In the summer, when the temperature is just so, I instantly get a hankering for a good iced coffee. The operative word here is good! I like it smooth without the bitterness that a lot of iced coffees have. The bitterness comes from brewing the coffee with hot water, and here is the trick...you cold brew it. Of course, you should buy the best coffee you can and I am partial to fair trade, shade grown and organic. It is a little more expensive but well worth it. Also, this takes awhile to make so be patient! Here are my directions to make fabulous iced coffee.
Cold Brewed Iced Coffee
1/4 pound of your favorite coffee beans, ground fine
2 cups of cold water
Mix the water and the coffee together and let it steep for 8 to 12 hours (overnight works well).
Line a colander with a large coffee filter and drain into a bowl or container. (This part can be a little tricky finding just the right size colander and filter) It might take as long as an hour for it to drain completely but the wait is worth it. Now you have a coffee concentrate. Put the concentrate in a pitcher that holds one half gallon and add water to the half gallon mark. (You should have a total of about 8 cups) This will make about 4-12 ounce servings. I like mine with a touch of half and half.
4 comments:
oh YUM - wish I could come & have some with you! I love iced coffee (and iced tea). When you're steeping the coffee do you keep it refrigerated?
No, I just keep it on the counter in something with a lid on it. This is the recipe we used when we had the coffee shop in much bigger batches though. I can always tell is iced coffee has been made using hot water, it has a very bitter bite to it.
Maybe that's why I don't like hot coffee. I will try this because if it is not bitter then I'm sure I will like it. I'm a big tea drinker and I love the smell of coffee brewing, but the bitterness is what turns me off. Thanks for this recipe Susan.
Hi,
I did not know about cold brewing, maybe that is why I am never happy with cold coffee. I will have to try this method and see how it goes!! I have to say I am partial to blended coffee drinks: coffee, skim milk, natural sugar (the dark stuff), and just a bit of chocolate. This is not at all how I take my cappucino's. I like the real stuff then, none of the other sweet stuff thrown in, but the coffee shakes, ymmmmmm!
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