A cold brew simply means that the coffee is steeped in cold, rather than hot, water. A benefit of a cold brew is that the naturally occurring oils and acids in the coffee do not completely dissolve, making cold brew less acidic and more full-bodied, similar to drinking chocolate.
Making cold brew at home is simple. You do not have to wait for your favorite coffee shop to reopen so that you can spend a few bucks on a product you can easily make at home.
Getting the best out of coffee starts with using freshly roasted coffee beans. At African Coffee Club, we offer coffee beans subscription service where every 2,4, or 6 weeks based on your preference you get the best coffee beans sourced from high altitude areas in Africa.
Where the coffee is grown matters; for example, coffee grown at high altitude regions has sweet and fruity notes since the coffee plant gets better drainage which ensures water does not dilute the sugars and nutrients in the berries. This is the type of coffee that is highly recommended because it makes irresistible cold brew drink.
Water ratio is also an important consideration when making a cold brew. Experts use a 1:5 ratio of coffee to water, while others go for something a bit more gentle like a 1:8 ratio. No matter what strength you make your cold brew, you need precise measurements for a perfect cup.
Making the Cold Brew
1. Coarse-grind your beans
Don’t worry, this is going to be easy! Use the coarse grind setting on your coffee bean grinder when grinding your beans. Beans that are ground to a fine, sandy mix will result in cold brew coffee that is gritty and muddy. Your ground beans should look lumpy and coarse. Now let’s add some water! Here is a simple rule - 1 cup of ground coffee, 4 cups of filtered water. There, you are now ready for step 2!
2. Combine & let sit
Combine the ground coffee and water in a large sealable jar and stir well. Let sit for anywhere between 12-24 hours before fine-straining or plunging. (Any longer, and you risk an overextracted, bitter brew; any shorter, and it will be weak and flavorless.)
3. Drink straight, on ice, or with a splash of milk
Serve hot or cold and for bonus points, use some of your cold brew coffee to make cold brew coffee ice cubes!
Go on a Coffee Safari!
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