Why drink cold brew? 5 easy steps to brew at home
There is nothing like a smooth cold brew on a warm summer day. The way the velvety, smooth, crisp taste touches your lips makes you feel ready for the day. But nothing ruins that feeling more than when you get a mouthful of a bitter coffee flavor from a poorly made cold brew. The goal of this blog is to give you helpful tips on how to create your own cold brew at home to taste the way it deserves to taste.
So why drink cold brew? Cold brew is a fantastic alternative to basic iced coffee. Iced coffee is typically brewed hot and then refrigerated, which could lead to a weird, bitter flavor in your drink making you feel like you need to add some cream or sugar. When a cold brew is made properly, you are not subjected to extreme temperature swings.
As a coffee lover who drinks his coffee black, I like to think that I know how coffee should taste. Depending on roast level, it should have a smooth, almost chocolate-like taste. On the lighter side of the roast, you will likely get hints of fruit or floral. On the darker side, you will get deeper tastes of dark chocolate, but coffee should never be “bitter”. There are different ways to make your cold brew without that bitter taste.
*FUN FACT: Cold brew is typically less acidic than hot coffee, leading to a more pleasant day on the tummy.
1. The amount of coffee. I personally like to use 16 scoops of coffee to half a gallon of water. I find that this ratio creates a strong but tasty cold brew. You can play with your ratios and find what is good for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Let's be real, you’re going to drink it anyways, so mine as well find the perfect mix!
2. I recommend using a dark (Chances Brew) or French roast (Killer Brew) for your cold brew. Of course, you can do whatever roast you would like for your cold brew, but there are benefits to using a darker roast. The darker the roast, the less acidic the coffee, which could help lessen the “bitter taste.”
3. Ensure your beans are ground “coarse”. Imagine grind size on a scale: 1 being extra fine and 10 being extra coarse. If it is too fine (3 to 5), it will extract that bitter taste right into your cold brew. But be cautious, if you grind your coffee extra coarse (9 or 10) then you will have to make-up for that in brew time to extract as much flavor as possible. I find the sweet spot to be around 7 to 8 on the scale for a great taste and extraction.
4. Steep your cold brew for 12 to 24 hours. Also, steep it in the fridge. I find that this way it stays cold and doesn’t move in temperature too much while steeping. A lot of people say to brew it at room temperature which I disagree with. You will get quicker extraction at room temp, but you risk contamination from bacteria or insects if left out for too long. A cold steep also slows down extraction and oxidation which gives you the C.T Jitters approved smoothness in your flavor.
5. I personally filter my cold brew through a paper filter after it is done brewing. The brewing container I use has a mesh filter, but I go one step further to remove any chance of murkiness or grounds that may have escaped the original filter process.
6. (Bonus) The cost savings! A cold brew at most coffee shops will run you anywhere between $4.50 to $8.00 depending on where you go! You buy a week’s worth of those, and you’re dropping $30 to $50 bucks easily. All you need to make your own smooth cold brew is a gallon of water, a bag of C.T. Jitters coffee, and a jug to make it in and boom; you have yourself a few days of cold brew pennies on the dollar.
Nothing is more disappointing than paying for a cold brew from Dunkins or Starbucks, taking a sip, and being thoroughly disappointed by the bitter nasty taste it puts in your mouth. I could be biased, but I believe that the way I make my cold brew provides you with the smoothest and strongest cold brew on the market. Try these tips to help you make your best cold brew and use C.T. Jitters Killer Brew in your next cold brew. Please let us know what you think by writing to us on any social platform!
Thank you,
Corey gray
