Cold-brewed iced coffee | How About Orange

July 07, 2008

Cold-brewed iced coffee

On my desk today, and more attractive and tasty than the fly in the last post, is a yummy glass of iced coffee made with this recipe. My usual method for making iced coffee is to brew some super strong stuff in the drip coffee maker, dump in some sugar, let it cool, and keep it in the fridge. When I want to drink some, I pour half a glass and fill the rest with milk. But the recipe for this one doesn't involve any appliances whatsoever. My verdict: straining the grounds through a coffee filter takes a long time. (In the future I'm making it in a French press.) The resulting coffee has a slightly less acidic, smoother taste. It's really good. (Oh, and I didn't add more water to the concentrated mixture like the recipe instructs. I just added milk. Creamier! And supports the dairy industry!)

By the way, if you want to know how much coffee you can get away with before it's fatal, see here.

63 comments:

Brie said...

This summer I've become completely addicted to iced coffee. Texas summer is WAY too much for regular coffee. lol Thanks for posting this! :) I'm definitely not alone.

Grandma G said...

That looks delicious! Now why didn't you tell me about this last night so I could have some today? ;-)

Love you,
Mum

Jessica Jones said...

Oops. Sorry.

Anonymous said...

Sounds good! That is a cute glass. :-)

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

I am going to do this! I love iced coffee and don't care for the bitterness when I do it the extra strength watered down version- (or maybe it's my coffee, I don't know). I'm going to give the sieve/cheesecloth straining a try. I bet it goes a little faster, but I'll probably need to do it a couple of times and double the cloth on that 2nd go-round.

Anonymous said...

I make mine with Ryan Coffee's Victorian House Liquid Concentrate -- love it and I'm too lazy to even do this method -- all that straining! But any kind of iced coffee beats iced tea in my book.

Joanne : The Simple Wife said...

I have the same glass--just one from Cost Plus that lives by my bathroom sink. So pretty!

HannahNSulley said...

that death by caffeine link is sooo making its way around my office on this groggy monday!

Helen said...

I always try to make iced tea or coffee but get too impatient waiting for it to cool and end up just drinking it at about room temperature - not as satisfying!

Then again, I've still been drinking hot tea here as summer is absent in England

Jessica Jones said...

Hmmm, lukewarm coffee does NOT sound yummy. Hope summer shows up soon and forces you to use ice!

Tracey said...

I will have to try that! And I do not need to know how much coffee is fatal- I am sure I am way over the limit! I like to live on the edge!

pupule said...

I have used the same recipe, but I place it in a french press. That way, you do not have to worry about using any type of sieve. It is very easy to make and to clean.

FancyPants-design said...

thanks! That iced coffee looks sooo refreshing.. going to make myself some now :)

Mandi said...

i almost convinced myself to go buy iced coffee from mcdonalds this morning but now i'm totally inspired to make it myself!! thank you :)

TheMama said...

I can't wait to try this!

Alfred T. Mahan said...

Another good band name: Death By Caffeine

sewkalico said...

Interesting link. I'm assuming you'd have to drink all of that at once and I'm unlikely to manage 108 cups of coffee at once thankfully LOL

TranquilityKnots said...

Don't drink coffee any more. I blame it on my poor stomach. But still remember the wonderful taste and really miss it. That ice coffee sure look attractive.
Love the coaster. How many orange stuffs do you have? :o) Love your blog.

ali+heron said...

Cold-brewed ice coffee is the best! I think we first learned about it in a NYT article, and now drink it all summer long. It works best when you set it up the night before and strain it in the morning, we've found...

ali+heron said...

Oh - ha! Same NYT article...

Anonymous said...

We actually just bought the Toddy cold-brew system about a month ago and we love it. It makes two weeks worth of coffee concentrate at once, and you can add hot or cold milk or water. so smooth and sweet. yum!

tamdoll said...

Thanks for the link to that recipe! I'm going to try to make it tonight for an afternoon treat tomorrow, but put it in the french press like pupule said.

Mary said...

I love that recipe! My friend forwarded me a very similar one. A good tip: If you don't want the coffee to get too watered down with ice (I drink my black) make cubes of coffee in your ice tray. That way it won't get too watered down.

June said...

I'm not checking to see how much is fatal. I'm going to savor my cup in the morning and the occasional iced coffee in the mid-afternoon...no matter what! But thanks for the recipe. I'll give it a shot.

Anonymous said...

cool coaster - is that something you've made or bought somewhere...

Jessica Jones said...

Bought it in Tokyo.

jessica said...

that's crazy. I tried this one out this weekend, too.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for this information! I didn't know about this technique and I will definitely try it!! I looove iced coffee but I tried to make it once at home and it tasted horrible so I gave up!

Anonymous said...

Iced coffee makes me smile!

:) See! Told Ya!

Claire said...

I can't wait to try this. I love iced coffee, but I had no idea that such a thing as cold-brewing even existed. And if it cuts out some of the bitterness that's even better.

Thanks for sharing this!

Lori said...

I seem to be on an iced coffee kick and this recipe makes me so very happy! Thanks!

K Hiskey said...

Your blog always brightens up my day! Enjoy your coffee, it looks so good.

Jessica said...

I love that ice coffee recipe...it was a staple last summer. Yum!!!

How cute is your glass...and that coaster! You always inspire me. Now off to make more coffee.

Vacuum Queen said...

Hey...have you seen this month's issue of Mary Englebreit's Home Companion? It's like an all orange issue, it's crazy. Mary's home is decorated all orange and there's a feature on a wedding that is orange. it's the orange issue! You'd like it.

Jessica Jones said...

I'll have to check it out! Thanks!

margaux said...

i drink iced coffee all year round... am so trying this!

Mara said...

You mean I don't have to pay almost $4 for an iced coffee? Okay, I'm definitely trying this. Thanks!

Brie said...

I found a great way to strain this recipe... I have one of these little things from melitta... https://shop.melitta.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=64+008&Cat=

It's called a "Ready Set Joe" Filter cone. You just put one of those cone shaped filters in it, and set it on top of your cup. :) Handy... it makes the straining part so much easier.

Jessica Jones said...

Good idea! Today I tried someone else's suggestion of using a french press. I forgot I had one in the closet that I never use. Brilliant!

Grandma G said...

I first strained mine through my finest strainer, then I put a filter in my drip coffeemaker and just poured it through that and let it drip into the carafe. Easy and quick.

Mum

Michelle said...

I've got mine soaking tonight, we'll see how well I can strain it tomorrow! I'm excited to try it, along with a little hazelnut syrup and milk...yum...makes my mouth water thinking about it. :-) Thanks for the recipe and your great blog, I love it.

tamdoll said...

This was fantastic. Will be a summer staple, for sure!

Anonymous said...

Someone else mentioned it, but I wanted to chime in, too. The Toddy brewing system is pretty awesome. I've been using one for at least a year. I'm not a big fan of buying a lot of accessories to do something, but for about $30, you get a glass carafe, a huge plastic funnel/filter thing, a thick spongy fliter, etc. It makes a ton of coffee concentrate which lasts 2 weeks and pretty much the only work you do is let it soak for 12 hours.

It's the best cold coffee I've ever had and I rarely visit any coffee places anymore.

Jessica Jones said...

Hmm, sounds interesting. I'll have to look into it.

Fifi Flowers said...

I think I'm safe... I have to drink about 70 cups of caffeine coffee to kill me... I drink coffee that is 1/2 caffeine... so I guess I could double that number... my 2 a day should be ok... or is that over the period of time... if sooooo, I should be GONE by now... hmmmmmmmm

Lolly Gaggle said...

I also make mine in a French press -- the same one I use for my hot coffee. I don't dilute, just add a couple ice cubes and a splash of rice milk. So much smoother than icing down hot coffee!

Unknown said...

Right after I read your post yesterday I IMMEDIATELY started up a batch. I had some this morning with milk and a splash of sugar-free hazelnut syrup - holy moly was it awesome! For some reason I just can't do hot coffee, so I'm always looking for great cold coffee drinks. I think I'm now set for the summer!!

KDB said...

I used to visit Starbuck's every morning brfore work for an iced coffee. Once I started working from home I decided to try something more convenient and less expensive--Cool Brew concetrated. I now prefer it over any iced coffee at Starbuck's. If your local grocer doesn't carry it you can purchase it on amazon http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=A1U3KV7WN0EE14&isPopup=
It comes in a number of flavors but I prefer the original flavor :)

Anonymous said...

where did you get those super cute glasses?

Vanessa said...

I am SO picky with my iced coffee... I cannot WAIT to try this! Thanks for sharing :)

Jessica Jones said...

KDB, I'll check it out. Thanks!

Anon, they're from Cost Plus World Market.

Joanne said...

Hi Jess, Just found your blog via bloglily, and it's delightful. Love the iced coffee, even the glass is inviting. For an extra kick, add two teaspoons of herseys chocolate syrup!
~Joanne

Anonymous said...

That glass is so pretty! Love the comment from your mom...

mercury said...

made it. loved it. now on my second batch. thank you :o)

also whipped up some simple syrup for sweetening. MUCH better than straight sugar ;o)

just jen said...

i just made this...well, made it last night, drank it this afternoon. LOVE IT!!!! now, i used my french press. i don't like straining ANYTHING. especially coffee grounds. anyhoo, the press made it easier. someone might have already mentioned that. on a completely seperate not, i adore this site, Jess. i'm a big fan of orange (not many who know me get it). and you are so dang creative and refreshing. love this little slice of blog-o-sphere you're carving out and sharing with the rest of us. it's just grand.

cheers!

Anonymous said...

I like to do this and add vanillla silk soy milk, shaking it up first. Yummy

Kristine said...

I love drinking iced coffee in the summer. It gets pretty toasty in Los Angeles in the summer and I love my coffee over ice in the morning. I didn't know what I was missing until your cold brew suggestion. I tried it last night and it's wonderful and very easy. I used my French press to strain the brew and it worked great. I didn't squish the grounds, I just let them gently strain through as I poured it and then I did it a second time. Very delicious!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe. Very delicious!

Just wanted to share though, because you mentioned it took a while to strain the grounds... Instead of a mason jar or the like, I used my french press to soak the coffee grounds in, then the next morning all I had to do was push the filter down, and presto! straining done.

I also took the extra step to pour it through a tea bag for loose tea leaves, just to catch the really fine silt.

Both steps took less then a minute.

Thanks again.

Shelly G said...

I really need to try this... because I love iced coffee and I hate it when it is bitter... thank you for sharing:)

Anonymous said...

I'm going to try this tonight.. I love iced lattes and my version is always so acid-y.
THanks for sharing!
Julie

hungry little bird said...

This looks yummy, I have to try. Cute glass and coaster.

Anonymous said...

Thanks- you will be saving me two bucks & change when I go back to school! I really love McDonald's Hazelnut, but this is cheaper and sounds like it is perfect for my dessert style coffee taste!

Anonymous said...

I am oh so forever greatful for this receipe.

It has saved my mornings. Period.