Homemade Cold Brew Coffee
Cold brew coffee is an amazing way to start out your morning or give you a mid-afternoon burst of energy. And it’s so simple to make at home, you won’t have to spend $5 or more on a single bottle at the store anymore! Even better, this recipe makes a big batch, enough to last you a few days (depending on how much caffeine you need for your days). Try it with some Homemade Almond Milk for a delicious start to your day!
Homemade Cold Brew Coffee’s Environmental Benefits
Making coffee at home (whether it’s traditional or cold brew) eliminates the need for single-use coffee cups, sleeves, straws, stirrers, sugar packets, and lids that would end up in a landfill
Buying coffee beans in bulk cuts down on the plastic packaging going into landfills or oceans, especially when using Reusable Bulk Bin Bags
Choosing fair trade and organic coffee beans can help fight against climate change and deforestation, supports sustainable farming practices, as well as providing support for local farming communities
Homemade Cold Brew Coffee
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 12-24 hoursMakes 8 cups
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup Whole Coffee Beans (or pre-ground if necesary)
- 4 cups Water
- 4 more cups Water (for hot coffee)
or- 4 cups Ice (for iced coffee)
Instructions:
1. GRIND: Take the whole coffee beans and put them in a coffee grinder, grinding them for only 10 seconds. This leaves the grounds coarser than typical ground coffee and works better for cold brew, but pre-ground beans work if a coffee grinder isn’t available.
2. SOAK: Transfer the coffee grounds to a reusable straining bag, and place the bag into a large jar or pitcher (a 1-quart mason jar is what we typically use, this size will make around 6 cups instead of 8). Then, add the first 4 cups of water to the container (or fill up the jar), and let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours for a stronger brew. Tip: We usually place a small dish underneath the jar when it is soaking, so that any drips coming off the straining bag will be caught.
3. DRINK: After soaking, remove the grounds and bag from the liquid. The coffee liquid in the container is fairly concentrated, and we recommend diluting it with another 4 cups of water before warming up and drinking if you prefer your coffee hot. Alternatively, you could pour the concentrate over ice instead of adding the extra water for a strong cup of iced cold brew.
Notes:
Got Leftovers?- Have leftover cold brew but not sure what to do with it? Freeze some in an ice cube tray to put into your iced coffee or smoothies, use it in a recipe for an extra coffee kick, or even give a little to your houseplants for a growing boost. Flavored Almond Milk- If you like your coffee and milk with special flavors, try out our regular or flavored almond milk to add a fun twist, or even try out your own new flavor combinations. Feed Your Plants- Used coffee grounds are a great fertilizer for your lovely houseplants or backyard garden plants. The grounds can be put straight on top of the plant's soil, or it can be mixed in if you're transplanting into a bigger container.
Did you make this recipe?
We love to see your pictures!
Tag @simple_ecology and hashtag it #simpleecology
© Simple Ecology