Discovering Cold Brew Coffee

When I first tried Cold Brew Coffee, I admit that I was not a fan. There are a number of local producers in Los Angeles that sell through Whole Foods and other markets, and some folks were asking me if I would consider making it over the past year or so. Frankly, I did not have any real experience with Cold Brew Coffee, and figured that it would not be particularly earth-shattering, so I largely ignored the request. When I finally did get around to picking up a bottle, which I found particularly over-priced, I made the mistake of drinking it straight, like a soda or juice. But real cold brew is thicker than your normal coffee and it is meant to be cut. I quickly realized that it tasted more like the extract I used to buy from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf franchise back in the '90s when making their iced mochas at home was all the rage.

After a while, a friend of mine posted his recipe for Cold Brew Coffee on Facebook and I pulled it down, determined to see if I could master the process that he claimed as his favorite summertime coffee. I got out some Bell Jars and a variety of ground coffees and went to work. My first batch was not a success, per se, but it had promise that I could taste. So I went at it again. And again. And I have to say, it has been a revelation.

I will be preparing a lot of this throughout the remainder of the summer, and will give some tips along the way. But this is what you need to know.

1. Cold Brew Coffee is good.  In fact, done right, it is excellent.
2. Cold Brew Coffee has less acid but benefits from added sweetness and milk.
3. It is surprisingly easy to make.
4. You do need a little counter space because it sits out AT LEAST overnight.
5. It takes experimentation to get the ingredients right, but the basics are 1/2 cup grounds to 1 quart water. I use more grounds but mileage will vary based on what grounds are used.
6. Mix the grounds into the water, seal the jar and wait.
7. It does need a few good shakes every now and again.
8. Wait AT LEAST 12 hours before straining out the grounds. 
9. Then chill it...
10. To drink, you may only want to use 1/3 Cold Brew Coffee to the ice, water or milk you use to cut it, so start slowly and mix as you go. Stir in sweetener. Enjoy.