So you’re still stuck at home with zero chances of scoring a nice cold brew from your favorite hipster cafe. Never fear. Your friends at Bean & Barley will have you cold brewing like a mad scientist in no time.
The cold brew is so simple you can virtually prepare it with anything. Don’t believe us? Read on and find out how you can hack your way to your favorite hipster drink.
For the Fancy Folks: Using a 1 Liter Hario Cold Brewer
Ok, fancy pants. You think you’re too cool for school because you’ve got the specialized equipment. Bravo. Now people can’t witness you fail at cold brewing, can they? We’ll save you.
A note on design: since the brewer filter is on top of the pitcher, it’s impossible to make a cold brew concentrate using this method (trust us, we tried). But that’s ok, we’re not picky. Here’s a simple guide you can follow.
Recipe
Coffee: 100g (coarse grind - coarser than French press)
Water: 1 to 1.1L (room temperature)
*Add water to your heart’s delight as long as the water doesn’t spill over from the pitcher.
Steps
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Measure 100g coarse grind coffee and place into the cold brew filter basket.
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Measure 1 Liter room temperature filtered water and pour into jug.
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Drop filter into jug. Check if coffee grounds are completely immersed in water. Slowly add water as needed.
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Steep for 8 hours, or longer if you’re an alpha. We know you are.
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Remove filter and discard coffee grounds. Make sure you squeeze out the filter and grounds—cold brew should never be wasted. It is known.
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Chill cold brew. You chill too.
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Enjoy your fancy cold brew like a true hipster. What’s a hipster? That’s for another day.
For The Practical People: Using a French Press
So you’ve figured out that you could probably use your French press to prepare cold brew. Because why pay for another piece of equipment when you have something that can do an equally excellent job? Smart. We like you.
Remember that preparation may vary depending on the size of your French press, but here’s a quick guide you can follow.
Recipe
Use a 1:6 to 1:10 coffee to water ratio, depending on your taste. You learned math specifically for this moment, so don’t fail us now.
Example at 1:6 Ratio
Coffee: 50g (coarse grind - coarser than French press)
Water: 300 ml
Steps
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Measure 50g coffee and place into French press.
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Add 300ml water. Agitate. The mixture, not your friends.
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Put French press cover and steep for 8 hours. Or more, it’s totally up to you. But whatever you decide, refrain from pressing the plunger.
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Press the plunger and pour cold brew coffee into your glass. Add ice if desired.
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Take a sip of your wonderful brew and pat yourself on your practical back. You nailed it.
For The Desperate Daredevils: Using a Dripper
So, it has come to this. You drink nothing but cold brew, and now you desperately need it. However, you have nothing that resembles proper equipment for cold brewing, except for the dripper and paper filter you never used. What good are they for cold brewing?
Hold on, they might actually just work. Your will is clearly stronger than the last bottled cold brew you had a month ago. You are our people, and we will help you. Let’s get to work.
Recipe
Use 1:4 to 1:10 coffee to water ratio, depending on your taste. Again, math is key. You got this, daredevil.
Example at 1:4 Ratio
Coffee: 100g (coarse grind - coarser than French press)
Water: 400 ml
Steps
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Find a pitcher, jug, or any container you can steep coffee in. You must have one at home. Let’s name this container George.
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Find another container, one that’s big enough to hold the dripper on top, and accommodate the cold brew volume. Cold brew will be filtered and poured into this container, which shall now be known as Ferdie.
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Measure 100g coffee into George.
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Add 400 ml water. Agitate. Stir, swirl, or shake—have fun!
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Cover jug & steep for 8 hours. Or more. We’ve discussed this.
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Filter out coffee grounds using the dripper (with filter paper, of course) into Ferdie. You won’t be able to pour everything through the dripper in one go, so patience will play a key role here. Note: if the cold brew refuses to go through the filter, this means your grind is too fine. This also means you are doomed. Sorry, Ferdie.
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Chill cold brew. Wait a while.
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Drink up and celebrate the fact that you were able to pull this off. A true legend.
Parting Words
We provided a guide, but we do recommend playing with the ratios to find the taste that’s right for you. Some swear by 8-hour cold brew while others go 24 hours or more. The best cold brew is the one that brings joy to your caffeine-deprived heart. Never forget.
Bonus Life Hack: some people who would rather not be named are known to microwave (WHAT) their cold brew in the morning when they want something hot and fast. As always, we let people do their thing. And if you decide to try it, we won’t judge. But let us know what you think of it.
Need coffee and home brewing equipment to play around with? Drop by our store today. We got you.
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