milk bag and tie it closed.

Place the bag at the bottom of a 2-quart pitcher. Fill the pitcher with 8 cups of water. Seal it closed and set it aside. Let the coffee sit for 11-12 hours – overnight. In the morning, remove the nut milk bag and squeeze out the remaining concentrate from the coarse grinds. What remains is a cold brew coffee concentrate. Enjoy it in a 1 to 1 ratio with filtered water. You can also add milk to it, blend it into smoothies or reheat it.

Experiment as much as you like until you find the best way to incorporate this incredibly delicious, low-acidic cold brew coffee recipe into your lifestyle.

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Photo Credit: Nina Nelson

The post Homemade Cold Brew Coffee Recipe for a Chilled Out Morning Cuppa appeared first on EcoSalon.

The easiest summer addiction.

For coffee lovers, cold brew is summer’s nectar. You can of course buy cold brew systems, or end up with an expensive coffee shop addiction, but really all you need for delicious cold brew is a good coffee roast and a French press.

The key is letting the coffee steep over night, that way you don’t really have to think about it. Grind some beans when you get home from work, and by morning you’ll have fuel for a hot day.

Ingredients

• Coffee + water
• Ratios of coffee to water vary, and you can tweak according to how strong you want it. For a 32 ounce French press  (4 cups) I use about 3/4 cup coffee beans, so a little less than a 1 to 4 ratio.

Directions

Grind beans coarsely.

Place grinds in empty French press and fill with cold water. Gently stir with a spoon to mix.

Cover the French press with tinfoil and let steep for about 12 hours at room temperature. It’s even better when you let it sit for 24 hours, but that takes some planning.

Remove the tinfoil and press the grinds down. Serve over ice. If it’s a little strong, dilute with water.

Store in refrigerator in glass bottles or a covered pitcher.

Want more food inspiration? Check out the rest of our Sunday Recipe series. 

The post Sunday Recipe: Make Your Own Cold Brew Coffee appeared first on EcoSalon.