Cold Coffee Brewing Options
At this time of year everyone is looking for a cold coffee option to counter the hot summer days, but for most of us we've moved on from hot coffee being poured over ice or ice cream. So what are the other options?
Both cold drip and cold brew coffee have been growing in popularity both in Australia and the US in recent years. Both methods use cold water and time to get the best extraction from the coffee beans.
So what is cold drip coffee?
Cold drip coffee is made by dripping water through coarsely ground coffee. The brew has a unique flavour profile with low acidity and a soft, full bodied richness that gives the coffee a liqueur like mouth feel.
The Cold Bruer is a simple, effective and beautiful device, easy to use in the home. Made from Borosilicate glass, stainless steel and food-grade silicone, there are two parts to the Cold Bruer that fit together neatly. The top part holds coffee, water and the dripper valve and the lower vessel is a carafe to hold the finished brew.
Coffee is added to the lower part of the upper chamber and a paper Aeropress filter is placed on the grinds. The paper filter disperses the drips of water, making sure the water flows evenly throughout the coffee. Then the coffee is pre-wet with a small amount of brewing water. Next, the dripper valve is installed, set to closed, then water and ice are added. Now open the valve, set the drip rate, put on the lid and come back in 4 -6 hours.
We use our Mexican San Cristobal coffee beans for best flavour.
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold-brew is a super-slow method in which ground beans are steeped in cold water for anything between 12 and 24 hours, drawing out different flavours and reducing the acidity and the bitterness of the coffee.
The Hario cold brewer is great for it's ease to results ratio. Simply fill the mesh filter compartment with ground beans and pour cold water over the top so it drips down and fills the compartment below. We get best results leaving it for a full 24 hours; when you’re ready to serve, simply lift the central section out and pour.
We use the Brazil Mogiana coffee beans to get a really smooth flavour.
For a smooth, sweet brew with minimal effort, Hario’s offering easily comes out on top and is a cheap way to dabble. If you are into your coffee in a big way, the Bruer, while fiddly, satisfies on both flavour and geekery levels.