This is the shizzle.
‘Cold brew’. I know I know, it sounds a bit hip. Which is probably why I’ve noticed a thing for swigging cold brew coffee straight out of brown glass bottles in the morning round Shoreditch. Oooh you guys are so cool, drinking what looks like beer pre 11am. Nathan Barley eat your heart out.
But despite its name and pretensions, it turns out this cold brewing business has a lot going for it...
- It’s the way to make great tasting iced coffee — not taking a machine coffee and sticking a load of ice in it, which just tastes rough.
- It’s low tech, no fancy gadgets or equipment required.
- It keeps well for days so you can make a big batch and not be caught short.
- It’s got some poke. It might be cold brew but it’s got just as much caffeine as your usual — so go steady unless you’re in need of a rocket up there.
Mix the coffee with water and leave it to sit in the fridge overnight, then you can then either use a French press or strain the liquor through a fine sieve and muslin. And when you want to drink it, pimp and personalise it to your liking with syrups and creams. But whatever you do, just make sure you drink it out of a glass.
For a fair few iced brews
- 300g ground coffee
- 650ml cold water
To serve
- Condensed milk
- Ice
Method
- In a large tupperware box combine the water and coffee and stir thoroughly. Put in the fridge and leave for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
- The next day, either pour the mixture in to a french press and press, or strain through a fine sieve lined with a couple of sheets of muslin, then decant the liquor in to a jar and use as required.
- Serve as I have here, with a couple of fingers of coffee in a glass topped with condensed milk and ice. Oooh.