Things you need to know before making a cold brew coffee
When making a cold brew coffee, there is no right way or a rule. But, there are some methods and techniques that you can employ to make a perfect brew that suits your liking.
A cold brew means steeping the coffee in water at room temperature or even in a fridge for about six to thirty-six hours. This type of coffee is much less acidic than hot coffee, and you do not even need any special equipment to make a cold brew. You do not have to turn on a machine or use any other equipment in the morning. You can open the fridge and pour yourself a glass of refreshing coffee that has been cold-brewed.
So, if you are interested in making a cold brew coffee and want to learn more about it, check out dedicated blogs and articles such as Cold Brew Queen and many others that are filled with endless information and recipes on coffee.
Below is some information to get you started.
What kind of coffee beans are ideal for cold brew?
Frankly, you can use any coffee beans to make the cold brew because what matters is the beans’ size and grind. After a few times, you will realize that cold brew brings out flavors from a coffee bean that is much different from hot coffee .
Ideally, light roasts are not the best as they heighten the acidic qualities. So opt for a dark roast. However, you can also go for a medium-dark roast if you like the nutty or chocolaty flavors. Remember, medium-dark roast results in a very smooth and rich flavored coffee.
If you want to achieve the best grind for your coffee, you must buy the beans and grind them at your home. But, if you do not like the process of grinding your coffee, many online stores offer to grind the beans as per your liking. If you ask any coffee enthusiasts, they will choose the ‘coarse ground’ for their cold brews, because it allows the water to steep into the grounds fully. On the other hand, if you use more delicate coffee grounds, the water will steep too much flavor, resulting in a much more pungent and bitter brew.
The best ratio of coffee ground and water
The ideal ratio for a smooth, non-bitter, and rich flavored brew is 1:8 if you want to drink the mixture straight, without mixing any concentrate. So, to make a liter of cold brew, you can mix roughly 3 to 5 ounces of coffee. On the other hand, if you like to incorporate any flavor concentrate in your coffee, you must keep the ratio 1:4 since the coffee must be more robust before blending with a concentrate. So, you can put in 6 to 8 ounces of coffee for a liter of cold brew.
How long should you brew the coffee grounds?
The longer you let the coffee ground steep into the water, the more flavor it will extract. However, if you overdo it, the coffee will taste very bitter. Ideally, you must brew for ten to twelve hours if you make less than 32 ounces of coffee.
So, follow these basic steps and soon you will be able to mix up and make your variation of a cold brew.
