When it comes to making the perfect glass of Cold Brew Coffee (with our Cold Brew Coffee Maker), there are a few key tips to keep in mind. Next up in our Cold Brew 101 series, How To Brew It.
After ensuing that you have the perfect grind, click here to read about Grind 101, it’s time to focus on the process of brewing. First up, the filter – the trickiest part of the process. Our filter offers the best of both worlds – a fine mesh that is large enough for proper water flow to extract coffee flavor but fine enough to still catch all the gritty sediment. Speaking of sediment, because our mesh allows proper water flow it’s natural for a touch of sediment to make its way through into the Cold Brew Coffee Maker. But, since it will settle at the bottom of the pitcher it’s easy to remove: slowly and gently pour your cold brew coffee into another pitcher and then rinse the sediment from the bottom of the pitcher, transfer your coffee back into the Cold Brew Coffee Maker, and seal airtight. Although, if you’re team “a little sediment never hurt anyone plus it adds some bolder flavors” then let it be.
But let’s jump back to the beginning – right after you’ve added your coarsely ground beans to the filter, twisted the filter into the lid, lowered it into the Cold Brew Coffee Maker (filled ¾ of the way with water), and sealed the lid airtight. The key step now is to vigorously shake the Cold Brew Coffee Maker for at least 60 seconds to ensure that all of the coffee grounds are moistened. This necessary step kicks off the cold brew process –otherwise dry grounds would float to the top of the filter and never brew. And then, it’s time to practice the art of patience and let it cold brew in the refrigerator.
Brew time is totally personal – depending on your desired flavor strength and the type of beans you’re brewing (check back soon for that post). Considering that we are aiming to make a concentrate (with the quantity of ground beans that we recommend adding to the filter), we think that a 24-hour brew is the best. However, begin tasting at hour 16+ to see what works for you. Keep in mind that the quantity of coffee that you use and the length of time that you brew will determine the strength of your cold brew. If you find yourself by the fridge during this 24-hour brew process, take a few extra seconds to shake the Cold Brew Coffee Maker to ensure that all coffee grounds continue to stay in contact with water for ultimate flavor extraction.
Congratulations, you’ve made it through the 24-hour brew process. When removing the coffee filter, we recommend placing it in a large measuring cup and letting it drain for 30-45min to extract the most cold brew coffee for the most robust flavor (just pour it back into the cold brew coffee maker). As you wait for the coffee to drain from the filter, twist off the lid and rinse the interior as some grinds will have settled there after the rounds of shaking. Twist the lid back onto the Cold Brew Coffee Maker, seal it airtight, and store your freshly cold brew coffee (for up to 2 weeks) until you’re ready to treat yourself to a glass.
For step by step directions on how to make to the most delicious cold brew, using our Cold Brew Coffee Maker, visit this page.
