What is cold brew: benefits and preparation

When the heat arrives, you fancy enjoying coffee in a different way. Cold brew has become one of the most interesting ways to drink coffee cold: a slow preparation that offers a smooth, refreshing drink full of nuances.

What is cold brew and why are more and more people making it at home

It appears in more and more coffee shops and homemade recipes, but there are still doubts about what cold brew is. The key lies in how it's prepared and the experience it offers in the cup.

Cold brew coffee

Cold brew is a preparation obtained by leaving ground coffee in contact with cold or room-temperature water for several hours, usually between 12 and 18. Unlike iced coffee, there is no prior hot extraction here: the coffee is infused cold from the very beginning.

This is why the result is usually smoother, less bitter, and has a rounder texture. Furthermore, it can be served on its own, with ice, with water, milk, or plant-based milk.

Cold brew:

• Prepare with cold or room temperature water
• A slow extraction is required
• Can concentrate be prepared
• Softer and more balanced profile

Iced coffee

• Part of a hot extraction
• It cools down afterwards or is served on ice
• Quick preparation
• More intense and classic profile

Cold brew offers another way to enjoy coffee: slower, more refreshing, and full of nuances that appear little by little in each glass. Discover AlterNativa3's specialty coffees and find the perfect profile to prepare your recipe at home.

Benefits of cold brew

The benefits of cold brew are more related to flavour, preparation, and the drinking experience rather than exaggerated promises. It is another way to discover coffee.

A smoother, more nuanced drink

Cold extraction tends to reduce some of the bitterness and more aggressive acidity. This results in a refreshing, balanced, and easy-drinking beverage, especially in summer.

Furthermore, this preparation highlights sweet, fruity, floral, or chocolatey notes that might go unnoticed with other methods. That's why it works particularly well with speciality coffees and medium-roast beans.

It's also a very versatile recipe: it can be taken on its own, with ice, with milk, plant-based drink, pure cocoa, cinnamon or a touch of panela.

Cold brew caffeine and recommended proportions

The caffeine in cold brew depends on the recipe, the amount of coffee used, and the dilution level. The ratios you use in your drink and the extraction time also play a role.

Cold brew concentrate or ready to drink

The best cold brew proportions depend on how you want to drink it afterwards. If you're looking for a more intense preparation to mix with water, ice, or milk, you can make a concentrate:

• 1 part coffee to 4 or 5 parts water
• Example: 100 g of coarse ground coffee + 400 or 500 ml of water

If you prefer a drink that's ready to drink straight away:

• 1 part coffee to 8 or 10 parts water
• Example: 80 g of coarsely ground coffee + 800 ml of water

There's no single perfect ratio. The best approach is to start with a base recipe and adjust it to your taste. If you're sensitive to caffeine, start with milder versions and avoid drinking it late in the day.

Here's how to make cold brew, step by step: 1. **Grind your coffee:** Coarsely grind your coffee beans. A coarse grind is important to prevent over-extraction and to make straining easier. 2. **Measure your coffee and water:** A common ratio is 1:4 (coffee to water by weight), but you can adjust this to your preference. For example, for 100g of coffee, use 400g of water. 3. **Combine coffee and water:** Place the ground coffee in a large jar or container. Pour the water over the coffee grounds. 4. **Stir:** Gently stir the mixture to ensure all the coffee grounds are saturated with water. 5. **Steep:** Cover the container and let it steep at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. The longer it steeps, the stronger the flavour. 6. **Strain:** After steeping, strain the coffee. You can use a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Double-straining might be necessary to remove all sediment. 7. **Dilute (optional):** Cold brew concentrate is very strong. You can dilute it with water or milk to your desired strength. 8. **Serve:** Serve over ice and enjoy!

Learning how to make homemade cold brew is simpler than it looks. With good coffee, cold water and a bit of patience, you can achieve a very aromatic and refreshing drink.

Basic preparation

To prepare it at home you will need:

• Specialty coffee, preferably freshly ground coffee beans
• Cold or room temperature water
• A jug, jar, or French press
• A paper, cloth or fine sieve filter
Ice for serving

Preparation:

• Grind the coffee on a coarse setting
• Mix the coffee with the water
• Gently stir to wet all the coffee
• Cover the container.
• Allow to rest for between 12 and 18 hours
• Filter carefully
• Serve with ice
• Dilute to taste if you have prepared a concentrate
• Keep in the fridge

Avoid grinding too finely, as it makes filtering difficult and can result in a cloudier, more bitter drink.

How to make homemade cold brew with milk

Cold brew with milk is one of the most popular versions for those seeking a creamier, more refreshing drink.

A recipe that's easy to customise

The ideal approach is to prepare the coffee with water first and add the milk when serving. A simple blend could be:

• 100 ml of concentrated cold brew
• 100 ml of milk or plant-based drink
• Ice to taste

You can also add pure cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, or a bit of panela to give it another nuance.

Cold brew with milk is a creamy, refreshing, and very customisable option. With oat milk, crushed ice, or a hint of vanilla, each combination offers a distinct profile.

Cold brew and specialty coffee: why quality matters

In such a simple preparation, the quality of the coffee is immediately apparent. The origin, roast, and grind directly influence the final result.

The coffee completely changes the experience

If you use speciality coffee, this preparation stops being just cold coffee and becomes a flavour experience.

Cold preparations often highlight fruity, sweet, or chocolatey notes with great clarity, so it's worth choosing good COFFEE BEANS o ground coffee with defined aromatic profiles and medium roasts.

Darker or over-roasted coffees, on the other hand, tend to offer flatter results and more bitterness.

The cold brew ritual: preparing coffee without haste

Part of the appeal of this preparation lies in the time it requires. Cold brew offers a more tranquil and leisurely way to enjoy coffee.

A preparation to enjoy the process too

Mixing coffee with water, letting it steep for hours, filtering it, and serving it with ice turns the preparation into a small daily ritual. Part of its appeal is reminiscent of the experience of making coffee in a filter coffee makerA calm process where time directly influences the outcome.

Cold brew is prepared today to be enjoyed tomorrow. And it is precisely that wait that makes many people enjoy the process as much as the final drink.

Common mistakes when preparing cold brew

The preparation of this coffee is straightforward, although you'll need to avoid some mistakes that can significantly alter the final result.

Failures affecting flavour and texture

• Using coffee grounds that are too fine
• Not respecting rest time
• Letting it infuse for too many hours
• To filter it badly or in a hurry
• Use water with a strong flavour or too much chlorine
• Prepare it with low-quality coffees
• Take it concentrated without diluting
• Confusing it with cooled hot coffee
• Do not keep it cool after filtering it

Preguntas frecuentes sobre el cold brew

If you still have doubts about how to prepare homemade cold brew coffee, these quick answers can help you.

Aquí te explico cómo preparar café cold brew en casa: **Ingredientes:** * Café molido grueso (la molienda gruesa es clave para evitar el amargor excesivo) * Agua fría (filtrada si es posible) **Proporción:** La proporción más común y recomendada es de 1:4 (una parte de café por cuatro partes de agua). Por ejemplo, si usas 100 gramos de café, necesitarás 400 ml de agua. Puedes ajustar esta proporción según tu preferencia de intensidad. **Utensilios:** * Un recipiente grande (un tarro de cristal, una jarra, etc.) * Un colador fino o una tela para filtrar (como una gasa, un filtro de tela para café, o incluso un filtro de papel de cafetera si lo doblas bien y lo usas, aunque puede ser más lento) * Otro recipiente para almacenar el concentrado final **Pasos:** 1. **Moler el café:** Muele los granos de café en casa justo antes de prepararlo. La molienda debe ser gruesa, similar a la que usarías para una cafetera de prensa francesa. Si usas café ya molido, asegúrate de que sea una molienda gruesa. 2. **Combinar café y agua:** En tu recipiente grande, añade el café molido. Vierte el agua fría sobre el café, asegurándote de que todo el café esté saturado. Remueve suavemente para asegurar que no queden grumos secos de café. 3. **Remojar (Infusionar):** Tapa el recipiente (con una tapa o film transparente) y déjalo a temperatura ambiente o en la nevera durante un mínimo de 12 horas y un máximo de 24 horas. Cuanto más tiempo lo dejes, más intenso será el sabor. 18-24 horas suele ser ideal para la mayoría. 4. **Colar el concentrado:** Una vez pasado el tiempo de infusión, es hora de colar. * **Método con colador fino/tela:** Coloca el colador fino o la tela sobre el recipiente de almacenamiento. Vierte lentamente la mezcla de café y agua a través del colador. Es posible que necesites colar dos veces para obtener un concentrado más limpio y sin posos. Si usas tela, puedes pedirle a alguien que sujete la tela mientras viertes. * **Método con filtro de cafetera:** Coloca un filtro de papel de cafetera (quizás doble) en un embudo y este en el recipiente de almacenamiento. Vierte la mezcla lentamente. Puede ser un proceso más lento y podrías necesitar hacerlo en varias tandas. 5. **Almacenar el concentrado:** Una vez colado, tendrás un concentrado de café cold brew. Guárdalo en un recipiente hermético en la nevera. Se conservará bien durante una o dos semanas. **Cómo servir tu Cold Brew:** El concentrado de cold brew es bastante fuerte, por lo que generalmente se diluye. * **Opción fría:** Llena un vaso con hielo. Vierte una parte de concentrado de cold brew y dilúyelo con dos partes de agua fría o leche (la proporción puede variar según tu gusto). Puedes añadirle endulzante si lo deseas. * **Opción caliente:** Si prefieres café caliente, puedes calentar la mezcla diluida de concentrado y agua/leche. ¡Disfruta de tu café cold brew casero, refrescante y con menos acidez!

With coarsely ground coffee, cold water, and a steep of between 12 and 18 hours before filtering.

Does cold brew have more caffeine?

It depends on the recipe, the amount of coffee used, and whether it's taken concentrated or diluted.

How long does it last in the fridge?

It is best consumed between 3 and 5 days to best enjoy its flavour and freshness.

Cold brew offers another way to enjoy coffee: slower, more refreshing, and full of nuances that appear little by little in each glass. Discover AlterNativa3's specialty coffees and find the perfect profile to prepare your recipe at home.