Everyone loves that first cup of coffee in the morning. The ritualistic process of preparing the coffee pot, waiting for the pot to percolate and releasing the wonderful aroma of coffee, helps get the day started. Now that spring is here, most people prefer a cold brew, or an afternoon pick-me-up. The problem with improperly brewed cold coffee or iced coffee is the bitterness and the watery after taste. So, how to make cold coffee?
Cold brew coffee is different than iced coffee. Cold brew coffee has been around for 400 years and produces a smoother beverage. Iced coffee uses the traditional method of brewing hot coffee and pouring over ice, which has the disadvantage of being bitter and requiring creamers and sugars to counteract the bitterness. Cold brew coffee has less caffeine because of the brewing method. However, the longer steeping method also gives cold brew a different chemical makeup that offers less acidity.
Brewing cold coffee is rather simple and does not require the skills of a master barista. Take one cup of whole beans and pulse to a coarse ground. Finer grounds disrupt the ever important steeping stage, which is the one of the most important steps in making coffee with immersion methods. Pour the rough grounds into a container and add four cups of water to the grounds and seal the container. This ratio adds the extra caffeine that is lost in the immersion process. Let the brew steep for 12 to 18 hours, up to longer than 24 hours, and pour over ice. You can save the brew for up to seven days. This is how to make cold coffee.
So, what is the steeping process? Simply put, steeping is an extraction process. The steeping process is unique for hot and cold coffee. The cold temperatures slow down the extraction process and allows you to steep cold coffee as long as 24 hours. This process draws the flavors out of the beans and into the liquid, providing a rich, non-bitter beverage.
There are several unique ways to add flavor to cold coffee, even though it is unnecessary, in terms of bitterness and acidity. You can make coffee ice cubes and add them to hot chocolate or even whiskey as a nightcap. You can add cardamom, simple syrup or creamer. The options are limitless. The advantage of a cold brew is that you can store it, much like iced tea, in the refrigerator for at least seven days.
When you first experiment with cold brew coffee, try different grounds and different water to ground ratios to see what suits your preferences. How you steep the coffee, and for how long, depends on how strong or smooth you want the finished product. If you prefer less caffeine, add more water. Either way you go, you will taste the difference between cold and iced coffee. 
Treasured Tea
