Homemade Cold Brew Coffee (french press method)
by St. Johns Coffee
You probably know that feeling when you order an iced coffee from a local coffee shop- expecting a cold, refreshing coffee when instead all you get is day old coffee with added ice- which results in an extremely bitter and acidic flavor. That’s right. We know because we’ve been there too. We at St. Johns have decided to ditch the dreaded iced coffee method and master the art of cold brew--the perfect summer coffee drink. The cold brew method yields a coffee concentrate which can be even served hot, over ice, or blended with with ice and other ingredients such as chocolate. This method you can easily do at home, but the best tip we can give you is to plan a day ahead, because in order to master cold brew, patience is key.
What makes cold brew different that regular iced coffee?
Well first of all, cold brew coffee is made by steeping room temperature water over coarse coffee grounds for an extended period of time, rather than letting hot coffee sit until it gets cold, which ends up just tasting nasty, bitter and extremely acidic. In the case of coffee, more heat is not necessarily better, as it extracts the majority of the bitterness and astringency found in hot coffee. By using the cold brew method, the result is a glorious sweeter tasting and much less acidic cold coffee. Less bitterness means that the subtle flavors found in coffee are much more perceptible. (This happens due to the cold water leaching a different flavor profile from the beans than hot water would). In all honesty, cold brew produced a much more lush, flavorful, and incredibly smooth coffee.
We are now ready to pass on the steps to creating the best coffee you have ever tasted using cold brew. Try it once, and you’ll never go back to that regular iced coffee you get at your corner cafe.
Ingredients:
4 1/2 ounces coarsely ground coffee (about 1 3/4 cups)
3 1/2 cups room-temperature water
STEP 1: Choose a roast. We prefer to use a medium roast for our cold brews. Our favorites include the St. Johns Guatemala Finca Bourbon, Brazil Nossa Senhora de Fatima, and of course the Misty Mountain Hop Espresso.
STEP 2: Grind. We used a coarse grind for our cold brews. You can experiment with finer grinds as well, and find what suits your palate best.
STEP 3: Pour it. Use filtered room-temperature water and pour it over the ground coffee in a french press. Stir only the solid raft that forms at the top of the press into the coffee, but avoid any other stirring or agitation. Don’t press the plunger down either.
STEP 4: Cover it. Cover the french press with plastic wrap, and let the coffee sit for 24 hours at room temperature. After 24 hours, remove the plastic wrap and press the grinds with the plunger to remove the concentrate.
STEP 5: Filter: Pour the coffee through a fine-mesh coffee strainer over a cup or small bowl.
You are now done! This has made a coffee concentrate which you can dilute with equal parts water or milk, serving over ice and/or blending with ice and chocolate (SO GOOD). If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding a pinch of salt to the diluted coffee. Just trust us on this- your coffee will be so smooth you won’t even be needing any sugar.
What makes cold brew different that regular iced coffee?
Well first of all, cold brew coffee is made by steeping room temperature water over coarse coffee grounds for an extended period of time, rather than letting hot coffee sit until it gets cold, which ends up just tasting nasty, bitter and extremely acidic. In the case of coffee, more heat is not necessarily better, as it extracts the majority of the bitterness and astringency found in hot coffee. By using the cold brew method, the result is a glorious sweeter tasting and much less acidic cold coffee. Less bitterness means that the subtle flavors found in coffee are much more perceptible. (This happens due to the cold water leaching a different flavor profile from the beans than hot water would). In all honesty, cold brew produced a much more lush, flavorful, and incredibly smooth coffee.
We are now ready to pass on the steps to creating the best coffee you have ever tasted using cold brew. Try it once, and you’ll never go back to that regular iced coffee you get at your corner cafe.
Ingredients:
4 1/2 ounces coarsely ground coffee (about 1 3/4 cups)
3 1/2 cups room-temperature water
STEP 1: Choose a roast. We prefer to use a medium roast for our cold brews. Our favorites include the St. Johns Guatemala Finca Bourbon, Brazil Nossa Senhora de Fatima, and of course the Misty Mountain Hop Espresso.
STEP 2: Grind. We used a coarse grind for our cold brews. You can experiment with finer grinds as well, and find what suits your palate best.
STEP 3: Pour it. Use filtered room-temperature water and pour it over the ground coffee in a french press. Stir only the solid raft that forms at the top of the press into the coffee, but avoid any other stirring or agitation. Don’t press the plunger down either.
STEP 4: Cover it. Cover the french press with plastic wrap, and let the coffee sit for 24 hours at room temperature. After 24 hours, remove the plastic wrap and press the grinds with the plunger to remove the concentrate.
STEP 5: Filter: Pour the coffee through a fine-mesh coffee strainer over a cup or small bowl.
You are now done! This has made a coffee concentrate which you can dilute with equal parts water or milk, serving over ice and/or blending with ice and chocolate (SO GOOD). If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding a pinch of salt to the diluted coffee. Just trust us on this- your coffee will be so smooth you won’t even be needing any sugar.