Cold Brew Coffee: Learn All About It and How to Make The Perfect Brew with Hario

As we ease into the warmer months of the year, you’re probably craving an iced beverage to beat the heat. For all coffee lovers out there, a good old iced coffee may just be the way to go! But what happens if your iced coffee is too bitter or tastes like water? Well, a cold brew coffee is the perfect solution for this. Not only does this brewing method guarantees an icy cup to quench your thirst, but it also boasts a smooth and sweet-tasting coffee. In the cold brew method, the slow infusion allows the great pull of flavours from your coffee beans, along with a greater extraction of caffeine. With filtering also a part of the process, you can rest assured that all the compounds are removed -- this is what makes regular iced coffee bitter and sometimes, sour.  Fortunately, preparing a cold brew coffee is also an easy and time-saving task. Even if you’re not an expert or trained barista, you can make this coffee with just a few pieces of equipment at home, coffee beans and water.

Benefits of Cold Brew

• Sweet flavours

Unlike regular coffee whereby hot water extracts the bitterness from the coffee grounds, a cold brew method uses room temperature water to only soak the beans. Moreover, as all the compounds unwanted compounds are removed from the coffee, a cold brew is generally sweeter and less bitter than other coffee.

• Save money

With a cold brew, you can make a huge batch of coffee and store it in your fridge for a period of time. This means you’ll get to make multiple cups of coffee at once -- simply pour your cold brew, and add ice or cream to your liking. 

• Save time

Apart from getting multiple cups of coffee, brewing your coffee in a big batch also helps you to save time. Whether you’re rushing to catch the morning train or bus, your stash of coffee will be readily available in the fridge for consumption.

• Better health benefits

If you’re one of those coffee drinkers who may experience an upset stomach when drinking regular coffee, you can opt for cold brew instead. Due to the lower acidity, this type of coffee will be gentler on your stomach and it can help you to boost your immunity at the same time. 

How to Make a Cold Brew

• Grind coffee beans

The very first step to achieving a nice cup of cold brew is to grind your coffee beans. Typically, we’d recommend using a medium to coarse grind so that your coffee beans are not under or overly extracted. Using the Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Mini-Slim Plus, it is a great grinder for both beginners and pros. With a compact ceramic burr hand grinder and a newly designed handle, it is the perfect tool to get you started. Material-wise, ceramic burrs also transfer less heat and shave coffee beans instead of cracking them like blade grinders. With this process, you’ll also get a more consistent grind of coffee beans that can be used repeatedly if you’re making multiple batches of cold brew.

• Add water

The second step is to add water to your coffee grind. Transfer your grinds to a canister and add water in a ¼ coffee grinds to 1 cup of water ratio. Unlike regular coffee which uses hot water, you should always use room-temperature water to make your cold brew. Then, give your coffee grinds and water a good stir. For the container to store your coffee, choose the Hario Airtight Glass Canister with Olive Wood Lid -- a heatproof glass canister featuring a handcrafted natural olive wood lid. Not only is this canister heatproof, but it is also airtight and the wooden parts are made from natural olive wood.

• Steep the coffee

Once you have ensured that your lids are well secured, it’s time to let it steep. For a good cold brew, it is best to leave the coffee chilled in the refrigerator, for at least 12 hours. You can even leave it overnight for the best results. 

• Filter the coffee grinds

After steeping, it’s time to separate the coffee grinds and water. To do so, simply strain the coffee with a filter. You can either choose to use a conventional paper filter and cup for this process or use the Hario V60 Glass Decanter – Simply Hario Glass Coffee Maker. This compact coffee maker contains a dripper with a stainless steel double mesh filter to help you discard all the grinds effortlessly. The filter is also made from metal which allows you to savour your coffee with the perfect balance of the crisp flavour and the robust oils obtained from a metal filter. Besides using a cup or dripper for filtering, you can also create convenience with a coffee pot or bottle. For instance, simply pour your coffee into the Hario V60 MIZUDASHI Cold Brew Coffee Pot or the Hario V60 Cold Brew Filter-in Coffee Bottle. By adding coffee to the fine mesh baskets, you can serve your beverage straight away without disposing of the filter. For washing, the filters are also detachable which allows a quick rinse so you can prepare the next batch of cold brew. With these Hario V60 products, you’re actually also able to combine steps 2 to 4 altogether. Simply add ground coffee to the mesh strainers, pour water and leave in the refrigerator to brew. Once steeping is completed, you can easily take it out and serve. And if you’d like a stronger coffee, you can increase the steep time by leaving your coffee longer in the refrigerator. 

• Serve it chilled

And now, it’s time to serve your cold brew! Cold brew coffee is best served chilled, so add a few ice cubes and you’re good to go. There’s also an option to make hot coffee using your cold brew. All you have to do is add a small portion of water to dilute your coffee, warm it up, and serve it. But depending on your preference, you can switch it up even more with different ingredients.  For instance, if you enjoy creamy coffee, you can add milk to your cold brew in a 1-to-1 ratio of your coffee and milk. If you want a slightly diluted cold brew, you can also use the 1-to-1 ratio for coffee and water.  For the more adventurous, you can even transform your cold brew into a soda by adding a 2-to-1 ratio for coffee and Seltzer or Sprite. To top things off, pop a large scoop of vanilla ice cream on your cold brew and let it melt for a couple of minutes -- you’ll have the perfect affogato in no time!

Frequently-Asked-Questions on Cold Brew Coffee

• How long can you keep your cold brew coffee?

While cold brew coffee can be used in batches, they can only retain their fresh-brewed flavour for a maximum of 3 days when stored in the refrigerator. So after 3 days, you should probably make a new batch, otherwise, the coffee will become flavourless.

• Does filtered water make a difference?

While using plain water is fine, we’d recommend you to use filtered water as it gives your coffee a cleaner and sweet flavour.

• Is it necessary to steep for exactly 12 hours?

12 hours would be the general steeping guideline for a good cold brew, but you can go slightly shorter than this time period if you’re tight on time. But bear in mind that with sufficient steeping time, your coffee will have enough time to fully infuse with the water. Too little time for steeping may result in a weaker cup of coffee. And if you’re over-steeping for longer than 15 hours, you might end up with a very bitter coffee as the coffee grinds become over-extracted. So be mindful of the time you set aside for steeping and use your judgement based on the flavour or taste you’re going for. 

• Does grind size matter?

While cold brew is best created with medium to coarse grind, you’ll get a lighter and more delicate coffee if you use a much coarser grind. On the other end of the spectrum, you’ll get a stronger coffee if you use a much finer grind.

• What happens if I over-grind my coffee beans?

As mentioned previously, a grind too fine may give you a light coffee. But that’s not all… If your beans are too fine and grinded to a sandy or powdery texture, the coffee itself might become gritty and muddy as unwanted compounds are able to easily pass through your filters. Fine grinds are usually suited for drip coffee. For cold brew, you should opt for a cornmeal texture for your grinds instead.

• Is cold brew coffee the same as iced coffee?

Ice coffee, essentially, is regular coffee with ice. While regular coffee uses hot water during the drip or brewing process, cold brew, on the other hand, uses room temperature water. Cold brew also involves a long process of steeping to create the perfect coffee concentrate you need. With this unique concentration of coffee, it is also why cold brew allows you to create varying types of beverages such as creamy coffee, soda coffee, affogato and even hot coffee.