Grinding Beans for Cold Brew

[BigFoot]

I have found a small coffee shop in downtown Carrollton TX not far from where I live. It's called Lemma Roasters and they also ship. They usually have 4 or 5 beans in rotation and only buy from small farmers. Usually a mix of South America and Africa. Last week I bought two bags of Roberto Gonzales from Honduras. The flavor profile is advertised as Floral, Sweet, Chocolate. I brewed a pot of drip and it was good but I really did not detect the flavor profile. Next I switched over to a course grind and made a pitcher of cold brew. Oh my gosh that was good. To me they are spot on with that flavor profile. I have found my favorite cold brew beans.

 

[strop]

Scott, what is your procedure for cold brew? My only experience in the past was dumping ice in leftover morning coffee!

I recently had some real cold brew and would like to try it at home. Much better than I ever imagined it could be.

 

[Ad Astra]

The store-bought cold brews seem $$ to me; making your own seems to be the way to go ...


AA

 

[BigFoot]

Scott, what is your procedure for cold brew? My only experience in the past was dumping ice in leftover morning coffee!

I recently had some real cold brew and would like to try it at home. Much better than I ever imagined it could be.

The way I make it is to coarse grind my beans. You do have to play around with coffee to water ratio. I believe my grinder is set on 8 cups and I use 24 oz of water. I just dump the ground up beans in a pitcher of water and let it steep for about 12 hours in the refridge. I them pour it through a strainer taken from my coffee pot and drink.

 

[KW Driver]

I've done, and friends do a 24hr steep. course ground, in a 1 quart/liter mason jar, tighten the lid. give it a shake/swirl when I'm in the fridge. strain and drink, as said.

icing hot brewed will just water it down.

I've also done a hot brew and moved it to a fridge to chill in a sealed container. I've done coffee and chai that way.

 

[hairless wonder]

I do my cold brew a little differently. I pour my commercial grinds in the bottom of my French press, add water, and the press down on the plunger. I let this steep in the fridge for 24 hours.

 

[DrStrange]

I have found a small coffee shop in downtown Carrollton TX not far from where I live. It's called Lemma Roasters and they also ship. They usually have 4 or 5 beans in rotation and only buy from small farmers. Usually a mix of South America and Africa. Last week I bought two bags of Roberto Gonzales from Honduras. The flavor profile is advertised as Floral, Sweet, Chocolate. I brewed a pot of drip and it was good but I really did not detect the flavor profile. Next I switched over to a course grind and made a pitcher of cold brew. Oh my gosh that was good. To me they are spot on with that flavor profile. I have found my favorite cold brew beans.

I toured some coffee plantations in Guatemala
and the tour guide told us that the buyers
always test the coffee cold.
Most coffee tastes good hot, but only good coffee tastes good cold.

Kind of the opposite as for beer.

 

[Ad Astra]

Have my first "pot" full of cold coffee brewing/chilling/aging in the fridge for 24 hrs ... definitely curious about this.

Gonna stain my ice tea pitcher!


AA

 

[Ad Astra]

My first try was a weak and watery brew; yuck.

Then, it was impossible to filter! Used my tea filter, too fine. Used paper coffee filters, also super slow-moving.

Trying again tomorrow: 4 oz coffee, 16 oz water, 24 hours.


AA

 

[Ad Astra]

That is. 4 oz coffee by volume, not weight. It's supposed to be a 4:1 ratio.


AA

 

[Ad Astra]

I do my cold brew a little differently. I pour my commercial grinds in the bottom of my French press, add water, and the press down on the plunger. I let this steep in the fridge for 24 hours.

Using a French press also, but letting the 4:1 sludge circulate freely until morning.... Then we'll press down the plunger/filter.


AA

 

[hairless wonder]

Using a French press also, but letting the 4:1 sludge circulate freely until morning.... Then we'll press down the plunger/filter.


AA

That's how i did it initially, as well. It was fine when I kept my press on the counter, but it was too tall for my refrigerator. TBH, I'm not sure I can detect a difference in quality/taste between pressed early vs pressed late. I'm sure there is some, I just can't detect it.

 

[Ad Astra]

That's how i did it initially, as well. It was fine when I kept my press on the counter, but it was too tall for my refrigerator. TBH, I'm not sure I can detect a difference in quality/taste between pressed early vs pressed late. I'm sure there is some, I just can't detect it.

It IS too tall for mine too!

AA

 

[Dnallehekaj]

When I do cold brew in a French press, I cover the top with plastic wrap and leave the plunger out until it's plunge time.

 

[Ad Astra]

The experiment went badly.

The cold coffee was ok, but when I went to throw the sludge out over the deck, the carafe came flying out with it ... the tinkle of a thousand bits of broken glass rang merrily in the brightly-caffeinated morning.

Why don't they warn you; "French Press Carafe not firmly attached in metal cage. Discard sludge with caution..."?

Sticking with espresso.


AA

 

[jdp93]

I recommend the Hario cold brew pitcher. Easy peasy and makes great tasting coffee every time.

"Mizudashi" (Cold Brew) Coffee Maker

The Mizudashi Coffee Maker offers a simple method for making cold brewed coffee at home. Simply add ground coffee to the fine mesh basket, add water and leave in the refrigerator to brew. This pot also has a removable filter, making cleaning easy. Grind coffee coarse for a lighter more...

www.hario-usa.com

 

[Dnallehekaj]

I've broken many a French Press, but only once by throwing out the carafe like that. Very frustrating, and there should be a warning somewhere for sure. They don't all just slide out like that...

If I didn't love the brew method so much, I'd have moved on!

 

[KW Driver]

uh... if you're getting the ratio right, why not transition to a steel/ABP-free plastic carafe? I ever break this glass press, I'll go more robust. but it's for company, and that's rare.

 

[hairless wonder]

uh... if you're getting the ratio right, why not transition to a steel/ABP-free plastic carafe? I ever break this glass press, I'll go more robust. but it's for company, and that's rare.

I didn't know steel French brew carafes existed until after a buddy told me some time after I bought my glass one. I'm also planning to go the steel carafe route should I ever break my glass one.

 

[T Murphy]

I recommend the Hario cold brew pitcher. Easy peasy and makes great tasting coffee every time.

"Mizudashi" (Cold Brew) Coffee Maker

The Mizudashi Coffee Maker offers a simple method for making cold brewed coffee at home. Simply add ground coffee to the fine mesh basket, add water and leave in the refrigerator to brew. This pot also has a removable filter, making cleaning easy. Grind coffee coarse for a lighter more...

www.hario-usa.com

I don't know what I would do without my Hario Mizudashis. I have 4 and all 4 are in rotation. So simple fill course ground coffee, fill with tap water, let it soak 16-24 hours. Those 2 go into the fridge. Repeat. I don't add any water to my cold brew. Make cold brew ice cubes out of any unused. Go through two a day.