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Cold-Pressed Coffee

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cold-pressed-coffee-with-almond-milk– raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free –

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.  I have to admit that I am beginning to enjoy a cup or two every once in a while.

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, add boiling water. Perfect 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 makes it a perfect candidate for many baking recipes.  Cold-brewed coffee is incredibly easy, inexpensive, and uses no electricity.  The downfall is that it required extra time upfront.

Health benefits of cold-pressed coffee?

Cold “brewing” your coffee decreases the natural acidity of coffee by 3/4, and it actually has less caffeine than its steaming hot counterparts.  The beauty of this is that it 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 on 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.

Due to 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, the 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. Only by adding hot or cold water or milk one can choose the strength of coffee they want. And, the 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?

talking-over-coffe-at-a-coffee-shop

 

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 regularly.  We don’t drink 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 extra light 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:

How to make your own cold-brewed coffee:

Ingredients:

Yields 5 cups coffee

Preparation:

Soaking process:

  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 a 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.

Filtering process:

  1. First, pour the coffee through a fine-mesh nut milk bag, remove to remove the bulk of the coffee grounds.
  2. Place a non-bleached coffee filter inside of a stainless steel mesh colander that is positioned over a bowl.
  3. Pour the coffee into the filter to remove all residue (sludge) of coffee grounds.
    • The filter will only hold so much coffee at one time, so you will need to do this in stages.
    • Every time the coffee goes through the filter, change the filter to a new one.  The coffee “Sludge” starts to build upon the filter, which slows the coffee down from passing through.

Ready to use:

  1. The extract is now available to be stored in the fridge for up two weeks or frozen for more extended periods.  When reconstituted, it becomes a delicious, smooth-tasting, low-acid cup of coffee.
  2. To prepare your drink, pour out a little syrup and add warm-hot water, about 1/4 syrup, and 3/4 water.
  3. Note: You may not need a purpose-built cold brew coffee maker such as the Toddy Coffee System, but they are certainly an incredible convenience!  You can buy a set for doing cold processing at home from Filtron, or you can use a French coffee press and use cold water and let sit for 24 hours.
  4. You can add the “syrup” in steamed nut milks for espresso drinks, or with hot water for a regular cup of coffee.  Try adding raw chocolate powder added to the steamed milk, which makes a delicious mocha!
  5. Don’t throw the grounds away! Read here as to what you can do with them!

 

33 thoughts on “Cold-Pressed Coffee

  1. Chris says:

    How do you make it iced-coffe? Do you just pour syrup over ice?

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Chris,

      Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I was sitting in the sun enjoying my iced-coffee. hehe The “syrup” made from cold-pressing it is measured out according to your taste buds; do you like it strong or weak? etc. To make my iced-coffee all I do is take my quart mason jar, put in 6 Tbsp of cold brewed coffee, add ice and my stevia sweetener. I put the lid on and shake it. Perfect’o! Some people like to add a milk product to it giving it that creamy taste so you could do that…I have done that before with nut milk and it works just fine and dandy.

      Have a great day! amie sue

      • Chris says:

        First, it brings me joy to know that you were enjoying the sun. Few people actually take time to enjoy these days (I need to remind myself as well).
        Second, thanks for the advice. I like my coffee strong and I do not add milk, just stevia. Think 6 Tablespoons of concentrate is good for strong coffee? I really like the clover brewed coffee from the coffee shop, but it is way too expensive. I am hoping this will be comparable :) I love the health benefits, too! And I can use organic, fair-trade cofffee.
        Thanks for all of your help!!!

        • amie-sue says:

          Good afternoon Chris,

          You will need to decide what is a strong coffee for you. That is the beauty of using this cold-brew “syrup” because you are able to control the strength of each cup that you make. STRONG coffee to me, makes my hair stand on end. haha But what is strong to me, may not be to you. I hope you try it and let me know what you think. I always share in these recipes that your dish only turns out as good as the ingredients are (quality = flavor / nutrients)… so the same goes here. Using a good coffee will make a difference.

          Have a blessed day Chris. amie sue

          • Chris says:

            I have been drinking the coffee daily, and I LOVE it!!!!! It is the best “Iced” now I know the true terminology–cold-brew–coffee ever! Way better than Starbuck’s! It is incredibly easy, too. I was disappointed when my Keurig stopped working (I only liked it because of its no mess) and I was not thrilled by the mess of the percolator. Now, I use the French Press to make cold-brew. There is nothing that even comes close to it! Thank you, Amie Sue!!!!!!!!!!! God Bless!!!

            • amie-sue says:

              You are more than welcome Chris. I so agree with you about how good it is! I find it very hard now to ever order it when we are traveling. In fact I no longer do. We just traveled for a week to Oregon and I took a nut milk bag (tight holed mess bag), and my special ground coffee that I do at home. The condo we stayed in had a blender so I did the “soak” in the canister. I then just strained it through the nut bag and I had perfect cold-pressed coffee for the week. So simple! So happy that you are enjoying it. Have a great weekend, amie sue

  2. Suepernova says:

    Thanks for the great info. Love the travel jar idea too !

  3. Sherry says:

    I’m such a coffee addict and have been trying to find ways to cut down on the acidity. Love the recipe! Just tucked a mason jar full of french roast in the frig. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks Amie Sue!

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Sherry,

      I hope this helps you out and you enjoy it! I know I sure do. I never grew up being a coffee drinker but my loving husband got me hooked to a water downed espresso (not due to flavor but more tradition) I FOUND a way to drink it just because I love our special time and ritual of it in the mornings. Now, I feel so much better drinking it this way. Keep me posted. Have a happy day, amie sue

  4. Josh SM says:

    What do I do with the leftover ground!? The link is dead.

    Btw, LOVE your site.

    -Josh

  5. Suz says:

    This may be the best idea I’ve ever read. Next to the the epidural and electricity, I’m pretty happy with this. I’m making the change to raw because I have Lupus and eating raw completely takes away my pain without pain killers (among tons of other benefits). All of my friends are coffee drinkers and I’ve been feeling sad about saying goodbye to coffee. It makes me so sick when I drink it. I’m going to try your recipe and see how it goes. I’m so excited!

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Suz,
      Epidural? hehe You cracked me up. :) I am sorry to hear that you have Lupus but so glad that you found a way to help ease the pain through glorious foods! I never grew up being a coffee drinker, but in the last year I share a cup in the morning with my husband. He makes himself an espresso and I have an iced cold-pressed coffee. I really love it. I can’t handle the hard core stuff, it sends my head a spinning. This process is very gentle and smooth. I hope you can enjoy it to. Keep me posted. Blessings, amie sue

  6. Solomon says:

    Coffee is a gift from the gods like beer and wine. But as with any such gift it must be revered and appreciated and one must not give in to gluttony and unconscious consumption. Like the slow-food movement one can take the time to brew coffee, smell it and appreciate the taste and the enlivening effects. All these factors make coffee an aid to contemplation and enjoyment. Here’s to you all coffee drinkers!

  7. Amanda says:

    Question about the difference in using the mason Jar to create the cold pressed coffee and the French Press.
    What is the difference in using the Mason Jar 12 hrs and the French Press for 24 hrs?

    BTW Loving ur site, super simple and not overwhelming at all. Visually appealing. I am a very visual learner and if a site is to busy I cant pay attention. I have been super overwhelmed with my new lifestyle change in food due to allergies and I am really enjoying ur site. Thank U.

    • amie-sue says:

      You can use a French press Amanda. I just offered up a way that didn’t require special equipment. :)

      I understand how challenging it is to live with allergies, if I can support you in any way please don’t hesitate to ask. amie sue

  8. Amanda says:

    Cool Beans! I wasnt sure what the difference was cuz the timing was different. LOL i have a french press but I do not have mason jars. So Use the french press cept with cold water and place in fridge for 24hrs?

    Thank u so much!!! :)

    • amie-sue says:

      Yep, that ought to work just fine. :) You will have to see if the French press filters it enough. I haven’t tried. I use a nut bag to strain the grounds, leaving a smooth coffee concentrate.

  9. Amanda says:

    Ok i c, sounds good. :) Thank u so very much

  10. Ruth says:

    Love Love Love this coffee!!! Been using it for a few weeks now and can’t get enough of it! Hubby likes it too and even has it black sometimes – this is very shocking :) We use our home made almond milk and raw honey to sweeten and I am in heaven :) Thanks Aimie-Sue :)

    • amie-sue says:

      That is great to hear Ruth. I do love it too… hot or cold and with stevia. It’s my morning ritual with my husband as we snuggle up on the couch… sipping our coffee and cuddling. Good way to start my day. Blessings! amie sue

  11. anne marie says:

    Hey! Just a little fyi: coffee beans that you buy in the store are already roasted: Not Raw.

    Best!

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Anne…yes, I am aware that coffee is not a raw product. The reason for making it this way is to cut down the acidity. :) It’s for those who still have a cup or 2. Have a wonderful weekend. amie sue

  12. Terry says:

    This coffee is purely exquisite! Smoooooooooooooooooth! So delighted to be able to make such a low acid rich brew. We are so pleased. I love being able to personalize each cup in strength.

    Just discovered your site. Was looking up raw and fermented, etc. Found you. Yay!! I’ll definitely be **back**!!

    THANK YOU

    • amie-sue says:

      Welcome Terry! So glad that you stumbled upon my site. I hope it brings you as much excitement as this coffee recipe has. hehe I enjoy this coffee from time to time as well. Very smooth, as you mentioned. lol Many blessings Terry… amie sue

  13. Petra says:

    Hi, I am going to make ur tiramisu, and u write there I can use espresso coffe, is the process of making this “syrup” the same just with omitting the filtering process? Will it be the same strength?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Petra,

      I am sorry that it took me a bit to respond to you. I have been on a “walk about” for the past 6 weeks (see blog posting). I am not fully integrating back into things but I wanted to start tackling some of the questions that have been collecting. :) All that to say, I appreciate your patience with me. :)

      No, you will still want to filter the cold-pressed coffee to remove the grit. The recipe for the coffee creates a concentrate much like an espresso. I hope this helps, amie sue :)

  14. NEWu says:

    THANKS Amie Sue for the information here. I bought cold brew coffee to use at home and I LOVE IT! I will make my own soon and I can do it with confidence since you have great instructions. I believe it will save me money too since cold brew is expensive to buy. What a wonderful cold summer treat!

    • amie-sue says:

      You are so welcome. I have been a huge fan of cold-pressed coffee for some time now. I do hope you give the recipe a try. It’s really easy to make and yes… less expensive. When I have it, I love blending it with almond milk, and a squirt of stevia. How do you enjoy yours? Blessings :) amie sue

      • NEWu says:

        I like stevia and almond milk too…I really love Hazelnut coffee creamer but it isn’t good for me. Can you make a Hazelnut coffee creamer that is really good and healthy? Thanks a bunch.

        • amie-sue says:

          Good morning NEWu,

          Yes, I can work on that. I responded to your other recipe request with the following information… please do the same for this one. :) I appreciate it!

          For recipes requests, may I ask that you post them in the forum, (https://nouveauraw.com/community-discussion/forum/converting-cooked-raw-recipe-requets/)

          Read the bottom thread called “Criteria for converting recipes: please read” first then start a fresh request. I get a lot of requests and this is a way to keep them organized and in one spot so I don’t lose track of them.

          Have a blessed day. amie sue

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