Preparation
As temperatures rise, many regular coffee drinkers are beginning to add ice to their morning cup of joe. But for those willing to spend a little more time preparing their morning java, making homemade cold brew can produce a smoother tasting iced coffee. What’s more, making cold brew at home is actually not that much more difficult than brewing regular coffee—it’s just a little time consuming, but that time is mostly hands-off. Once you add water to your coffee grounds, it’s just a waiting game (usually about 12 to 24 hours, although there are a few shortcuts). Most coffee drinkers find that cold brew is more flavorful and less bitter and acidic, and that’s because the coffee beans aren’t exposed to heat at all. You may even find you need less sugar when drinking cold brew. One more bonus: It stays fresh for a couple of weeks in the fridge, so you can make a large batch and enjoy it for days on end. Just remember that cold brew has a higher caffeine content than hot coffee.
If you want to start making cold brew at home, you’ll need a few tools. First and foremost, you’ll want to invest in some form of cold brew coffee maker. There are two different types readily available: ones that steep and ones that drip. You can use anything from a simple mason jar to a French press to a more complicated drip mechanism, but most are of the set-it-and-forget-it type. And while most cold brew makers are manual, there are a few electric versions out there that can make a cold brew in 30 minutes or less.
Whichever you choose, you’ll be entering a world of caffeinated summertime bliss.
Best Budget-Friendly Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee MakerBest Automatic Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Cuisinart DCB-10 Automatic Cold Brew CoffeemakerBest Drip Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Bruer Cold Brew Coffee MakerBest No-Hassle Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Country Line Kitchen Durable Cold Brew Mason Jar Coffee MakerMost Versatile Cold Brew Coffee Maker: VacOne Air Brewer Hot Coffee and Cold Brew Maker in One
