When my husband and I first graduated from college, he did a stint working as a barista in a cute, independently owned coffee shop. Although he never made a career of it, he picked up some valuable skills and yummy coffee tips that we use in our kitchen to this day!
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One of my personal favorites is cold brewed coffee. Did you know that you can make smooth, delicious coffee without ever having to heat up water? It takes about 5 minutes (with 12 hours of standing time) and you'll have a delicious cup of coffee that you can enjoy iced or hot.
Cold brew coffee is produced by allowing coarsely ground coffee beans to soak in water for 12 hours. You then strain it out and you can either add hot water to make hot coffee (one part water to one part coffee concentrate) or you can use the chilled concentrate to make iced coffees, iced lattes, etc.
There are a few ways you can go about making cold brew coffee. The easiest way, especially if you want to make it in bulk, is to get the Toddy Cold Brew System
If you don't want to dish out the $30 to use the system, you can also make a “do-it-yourself” cold brew system using coffee filters and a mason jar. This will make around 2 small drinks. To do this, put about 1/3 cup coarse ground coffee and approximately 1 ½ cups water in a mason jar.
Let it sit on the counter or in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. You can brew a little longer if you like a stronger cup. Strain twice – once through a mesh filter and then once through a coffee filter to get out the remaining sludge. Voila! You now have cold brewed coffee.
Cold brew coffee is lower in acid than hot brew methods, which helps coffee lovers with sensitive stomachs and teeth. It also is a bit lower in caffeine. Overall, cold brewing makes a smooth cup that can be enjoyed by everyone, especially in these hot summer months. Save energy and get some good tasting coffee at the same time!
Also check out the Hourglass Cold Brew Coffee Maker System
