One corner of our kitchen is overflowing with clutter dedicated to coffee.
There’s the big, beaming beacon of light that is our Silvia Rancilio espresso machine. It takes up about half of the designated coffee counter space, takes a full moon cycle to heat through, and cost a good chunk of our wedding gift money. But it pulls one helluva shot.
Next to it, the Chemex. Behind that, a glass French press that we stole from Kevin’s parents. The counter above the coffee station is laden with a variety of mugs, travel cups with missing tops, rogue filters, awkwardly shaped pour-over cups that fit nowhere, a moka pot, and a few frothing pitchers.
Why do we need this abundance of coffee-making tools? Because coffee is a never ending world of possibility, and our preferred coffee moods change on a whim.
Cold and rainy outside? Kevin makes a piping hot Americano. Want to get that beloved jittery feeling before leaving for work in the morning? Pull a quick shot and add a dash of milk and sugar while getting ready. Feeling loving and want to make coffee for the boy before he wakes up? I’ll make a pour over for the both of us and forget how coarsely the beans should be ground, so it tastes a little off but it was made with love, sooooo…
Since the sunshine is here to stay and I’m starting to get that oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-breathe feeling when I get in my hot car at the end of the day, it’s time for cold brew coffee.
This stuff is easy to make, cheaper than what you’d find at a coffee shop, and STRONG. You start with coarsely ground beans and steep them overnight in cold water in the fridge. Once strained, you’re left with a sweet, smooth, cold brew coffee that goes down so fast you’ll drink through half of it before you’ve even left for work. And then you’ll shake for 3 hours from the abundance of caffeine.
Cold brew coffee is perfect for summertime, and it’s smoother and sweeter than coffee that has its oils and flavors extracted from piping hot water. Something something something about a different chemical profile is created from the cold water brew than the use of hot water. Whatever science is behind it, it’s delicious.
I made a simple syrup to sweeten it slightly and added a splash of whole milk to create the perfect, basic, sweet coffee pick me up. I would suggest making it in an industrial size, since one batch lasted me only 3 days.
Try making it with your favorite flavored coffee. Our local grocery store carries a Texas Pecan roast that is aaaaamaaazing as a cold brew. It’s worth all of the jitters you will inevitably get.
Cold Brew Coffee
Ingredients
For the coffee
- 1 1/4 cup coarsely ground coffee
- 3 cups cold water
For the simple syrup (optional)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Instructions
- In a large pitcher or container with a top, stir together the coffee and water. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours.
- After it has steeped, strain through a metal sieve lined with a coffee filter. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- For the simple syrup, combine the boiling water and the sugar. Stir vigorously until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the coffee over ice and add your desired amount of simple syrup and/or whole milk.
