Cold Brew Coffee in a Pitcher: Simple Steps for Rich Flavor
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When you make cold brew coffee, you’re creating a rich, smooth beverage that is both less bitter and less acidic than its hot-brewed counterpart. The key difference lies in the brewing process itself, where time replaces heat to extract the coffee’s flavors.
Cold brew coffee needs just two ingredients:
- Coarse-ground coffee
- Water (filtered recommended)
TLDR Steps:
- Add your coarse-ground coffee to the pitcher filter.
- Pour cold, preferably filtered, water over the grounds to wet them thoroughly.
- Cover and steep in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
Why Use a Cold Brew Pitcher
The beauty of cold brew is you don’t really need any fancy equipment. You can get started with a mason jar and a filter. So why would you need a dedicated cold brew pitcher?
These pitchers are specially designed for the immersion brewing method and typically feature a built-in filter. They also often have a handle, which make pouring easier.
The filter can be washed and is reusable. Most DIY methods of brewing require a filter bag or cheesecloth that needs to be washed, or a disposable paper filter.
So, the short answer is convenience.
What to Look for in a Cold Brew Pitcher:
Your pitcher should be made of glass or BPA-free plastic to ensure no unwanted flavors seep into your coffee.
Filter Types:
- Metal Basket Filter: A popular option that lets coffee oils from the beans pass through, adding richness to your brew.
- Mesh Filter: Similar to metal but finer, which can help reduce sediment without stripping away flavorful oils.
Recommended Features:
- Airtight Seal: To keep your brew fresh during brewing and storage.
- Measurement Markings: Helpful for consistent brewing ratios.
- Non-Slip Base: Ensures stability during brewing and handling.
Choosing Your Coffee Beans
When making cold brew coffee there are only two ingredients, so selection of coffee beans is important to achieving great flavor. Because cold brewing doesn’t extract flavors in the same way that hot brewing does, your choice of beans can greatly influence the taste.
- Medium Roast: Medium roast beans are an excellent starting point for cold brew. Their balanced flavor profile brings a harmonious taste that isn’t too bitter or acidic.
- Bean Origin: Beans from Central and South America are favored by many for cold brew due to their smooth and chocolatey notes, which tend to be refreshing when served cold.
When preparing cold brew, it’s preferable to use whole coffee beans and grind them yourself just before brewing. This is akin to grinding spices before cooking to unlock their full aroma and taste.
- Grind Size: Aim for coarse coffee grounds, as a coarse grind exposes less surface area to water, reducing the chance of over-extraction which often results in a bitter flavor. If you are using a burr grinder, I like to set my grind to medium coarse, which allows me to brew for a shorter period of time.
Reasons for Choosing a Coarser Grind:
- Reduced Surface Area: A coarse grind limits the grounds’ surface area exposed to water, preventing over-extraction.
- Extended Contact Time: Since cold brew coffee steeps for several hours, a coarser grind ensures a smooth taste without bitterness.
- Circulation: Coarse ground coffee allows the water to circulate through the coffee more, while finer grinds can clump which reduces contact with water.
Inspect Grind Consistency: Aim for uniformity in size, resembling coarse sea salt. Coffee ground with a burr grinder tends to be more consistent than when ground with a blade grinder.
Grinders 101
- Burr grinder: Provides a consistent grind with adjustable settings.
- Blade grinder: Less consistent, but can be used with a pulsing technique to improve uniformity.
Cold Brew Recipe and Ratios
When creating cold brew in a pitcher, achieving the desired strength is a matter of balancing your coffee ratio to water. Note that ratios are given by weight of coffee to weight of water.
Coffee to Water Ratios:
| Desired Strength | Coffee Ratio |
|---|---|
| Ready to Drink | 1:5 to 1:10 |
| Concentrate | 1:3 to 1:4 |
Using cold or room temperature filtered water will yield the best results.
Brewing with a Pitcher: The details
This is an example, you should follow the recommended coffee and water amounts for the specific pitcher that you buy.
1. Steeping the Coffee Grounds. Begin by measuring out 1ΒΌ cups of coarsely ground coffee for a 1-quart cold brew pitcher, or 2 cups for a 2-quart version. Place the coffee grounds into the filter basket. Don’t tamp them down. Twist the filter basket securely into the lid.
2. Steep for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator. You may see some sources that say brew on the countertop. Micro-organisms can grow quickly in water, and they multiply faster at room temperature, and slower at cold temperatures.
3. Remove the Filter. After steeping, it’s time to filter out the coffee grounds. Carefully remove the filter basket, allowing the liquid to drain from the coffee grounds.
Tip: For an additional burst of flavor, let the filter stand over a glass for about 20-30 minutes to drain any remaining coffee concentrate; then add this to the pitcher and stir.
4. Store. Once filtering is complete, rinse the lid clear of any residual grounds and place it on the pitcher for storing your coffee.
Pros and Cons of Cold Brew Pitchers
A cold brew pitcher offers both advantages and disadvantages compared to other equipment like a cold drip tower, French press, or mason jar.
Pros:
- Convenience: You can often find cold brew pitchers with built-in filters, making them user-friendly. They’re specifically designed for cold brew, so you just add coffee and water, then let it steep.
- Simplicity in Cleaning: Many pitchers are dishwasher-safe, easing the cleaning process compared to the intricate parts of a cold drip tower or the manual washing of a French press.
Cons:
- Filter Quality: The built-in filters may not be as fine as those in a French press or the paper filters used with a mason jar method, potentially allowing more coffee sediment in your brew.
- Brew Size: Cold brew pitchers typically have a fixed capacity. If you use less water (maybe you want to make a concentrate), some of the coffee may not be fully immersed since the filter basket usually hangs from the lid.
- Cost: They can be more expensive initially than a simple mason jar setup, however compared to other brewers, pitchers are among the least expensive of cold brew makers.
