Cold-Brew Coffee Simplified

Published on Wed, Jul 16, 2014 (7:32 a.m.)

Submitted by Wood-Fire Roasted Coffee

RENO, Nev. (July 10, 2014) — Cold-brew iced coffee is rich in flavor and low in acidity, without the sourness that results from icing hot-brewed coffee. No wonder coffee connoisseurs spend time and money finagling the process and investing in appliances. For coffee drinkers who want to make cold-brew at home easily and affordably, Wood-Fire Roasted Coffee Company's Tim Curry has some advice.

"I'm working my way through the list of my Wood-Fire Roasted Coffees, cold-brewing each different blend and varietal," says Tim. "They all do something different. The darker roasts bring a lot of chocolate flavor. With the lighter roasts you get more of the character of the beans." His acclaimed Ethiopia Yrgacheffe, for example, has a newly emphasized lemony character when cold-brewed.

Tim's streamlined cold-brew process yields maximum flavor with minimal fuss:

Easy Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee
1. Choose your beans — It's easier than you might think! Just follow your instincts. From a rich dark roast to a subtle medium roast, any of Wood-Fire Roasted Coffee's varietals or blends makes a great iced coffee.

2. Grind — Grind 1/3 lb. coffee coarsely, about the same as you'd grind it for percolator, or just a little coarser than for French press.

3. Brew — Put grounds and 3 c. cold, filtered water into a standard 32 oz. French press. Let sit 15-20 hours.

4. Press — Cold-brew acts a little differently than hot French-press coffee. The grinds will soak up a lot of the liquid, so the plunger won't go down very far. Once you press, invert the whole French press (with plunger still pressed down) into a bowl or cup for 20 minutes to drain thoroughly.

5. Enjoy — This small amount of coffee concentrate goes a long way. For an iced latte, mix one part concentrate with two parts milk and shake it over ice. For iced coffee, reconstitute 2:1 with water. Store in refrigerator up to 14 days.

Even easier: Drop by Wood-Fire Roasted Coffee, 30 Ohm Place, Reno, for a 16-oz bottle of Tim's own Cold-Brew Iced Coffee Concentrate. ($8)

To learn more about Wood Fire Roasted Coffee, visit woodfireroasted.com.
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