Cold brew coffee has gathered some attention recently. It’s become trendy, and there are some good reasons for its newfound popularity! 

But what can you do with cold brew coffee, and how do you make it? Here's all you need to know about making and using cold brew coffee and why a low acid coffee, such as Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee, may be your best bet.

What to Do with Cold Brew Coffee

There are so many things you can make with cold brew coffee. You can definitely just drink it from the fridge or heat it up and use it just like hot brew coffee. 

Or, you can use it for these items.

• Iced coffee drinks, such as Boba Cold Brew or Cinnamon Iced Latte
• Alcoholic coffee beverages, such as Rum Coconut Iced Coffee or Coffee with Kahlua
• Shakes, such as Chocolate Milk Coffee with protein powder and milk to add protein, 
• Ice cubes, which you can add to shakes, smoothies, and iced coffee drinks.
• Recipes, including mocha brownies or cake, coffee dessert sauce and tiramisu, and brisket or roasts.

What will you do with your cold brew coffee?

Reasons to Make Cold Brew Coffee

Why would you make cold brew coffee instead of regular hot brew? The first one is a no-brainer: you may like the taste better. Do you know why? It’s because of the lower acid content in cold versus hot brewed coffee. Cold brew is a little sweeter and less bitter. 

But there are other reasons, too, to try cold brew coffee. These are a few to consider.

• You can make your coffee ahead of time and store it in the fridge for hours or overnight. That means you can have coffee whenever you want to drink it. It’s also handy to have it ready when you need to use it in a recipe. 
• It’s good for iced beverages, especially if you use ice cubes made by freezing cold brew coffee.
• It may be lower in acid than hot-brew coffee. If heartburn or acid reflux has been a problem, you may have decided that acidic coffee is a trigger. A lower acid variety is Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee.

Is it really worth it to cold brew your own coffee instead of going to a coffee shop? Yes, it absolutely is worth it to brew your coffee yourself. Here are some reasons why.

• You can make it just the way you like it. You can make it as strong or weak as you want. You can make it stronger sometimes and weaker other times. You can’t really choose your strength at a coffee shop.
• Coffee shops are expensive. How much do you pay for that single cup of cold brew from the corner shop or drive-through?
• You can choose exactly what other ingredients to put in your coffee. You can add as much or little ice, sweetener, syrup, or milk as you like. You can choose dairy-free or fat-free milk, or sugar-free substitutes. It’s up to you when you cold brew your own coffee.
• It’s super fresh, especially when you use a coffee such as Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee. It comes in a specially designed package to guarantee lasting freshness. If you like, you can choose Whole Beans and grind them just before you brew them. 
• It’s more environmentally friendly. It’s true that most people don’t worry about the amount of electricity that their coffee machines use, but if you can switch to a zero-electricity method, why not? When you don’t have to heat the water, you don’t have to turn on a stove or a coffee maker, and that saves power.

What will be your reasons for making cold brew coffee?

What You Need to Make Cold Brew Coffee

It’s not hard to make cold brew coffee. This is what you’ll need if you want to make 4 cups.

• 1.25 cups of whole coffee beans, such as Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee Whole Bean, or 150 grams (5 ounces) of ground coffee, such as Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee Ground.
• Coffee grinder or spice grinder, if you are grinding your own coffee.
• 5 cups of drinking water.
• Container to mix the coffee and water.
• Cheesecloth or a French press.
• Strainer.
• Jar or bottle with a lid for storage.

Are you ready? Let’s go!

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee

It’s easy to make cold brew coffee. Here are the steps.

1. If you are using whole beans, grind them coarsely. You can do this on the coarse setting on the grinder, or using 1-second pulses in a spice grinder. The grinds should look like sand, such as cornmeal, and not like fine powder, such as flour.
2. Place the coffee grinds in the container or bowl. Add the water. Stir gently to combine.
3. Cover the container or bowl with a lid, some foil or plastic wrap, or a plate. Place the coffee in the fridge overnight or for about 12 hours. 
4. Remove the coffee from the fridge and strain it  with a French press or by forcing it through a strainer covered by a cheesecloth.
5. Pour the strained cold brew coffee into the jar or bottle and close it. You can store it in the fridge for a few days.

When you’re ready, you can use the coffee. Enjoy!

More Tips for Making Cold Brew Coffee

Don’t worry about your cold brew. It’ll probably turn out fine! Here are a few tips.

• You don’t have to measure precisely with measuring cups or a scale. As a general guide, you can use a ratio of 1 to 4 of coffee beans to water. As you become more experienced, you can decide whether you want more or fewer coffee beans compared to the amount of water.
• Don’t worry if your coffee is too strong. Just dilute it with water or milk when you drink or use it.
• A dark roast coffee, such as Alex’s Low-Acid Organic Coffee, is lowest in acid and has a more chocolatey flavor. 

Cold brew coffee just may become your new favorite type of coffee!