BEST COLD BREW RECIPE
Is there a way to survive the hot Nashville summers without coffee? But like, it has to be iced right? Because adding that hot liquid to a 95 degree morning is just not gonna happen.
And lest you wonder why I’m calling it a summer beverage when it’s the beginning of August and all y’all are getting your kids ready for school and dreaming about pumpkin spiced lattes…as I sit here and write this it’s currently 95 degrees out side with no sign of letting up…even with the on and off again showers.
SO yes. We are talking SUMMER Cold Brew because our summer lasts FOR. EVVVV. ER.
Cold Brew is my favorite way to drink coffee during the summer because no amount of coffee frozen ice cubes will ever make a normal cup of coffee taste strong enough.
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To make Cold Brew you basically just take a 4 to 1 ratio of water to coffee and let it sit overnight. Then add more water after it’s strained to even out the strength. So you’re letting the coffee beans really bloom through the water over an extended period of time making MUCH stronger coffee.
I molded the recipes I found to my needs last year during all the extra time we all had on our hands. (Good things do come out of global pandemics!) I was buying way too much of my favorite cold brew and I figured I might as well put my Costco membership to use.
A few caveats before I dig into this SUPER EASY recipe.
First, I like me a good light brew. After many years of working and managing at Starbucks my pallet just can’t handle the high acidity of a dark blend so I’ve moved down to a lighter blend where I get a better hit all around my pallet…and a little more caffeine.
The best bang for your buck, in my humble opinion is this Magnum Jamaican Blue Mountain blend. Caribbean coffees tend to be my favorite because of their tropic climate and their volcanic soil that makes the flavors just explode.
Second, you can totally use tap water. But I prefer filtered water just because even as it boils down the taste is just that much more crisp and allows the flavor of the coffee to stand on its own.
Third, make sure you have a good grinder! It is imperative that you have coarse ground coffee because you need it to be able to open up with all the nuttiness on the inside of each bean instead of having that ground down to a pulp. Plus, it’ll be way easier to strain. I LOVE this grinder and I’m super picky.
Finally, get some well sealing jars and bottles. I found these amazing Le Parfait jars at TjMaxx a lifetime ago and I use them for EVERYTHING. Plus they fit the ratio I use perfectly. I also have a bazillion of these bottles from a former life when my husband was touring with his band and a venue accidentally ordered 5 pallets of French pink lemonade instead of 5 cases.
The Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need for ONE batch. (I always double 🤫).
1 Cup of Coarse Ground Coffee
8 Cups of Filtered Water - divided
1 Sealable Jar
1 Muslin cotton bag or cheesecloth
1 - 2 glass bottles
Step 1:
Grind enough coffee to equal 1 cup of coarse ground coffee
Step 2:
Mix in a sealable jar with 4 cups of filtered water and mix thoroughly.
Step 3.
Set it on your counter and forget about it for 12-24 hours. You’ll find the time that works best for you based on how strong you want it to taste. I go for about 15 hours.
Step 4.
Using a muslin cloth, strain your coffee and beans into your large container. You’ll need some space!
*I use my shrunken ones from our Organic Cotton Produce Bag set. You can also use a cheese cloth like this one. (Learn more about our awesome bags here.)
Step 5:
Once you have it in the big container, add 4 cups of filtered water. In order to find the depth of flavor you like, I suggest adding one cup of water at a time and tasting it as you go so you don’t dilute it too much.
That’s it y’all! Just store it in the fridge and grab yourself some delicious cold brew whenever you need a pick-me-up. Add your regular ice to it and don’t worry about having it get all gross and watery!
Check out our 32 second video on how to make this, even if your kids are screaming in the background!
Let’s do this together,
Lys
PS. Make sure you check out our amazing Organic Cotton Produce bags here, and our gorgeous Hand Blown Glass Canisters here. They make those coffee beans look real sexy!
