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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Cold Brew Coffee (With Espresso Option)

    Published: Mar 27, 2022 by Michelle · 6 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This recipe for Cold Brew Coffee yields a strong, smooth and almost sweet-tasting cup of joe. Brewed over a period of hours, its flavour is mild, balanced and not acidic.

    Iced cold brew coffee in a glass.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    This recipe is really simple to make and uses only 2 ingredients.

    You can make a batch and keep it in the fridge for the week.

    Cold Brew Coffee is mild in flavour, which is great if you don't like the taste of bitter coffee.

    All you need is some time.

    What is cold brew coffee?

    First, cold brew refers to the process of cold extraction, which is a gentle and passive process that takes place over a period of time.

    Cold brew coffee is a concentrated coffee that is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water.

    Unlike traditional coffee brewing methods, cold brew is not heated at any point in time.

    Cold brew is typically stronger than drip coffee.

    What's the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?

    Cold brew is made with cool or room temperature water and left to steep over several hours in the fridge.

    Iced coffee can be made in minutes and is regular drip (hot) coffee with lots of ice.

    Cold brew has a mellow, less acidic and less bitter flavour.

    Iced coffee can taste more bitter and acidic.

    Pouring milk into a jar of cold brew coffee.

    What is espresso?

    Espresso is a type of coffee that contains more coffee grounds to water than regular coffee.

    More particularly, espresso uses high-pressure to extract the coffee shot, which is more concentrated.

    Ingredients you'll need

    • coarse ground coffee beans: you can use any coffee beans that you enjoy
    • filtered cool or room temperature water: don't use hot water for this application

    Glass of iced coffee with creamer on the side.
    How to make it

    Add the ground coffee to a clean, tall mason jar (3 cup capacity).

    Cover with cool, filtered water.

    Give it a stir and cover with a lid.

    Place into the fridge overnight, or at least 12 hours.

    The next day, the coffee grounds will have floated to the top.

    Line a funnel with a coffee filter and strain the cold brew into another clean glass jar.

    If you prefer a very clean coffee, you can filter it over a sieve a second time.

    Discard the coffee grounds or add them to your compost bin.

    Enjoy over ice or with milk of your choice.

    Remember: cold brew is more concentrated than regular coffee, so you don't need as much.

    How to store

    Store the Cold Brew Coffee or Espresso in a clean airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

    You can also pour the coffee directly into ice cube trays and freeze them.

    How to serve

    For the purist, serve it on ice for a clean and refreshing morning coffee.

    Try infusing the brew with other flavours, such as Pandan Cold Brew Coffee.

    Feel free to add milk, creamer, or sweetener to your taste.

    Use it in iced or cold coffee recipes.

    Try it in Iced Doppio Espresso with Oat Milk (Starbucks Copycat) or Iced Brown Sugar Oat Espresso (Starbucks Copycat).

    Milk dripping into a jar of iced coffee.

    FAQs and expert tips

    Does cold brew contain more caffeine than drip coffee?

    Even though cold brew is stronger, it actually contains less caffeine than drip coffee.

    Can I use espresso coffee beans to make cold brew?

    Yes, this is how I make my coffee.

    Can I use decaffeinated beans to make it?

    Yes, absolutely.

    How can I make it half-caf?

    For times that I want half-caf, I'll make one batch of decaf cold brew and one regular caf cold brew and mix the two.

    Can I make a larger batch?

    You sure can -- just ensure you've got a large enough jar/vessel.

    Coffee ground particles in my drink

    Use a fine coffee filter over a sieve to eliminate coffee ground particles in the cold brew.

    If you prefer, you can strain the coffee twice to ensure a cleaner brew.

    Can I use instant coffee powder?

    You could, but the flavour won't be the same as freshly ground coffee beans.

    Garden Tip

    If you have a garden, add the spent coffee grounds as fertilizer.

    Other recipes you may like

    Be sure to check out these coffee-based recipes:

    Pandan Cold Brew Coffee

    Homemade Matcha Espresso Fusion

    Iced Brown Sugar Oat Espresso (Starbucks Copycat)

    Iced Doppio Espresso with Oat Milk (Starbucks Copycat)

    Cà Phê Sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee)

    Yuenyueng (Hong Kong Coffee Tea Drink)

    Iced Honeycomb Lavender Latte

    Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!

    Cold brew coffee with a stainless steel straw on marble trivets.

     

    Print Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Cold Brew Coffee (Or Cold Brew Espresso)

    This recipe for Cold Brew Coffee yields a strong, smooth and almost sweet-tasting cup of joe. Brewed over a period of hours, its flavour is mild, balanced and not acidic.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Chilling Time8 hours hrs
    Total Time8 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
    Course: Breakfast, Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 2kcal
    Author: Michelle

    For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

    Ingredients

    For cold brew coffee:

    • 90 g freshly coarse ground coffee beans any roast you like
    • 500 ml cool or room temperature water

    For cold brew espresso:

    • 90 g freshly coarse ground espresso beans
    • 250 ml cool or room temperature water
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add the ground coffee to a clean, tall mason jar (3 cup capacity).
    • Cover with cool or room temperature filtered water.
    • Give it a stir and cover with a lid.
    • Place into the fridge overnight, or at least 12 hours.
    • The next day, the coffee grounds will have floated to the top.
    • Line a funnel with a coffee filter and strain the cold brew into another clean glass jar.
    • If you prefer a very clean coffee, you can filter it over a sieve a second time.
    • Discard the coffee grounds or add them to your compost bin.
    • Enjoy over ice or with milk of your choice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 2kcal | Sodium: 6mg | Calcium: 4mg

    The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

    Did you try this recipe?Mention @siftandsimmer or tag #siftandsimmer!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. David @ Spiced

      March 28, 2022 at 4:56 am

      5 stars
      Ah, I do enjoy a good cold-brew coffee on a warm day! We've made our own once or twice, but it's been years now. I totally want to try making cold-brew espresso now. Great post!!

      Reply
    2. Neil

      March 28, 2022 at 5:19 am

      5 stars
      An interesting and different way to enjoy coffee here Michelle. I'll maybe wait until the weather here is a bit warmer before trying.

      Reply
    3. Tasia ~ two sugar bugs

      March 28, 2022 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      Mmmmmmm, I do love a cold brew coffee! Especially when the warm weather finally returns. I need to try the cold brew espresso option.

      Reply
    4. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      March 28, 2022 at 4:39 pm

      With the weather heating up, it's the perfect time to brew up some cold brew!
      That was a great tip for straining "the coffee twice." I definitely need to give this a try.

      Reply
    5. Ben | Havocinthekitchen

      March 29, 2022 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      I've actually never tried cold brew coffee, also confusing the concept with other methods. So thank you for the detailed explanation - I'll need to give it a try now 🙂

      Reply
    6. Raymund | angsarap.net

      March 31, 2022 at 4:13 pm

      5 stars
      The only time I tried cold brew was when I was in Hawaii, it makes much sense there. I think I have a bit of time to make this at home before autumn.

      Reply

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