How To Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home Instantly
We’re heading full sprint into summer, and that means it’s officially iced coffee season. However, more and more people are developing a taste for iced coffee year-round! Iced coffee can come in many different forms, and one way to enjoy a rich iced coffee is by brewing it via the cold brew method. However, making cold brew is typically a 16 to 24 hour process, and not everyone has time for that.
More often than not, we need a quick and easy way to get our morning cold brew fix without the hassle of getting all the equipment to brew your own the long way. This post will walk you through how to make cold brew coffee, as well as where to get good cold brew without having to wait hours for it!
What Is Cold Brew?
Cold brew coffee is a slow-brew method due to the absence of hot water. The process is similar to making sweet tea, when you have a bag of leaves and it steeps to perfection. Cold brew is made almost the same, except with beans instead of tea leaves. What makes cold brew different from standard coffee is that it never touches heat.
Because of the lack of heat in the brewing process, cold brew is full-bodied, smooth, and less acidic than your regular hot cup of joe. Cold brew is also easier to drink without needing to add cream and sugar. The longer brew time makes the coffee’s natural flavor notes really shine through. It may take some time to create this drink, but each sip is super satisfying and well worth the wait.
Where Did Cold Brew Even Come From?
Cold brew coffee dates back to the 16th century, when Dutch explorers would make cold brew concentrate to endure the long voyages. The Dutch then took their unique mix of cold water and ground coffee beans to Japan. From there, the Japanese developed the Kyoto method (named after the city), which is a slow-drip brewing technique.
This style takes a total time of 24 to 30 hours to brew because the water drips one drop per second. Talk about time consuming! This style of brew is very rich in flavor, and it’s very strong coffee. Typically one shouldn’t drink more than one cup of Kyoto cold brew because it has such a high caffeine content.
How Do the Pros Make a Cup of Cold Brew?
Making cold brew coffee is often an intense process at a coffee shop. It usually involves using a certain amount of pre-ground coffee (using a coarse grind), or using a coffee grinder to make the ground fresh, and cups of water in a cold brew coffee maker with a special paper filter.
After the right steeping time, a big batch of cold brew is poured through a piece of cheesecloth inside a fine mesh strainer or special coffee filter to remove any extra grounds. Cold brew is often made concentrated, so the barista will dilute it using a special water ratio.
Other Cold Brew Facts
Besides having a smoother, sweeter taste, cold brew also has more health benefits than regular coffee. Since it is brewed over a longer period of time, more caffeine is extracted from the beans, so there’s more of an energy boost in each cup.
Cold brew is also less acidic than regular coffee. If you have a more sensitive stomach, cold brew may be a better option to ease into the specialty coffee world without the extra acidity.
Cold Brew Vs. Iced Coffee
Often mislabeled, cold brew is sometimes referred to as iced coffee. However, the two are very different. Iced coffee is regular hot coffee that is brewed using a standard coffee maker and then poured over ice cubes.
When brewing your coffee, you’ll want to make sure you have a ratio of water to coffee of 1:10. Once you brew your coffee, you then pour it over ice, and you’ll have your instant iced coffee!
Iced Coffee Troubleshooting
For some reason, making iced coffee at home just isn’t the same as buying it from your local shop. It either ends up too watery, too bitter, or lacks flavor. How do local shops make it look so easy?
One issue might be your coffee quality. If you don’t have a good quality bean, your coffee won’t taste as flavorful or rich. What makes a quality bean? Freshness — the fresher the beans, the better the brew!
Another way to ensure your beans stay fresh is by grinding them before each brew. Basically, you only grind what you need per cup or pot. So be sure to keep your beans fresh, measure out your brew, and try to grind your beans on the spot each time.
Why Does Making Coffee Have To Be So Complicated?
Making coffee is truly an art. There are so many different ways baristas can brew the same bunch of beans, yet they can bring out a different type of flavor depending on the brew method. It takes time, energy, and thought to understand recipes and ratios.
Even without the skills of a seasoned barista, there are different ways to make a good cup of coffee without all the mishaps and confusion of measuring and grinding your own whole beans from the grocery store.
How To Make Cold Brew at Home Instantly
Cold brew does not touch heat. This makes, so it’s pretty difficult to brew it instantly, since most instant brews require heat. However, products like coffee concentrate can give you that instant gratification, though it doesn’t need to be cold brew concentrate specifically.
Coffee Concentrate for the Win
Coffee concentrate is made from coffee grounds in a highly condensed form, which makes it easy for you to make your own cold brew instantly.
A batch of cold brew coffee can be made with one to two teaspoons of coffee concentrate for every 8-ounce cup of water or milk. It’s super fast and convenient — plus, coffee concentrate has more caffeine than a typical cup of coffee, so you won’t need as much to get you through your day.
Where To Find the Best Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
Javy Coffee is a leader in the coffee concentrate industry. By offering many different flavors of concentrates and with the ability to send them all over the world, we are able to satisfy all your instant cold brew needs.
The perfect ratio to make your instant Javy cold brew is 4 parts water to 1 part coffee. Add ice, flavor, and cream, and you are ready to go!
Convenient to use and abundantly flavorful, Javy will satisfy the cold brew craving without the exponential amount of time and effort you don’t need to spend on making your own concentrate.
Our DIY Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
Each person’s taste preferences are different. Some may like very strong, black, and naturally flavorful brews. Others may like to add cream, sugar, and additional flavors to enjoy their coffee. However you like it, we’ve got the ideal recipe to make your perfect cup of instant cold brew.
What You’ll Need
- Javy Coffee Concentrate
- Room temperature filtered water or milk of your choice (alternative milks such as oat and nut milk work well)
- Ice
- Your favorite glass or mason jar
Let’s Break Down the Brewing Process
As mentioned before, the ratio of water to the amount of coffee concentrate is 4:1.
The best way to measure it out is that for every 8 oz of water, you’ll want 2 tablespoons of Javy Coffee Concentrate. Fill your glass half full with ice, measure out your concentrate, fill with water or milk, and you’re all set. It’s really that easy!
Let’s Recap What Makes Cold Brew So Special
Cold brew is a wonderful, flavorful coffee beverage that has been around for centuries, dating back to the 16th century. We can thank the Dutch for their contribution to the coffee world. There are many different ways to make cold brew. The Kyoto method, coffee concentrate, and the classic method are just a few ways you can enjoy cold brew.
Even though these methods take time, the rich, smooth, and naturally sweet coffee is worth the time and effort. However, sometimes we don’t have time to go through the motions of making our own brew. Coffee concentrate is a great alternative to helping those with busy schedules get their cold brew fix. Now you have been given a background as to the how, you are ready to enter the cold brew world with confidence.
We Want To Hear From You
Despite being a beautiful craft, coffee doesn’t need to be complicated to be good. That’s why we created Javy! It’s good coffee made easy. Life gets crazy busy, and coffee shouldn’t be another thing to think about.
Cold brew is a beverage that shouldn't be time-consuming or stressful. Coffee can be convenient if one is given the proper tools to make it well. Javy wants to be that resource for you, and we would love to hear from you. When you make your instant cold brew at home, be sure to snatch a picture and tag Javy on Instagram @javy.coffee!
Sources:
Is Cold Brew Better Than Iced Coffee? | The New York Times
