cold brewed

[threeplusfire]

Recently we acquired a grill and engaged the experiments of outdoor cooking. In order to better heat the coals, we needed a metal coffee can. Folgers no longer makes coffee in large metal cans so I ended up with a big can of HEB coffee grounds. It isn't the coffee I normally drink, so I wondered what I was going to do with a couple dozen ounces of coffee grounds. It is getting hot too, notwithstanding this morning's thunderstorms. So the experiments with iced coffee began. Now that I've acquired a large glass jar and determined the 3 to 1 ratio and overnight steeping works best, I think I can move through all that coffee easily.

Comments

[patashoqua]

I didn't know that one *could* cold-brew coffee. This seems like a useful life skill to have in case of the end of the world, etc. How does one go about it?

[threeplusfire]

It's actually pretty brilliant, because the resulting coffee is much less acidic that normally brewed coffee. All you need is a glass jar and a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. A french press pot is perfect for this. You measure out your coffee, and dump it in the jar, stir in the water until it is a sludgy mess and let sit anywhere from about 6 hours to 24 hours. Then you strain out the grounds and pour into cups or pitchers.

http://peaceableimperatrix.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/how-to-cold-brew-coffee/

That entry was the most useful one to me while reading up on the process. Though I find her ratio to be too weak for my hyper-caffeinated tastes. I use 1 cup ground coffee to 3 cups cold water, and make mine in a giant iced tea jar.