Cold-Pressed Coffee

I decided to do a small write-up on cold-pressed coffee because I use it from time to time in some of the raw recipes.  And I have to admit that I am beginning to enjoy a cup or two throughout the day.  :)

What is cold-pressed coffee?

Explained simply, cold brewed coffee is a coffee extract (or syrup) brewed using fresh ground coffee and cold water. The syrup can be used to make awesome iced-coffees… or added to hot water for a wonderfully smooth tasting hot drink.  There are many ways to use cold-brewed coffee. For a hot cup of coffee just add boiling water. Great for the office at the hot water dispenser. Like your coffee cold on a hot summer day? Add some cold water and frozen coffee cubes. Have a recipe that calls for coffee flavor? The low acidity of cold brewed coffee make it a perfect candidate for many baking recipes.  Cold brewed coffee is extremely easy, inexpensive, and uses no electricity.  The downfall… it required extra time up front.

Are there health benefits to drinking cold-pressed coffee?

Cold “brewing” your coffee decreases the natural acidity of coffee by 3/4, and it actually has less caffeine than it’s steaming hot counterparts.  This gives your digestive track quite a break, and it helps to keep your Ph levels in balance, yet is still smooth and rich in flavor.   Because of its low acidity, cold brewed coffee also offers a solution for the millions of coffee lovers who can’t drink coffee because they suffer from acid indigestion and elements of GERD. Many experts have suggested that low heat and a significant filtration system used during the coffee-making process can lessen cholesterol LDL levels.

So, does it taste different?

• It WILL change the taste of your coffee.  It will strongly concentrate those most volatile flavor elements.  If you are new to this concept, give it a try, if you don’t care for it don’t throw in the towel.  Try it again using a different coffee.  Different varieties will respond to cold brewing differently.
• Without all the acid, the burnt or bitter flavor that can plague hot-brewed coffee is eliminated. Plus, the reduced acid makes it healthier for your stomach and your teeth.
• Because of its low acidity, concentrated strength, smooth almost sweet taste, and the fact that it mixes cold, cold-brewed coffee concentrate also represents a superior ingredient in food recipes that call for instant coffee or coffee produced by hot brewing methods.   The coffee’s other flavors are also more readily detected.  Those undertones of chocolate, fruit, and nuts jump to the forefront.
• When drinking hot coffee the temperature changes the taste, but because cold-brewed coffee eliminates most of that temperature change, flavor is locked in.  In other words, your day-old cold-brew won’t taste stale like day-old coffee.
• The result: A bold, super-smooth coffee concentrate that can be served one cup at a time – steaming hot or ice-cold. Simply by adding hot or cold water or milk, one can choose the strength of coffee they want. And, refrigerated, cold brewed coffee concentrate is fresh for 14 days, so there is no waste – one drinks what one wants at any time.

When visiting my favorite coffee house, how do I order my coffee this way?

I don’t know about you but my husband and I really enjoy spending time at coffee shops.  The main reason being is because they have small tables and when Bob and I sit across from one another at a small table we have the most in-depth talks. :)  There is a Starbucks just around the corner from us and we frequent it on a regular basis.  We don’t do their coffee but we do love their tea.  Learning the lingo to order a tea has been quite the challenge. haha  But I will say that after a few years of putting in orders, I can speak their language.  “I will have a shaken, venti, passion ice tea, hold the water, old-school, no sweetener and light extra ice please.”  Luckily, asking for an iced-coffee isn’t so intensive.

It can be referred to in several different ways, you can ask for:

• Iced-coffee (this can be misleading though.  Hot coffee poured over ice, isn’t the same)
• Cold-brewed coffee
• Toddy

How to make your own cold brewed coffee:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of medium ground coffee (2 cups)
• 1/2 gallon of fresh, filtered water

Preparation:

1. I use a 1/2 gallon mason jar.  Dump in the coffee grounds and fill with water.  (Grind your own whole beans if you want, make it a medium coarse grind for better results, don’t use fine grind, it will take forever to filter!)  Place the lid on top and give it a shake.
2. Let it stand/brew for about 12 hours… or overnight.  I kept mine in the fridge.
3. Filter and/or sieve the liquid coffee extract using a fine filter to remove all residue of coffee grounds.
4. The extract is now ready to be stored in fridge for up two weeks or frozen for longer periods.  When reconstituted, it becomes a delicious, smooth-tasting, low-acid cup of coffee.
5. To prepare your drink, pour out a little syrup and add warm-hot water, about 1/4 syrup and 3/4 water.
6. Note: You may not actually need a purpose-built cold brew coffee maker such as the Toddy Coffee System, but they are certainly a wonderful convenience!  You can buy a set for doing cold processing at home from Filtron or you can use a French coffee press and simply use cold water and let sit for 24 hours.
7. You can add the “syrup” in steamed nut milks for espresso drinks, or with hot water for a regular cup of coffee.  Try adding in raw chocolate powder added to the steamed milk which makes a delicious mocha!
8. Don’t throw the grounds away! Read here as to what you can do with them!

    

Sings….The best part of waking up is…(Folger’s jingle)

For years I have been using this travel jar.  It works great!  All you need is 1 quart jar, plastic lid (sold in the canning section) drill a hole in the lid that matches your straw size and wa-la!

Posted on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 at 12:15 pm. Filed under: Beverages, Raw Techniques RSS 2.0 feed.