Summer's 'Hottest' New Drink: Cold-Brew

Posted by The Gourmet Box on March 16, 2017

If you are from Mumbai, you know that our Summers are brutal. With the onset of summer, we were on a look-out for a perfect drink that can keep us cool this season. And we found one - Cold-Brew!

Cold-Brew is the cooler and younger sibling of Cold-coffee. We have been having cold coffee all these years so what is the difference between the two? The difference in flavor between the two methods is immense. However, the far gentler infusion process of cold-brew produces a drink of lower acidity, which is why it is naturally sweeter. It can also be served over ice without such extreme dilution because it’s already cold. For these reasons, cold brewing is generally regarded as a better method for producing cold coffee.

Other reasons like it being less watery, less acidic, and more caffeinated has made Cold-brew 'The summer drink'.

Cafes around the world have caught on to this trend. But they can be expensive to buy every day. Don't worry because we have a perfect solution for this - make it at home!! It is super simple and you don't need any fancy appliances.

How to make cold-brew coffee at home?

Coarsely grind the beans in a coffee grinder or simple mixer - you are looking for roughly the same consistency as breadcrumbs. Any finer and you risk cloudy, grimy-tasting coffee. You can also use already ground coffee but make sure it is coarse and not fine.
Take a large mason jar. Working to roughly a 1:8 coffee-to-water ratio, place your grounds in the bottom of the jar, and cover with cold water. Stir gently until well combined, then cover and leave to steep for 18-24 hours, either in or out of the fridge.
When brewed, strain into a large bowl through a sieve to remove the larger grounds. Discard these, and then, tucking either your muslin or cheesecloth into the cleaning sieve, strain back into the jar.
Repeat two or three times, until you are seeing no murky residue at the bottom as you finish your pour. If you cannot seem to sift it all out, don’t worry – it simply means your grind was too fine.
Serve over ice, with milk and sugar, if that’s your thing. Cover and refrigerate the rest – the wonderful thing about this stuff is that, if stored properly, it will stay good for a month or so due to the brew’s low acidity.

Home-chefs, food-bloggers, cafes, and restaurants around the world have come up with some fabulously delicious recipes that take this summer drink to another level. Here are a few of our favorite cold-brew recipes that you can try at home:

Toasted Coconut & Rum Iced Cold-Brew