Cold Brew Coffee
The perfect way to start your day, especially as the weather warms up!
Coffee.. we love it! It is a huge part of our culture and has become a big part of my life throughout the years.
I always thought it was so fun to go to a coffee shop and try and specialty coffee drink when my mom, sister, and I were out shopping. Or meeting up with some friends at a coffee shop to chat about work, family, and whatever else. There is just something about sitting in a coffee shop with a cup of coffee, catching up with family or friends that makes my heart warm.
When Kollin and I started dating, we enjoyed trying out new coffee shops near us or in our travels. It is so fun to try out seasonal drinks or even the tried and true latte at different places. This also grew my love of breakfast sandwiches, but that is a story for another day! We really have made this a fun little thing we do. Having kids has definitely paused our coffee shop dates but every so often, we get to sneak away and enjoy some freshly made coffee at a local shop or meet up with friends.
I typically get an iced drink of some sort. I love an iced latte made with oat milk, no flavoring needed, sometimes an extra shot needed. I will sometimes splurge and get a seasonal drink when we are trying a new coffee shop out. Maybe I should open my own coffee shop and roast my own coffee beans? Maybe? That sounds fun, right? I don't think Kollin would go for it. Maybe someday!
All of that to get to my favorite drink in the morning, cold brew! I don't know we can technically call this cold brew, but it does brew in the fridge, so I guess we can! It is so easy to make and gives me those coffee shop vibes right at home. I always have a big jar of it in the fridge. This method makes a concentrate so it also lasts a long time.
What you need to make Cold Brew
I use a Toddy system to make my cold brew. I am still on the hunt for a non-plastic way to make it, but just haven't found one that I love yet. This Toddy system really works great. The best part is that draining the brewed coffee is so easy and minimal mess. I find mine on Amazon.
With the Toddy, you will get a pad to strain the coffee as well as a plug to go on the bottom. You will also want to use a bag. You don't have to have a bag, but I really recommend it. The coffee brews the same and drains so easily. Without the bag, the coffee will brew really slowly and you can't get it all out sometimes.
The Toddy system is also great because the base of it fits perfectly in most pitchers for a lot less mess when draining the coffee from the grounds.
Then, you just need 12 ounces of whatever ground coffee you like! I have been using flavored, organic coffee from Thrive Market. But you can really use whatever you prefer. I also like Puroast coffee.
Benefits of Cold Brew Coffee
Not only is cold brew coffee a great way to start your day, but it also has some benefits opposed to brewed hot coffee.
- Less Acidic: Cold brew coffee, being brewed slowly at a low temperature, makes it less acidic. From my experience, hot coffee can sometimes make my stomach hurt, but cold brew doesn't seem to have that same effect on me.
- Control the Caffeine: This cold brew coffee method is easily controlled. When you drain your coffee from the grounds, you have a concentrate. This makes it so nice for you to control the amount of caffeine you are consuming. You can water the coffee down more, or make it stronger.
- Better Taste: I think cold brew coffee tastes a little smoother than hot coffee. It tastes less acidic but still has that nice smooth coffee taste.
- Customize: You can do so many different things with the coffee concentrate. Mixing it with milk will give it a latte taste. You can also play around with different flavored coffees. I love the Vanilla and Caramel ground coffee flavors from Thrive Market. You can also add maple syrup for a nice natural sweetener.
Explore more!
Cold Brew Coffee
The perfect way to start your summer morning! Homemade and lasts in the fridge for a few weeks!
- One Large Coffee Filter Bag (Toddy Brand is my favorite)
- 12 ounces ground coffee (your favorite)
- 64 ounces filtered water
- Insert the plug into the bottom of the Toddy system with the large end sticking out of the bottom and the smaller end going into the Toddy. Insert the pad into the larger whole in the Toddy (there are instructions for this in the box)!
- Wet the large coffee filter bag with warm water and place it in the Toddy. Pour the coffee grounds into the coffee filter bag, in the Toddy.
- Pour 64 ounces of water over the coffee grounds. You will want to do this slowly so the grounds are able to soak up the water. Stir the coffee grounds around after adding a half of the water to speed up the process.
- Let the coffee grounds brew in the fridge for 12-24 hours. The longer it sits, the stronger the coffee will be.
- Place the Toddy on top of the pitcher you plan to store the coffee in and pull the plug to let it drain into the pitcher.
- To make a cold brew coffee, add in about 4 ounces of water to a cup with ice. Top with about 4 ounces of cold brew, or however much you prefer. Add any cream or sweeteners and enjoy!
The Cold Brew will stay good in the fridge for a week or two!
Cold Brew Coffee
A great thing to have in the fridge at all times! Save yourself some money and make your favorite iced coffees at home!
- Large Coffee Filter Bag
- Toddy Cold Brew System
- 12 ounces ground coffee (your favorite)
- 64 ounces filtered water
- Insert the plug into the bottom of the Toddy system with the large end sticking out of the bottom and the smaller end going into the Toddy. Insert the pad into the larger whole in the Toddy (there are instructions for this in the box)!
- Wet the large coffee filter bag with warm water and place it in the Toddy. Pour the coffee grounds into the coffee filter bag, in the Toddy.
- Pour 64 ounces of water over the coffee grounds. You will want to do this slowly so the grounds are able to soak up the water. Stir the coffee grounds around after adding a half of the water to speed up the process.
- Let the coffee grounds brew in the fridge for 12-24 hours. The longer it sits, the stronger the coffee will be.
- Place the Toddy on top of the pitcher you plan to store the coffee in and pull the plug to let it drain into the pitcher.
- To make a cold brew coffee, add in about 4 ounces of water to a cup with ice. Top with about 4 ounces of cold brew, or however much you prefer. Add any cream or sweetners and enjoy!
- The cold brew coffee will stay good in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.