When the sun shines brighter and beach days are upon us, we reach for something cold and refreshing to sip.
If you're a fan of cold coffee, read on--we have three great options for enjoying it this summer.
1. Cold brew your own.
The simplest approach is to combine 8oz of coarsely-ground coffee with 32oz cold, filtered water in a Mason jar and let it steep on your counter for 18-24 hours. Then strain twice: first through a metal sieve, then again through a paper coffee filter. Dilute with water or milk to taste, or simply pour over ice if you like a more concentrated brew. Adjust the total brew time or the ratio of coffee : water to taste with future batches.
2. Try an iced pour over.
A little more patience and attention will earn you a lighter-bodied filter brew with more clarity of flavor and heightened nuance. Some call it a Japanese iced coffee; some call it flash iced. We just call it tasty! Here's how:
Replace half the water weight from your pour-over recipe with ice in whatever vessel you're brewing into. Grind the coffee a setting or two finer than usual, and pour the other half of the (200 degree) water slowly over the grounds, letting the concentrated brew drip directly onto the ice below, melting it immediately. Pour your finished brew over fresh ice and enjoy! You can even use this method with an automatic drip coffee pot--just be sure to weigh your coffee, water, and ice for best results.
[Example recipe for one serving: 15 g coffee / 125 g ice / 125 g water (200 degrees F)]
To find your own perfect recipe, tweak the coffee : water ratio, the steep time, the filter method, and try different amounts of cold water or milk to dilute the concentrate. The important thing is to keep notes, so you can dial it in perfectly and then repeat the best results!
3. Fill up a jar.
We offer refillable howlers and growlers in our Coffee Bar, ready for you to stock your fridge with ready-to-drink cold brewed coffee. Easy peasy, nothing to it.
Any way you accomplish it, cold brewing is an excellent way to enjoy your Higher Grounds coffee this summer.