Cold Brew Coffee - if you love Iced Coffee, then cold brew coffee is a must, simple to make, never bitter and delicious over ice as it is or with you favourite milk or creamer. The perfect coffee drink for the summer.
Iced Coffee
Before I moved to Canada in 2008 - I wasn't really a coffee drinker, let alone an iced coffee drinker. I tended to always opt for tea with maybe the occasional speciality coffee from Starbucks. I think because at home growing up, it often tended to be instant coffee on offer and that in no way compares to a freshly brewed pot of coffee for breakfast.
Coffee is much more preferred here to Tea (although tea is still popular too) and so when we got our first coffee maker (12 cup maker) we quickly become coffee drinkers. It is now what I look forward to most every morning, a comforting mug of fresh brewed coffee with a little bit of milk. If it is really good quality coffee I will even on occasion drink it black.
Then of course came the iced coffees and boy do they love their iced coffee in Canada. I have to say it took me a while to become accustomed to Iced Coffee mainly because I just found the cold taste odd. But now with all the speciality Iced coffees available, it's one of my favs. Although I tend to make most of my Iced Coffee drinks at home now to save on the calories.
Making Cold Brew Coffee
If you love iced coffee - Cold Brew Coffee is a must. While you can use regular brewed coffee or espresso shots, the taste of Cold Brew Coffee is just so much smoother and less bitter.
I first tasted some quite a few years ago now when I was on a black coffee kick. But the store bought varieties can be pretty steep in price and some have some unnecessary ingredients. So I quickly switched to making my own. It is so easy to make and once you try you will be quickly converted.
Cold Brew is made as a concentrate which is diluted down by adding water or lots of ice.
What do I need to make Cold Brew Coffee?
You actually don't need anything fancy really to make cold brew. Just some good quality coffee that is coarsely ground (not fine) and definitely not instant. Then filtered water and a large jug or container. Lastly you will need either a sieve or some cheese cloth folded over a few times, this is for straining the coffee once brewed.
I also like to add a vanilla pod to mine for some additional flavour. But this is optional.
I don't sweeten the cold brew, I recommend sweetening as you make up your class of ice coffee if you prefer a sweetened iced coffee.
You can actually get some nifty Cold Brew Coffee Makers if you want to invest one of those, and Iced Tea steepers will work too. But both of these are not necessities.
Storing Cold Brew Coffee
Once brewed I keep mine in a large jug in the fridge, this recipe makes quite a few servings as my teenager loves iced coffee so we go through quite a lot, if you don't drink much then you may want to half the recipe.
Generally though Cold Brew Coffee will last quite a while when stored in the fridge (about 2 weeks) for the concentrate.
Milk or Creamer in Cold Brew Coffee?
Either milk or cream is fine in cold brew coffee. It's totally personally preference. I like milk because it's lower in calories, but a little cream if you prefer your iced coffee creamier is perfectly fine too. Here in Canada flavoured creamers are really popular. But I prefer to add my own flavours instead of using these.
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Recipe Card
Cold Brew Coffee
Cold Brew Coffee - if you love Iced Coffee, then cold brew coffee is a must, simple to make, never bitter and delicious over ice as it is or with you favourite milk or creamer. The perfect coffee drink for the summer.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups of coarse ground coffee
- 7 cups of filtered cold water
- 1 vanilla pod, sliced in half (optional)
Instructions
- Add the coffee, water and vanilla pod to a large jug and allow to brew for at least 12 hours (it doesn't need to be refrigerated to brew)
- Using a fine sieve or ultra fine cheesecloth folded a few times (to ensure the coffee doesn't go through), strain the coffee.
- Store the concentrate in a jug in the fridge.
- To make cold brew, fill a glass with ice (I like to use crushed), then dilute equal parts of the cold brew with filtered water (take into account though that the amount of ice you add may dilute it further which can sometimes weaken the taste).
- You can sweeten with your preferred sweetener and add some milk or cream based on your preference.
- The concentrate can be stored in a sealed jug in the fridge.
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
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Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 1Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 6mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g
Nutritional information, values, points etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
Catherine simms says
Hi Siobhan..can you use coffee that's grind for a cafeterie ?
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
so long as it's not fine ground yes otherwise you won't get the same smooth taste and it won't filter as good.
Marilyn says
Hi Siobhan - thanks for the recipe. Can you clarify how to actually make up a glass from the already prepared cold brew? I understand filling your glass with crushed ice, then some of the brew and then do you add more coffee?
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
hi Marilyn - no you don't add any more coffee - cold brew is the coffee concentrate. You add the concentrate to a glass then dilute with equal measure of filtered water and then add some ice (I usually add a little less water to the concentrate if added ice as the ice will dilute further), then add milk or cream and sweeten to taste if you want.
Phil Turner says
could you please clarify do you add the cold brew to freshly made coffee ( we normally drink espresso) in equal parts, not being familiar with cold coffee here in France I have no idea of the concept but it does sound nice as an alternative cold drink
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
Hi no you wouldn't add the cold brew to coffee, the cold brew is a concentrated coffee, so you add cold filtered water to the concentrate mix once made up and then add ice and some milk or cream if you prefer it with those. Sweeten to your desired taste if you like it sweetened.
Peggy says
Thank you Siobhan, always wondered how it was made, I will give it a try.