Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
I often enjoy cold brew coffee in summer. I bought an Oxo Cold Brew Coffee Maker one winter when it was on sale at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Before that, I used a nut milk bag in a jar. I like the Oxo and it gets high marks in many reviews, such as HomeGrounds or Wirecutter. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and makes a good brew.
The only downside to making your own cold brew coffee is that you must plan ahead. You can make hot coffee in a few minutes, but cold brew takes hours.
I have used this recipe for a number of years. It makes a smooth, less acidic coffee.
Ingredients
- 24 fl oz water
- 6 oz fresh coarsely ground coffee. Store-bought pre-ground coffee is too fine.
This will half-fill the Oxo jar. It yields about 16 fl oz (1 pt) of cold brew coffee. You can double the quantities in the Oxo, if you like.
Instructions
- Grind the coffee beans coarsely.
- Place the ground coffee in the Oxo jar.
- Pour water through the rain sprinkler top.
- Swirl gently to ensure that all coffee grounds are wet. (I once followed a recipe that called for vigorous stirring. Never again! The grounds absorbed so much more water that I only got half the yield.)
- Some people put the jar in the fridge at this point. I don’t bother.
- Wait for the coffee to brew! Some instructions say 12 to 24 hours. I usually wait 6–8 hours.
- Put the jar on the stand. First, make sure that the switch is closed.
- Place the flask under the stand. Push the switch down to release the brew.
- Let the cold brew coffee drain. This will take 10–15 minutes.
- Refrigerate the cold brew.
- Use the coffee grounds to turn hydrangeas blue or exfoliate your skin.
Adjustments
You can vary the ratio of coffee to water and how long you steep the mixture.
Drinks
- 2 fl oz of cold brew
- 6 fl oz milk
Fork in the Kitchen has some suggestions if you don’t have a coffee grinder or an Oxo maker.