Summer has entered in full swing and so have cold flavored drinks which have become an ‘essential’. Do you know what tastes delicious in the sweltering heat and gives an energy boost? Cold brew coffee, of course!
Apart from the classic flavor of freshly brewed coffee, many recipes spruce up your drink by experimenting with unique, ravishing flavors. We found some recipes that will help you experiment with flavors that are equally refreshing and delicious. Read on to learn more.
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold brew coffee has become increasingly popular in coffee shops due to its addictively smooth flavor. Cold brew coffee offers an energizing dose of caffeine without the apparent bitterness of hot brew coffee.
It is the perfect summertime drink for coffee lovers as it is the less watered-down version of the original highly diluted brew coffee. To retain its integrity, create this higher-end coffee by soaking the coffee grounds in cold (or room temperature) water. Instead of brewing the coffee mixture in just a few minutes, it is slow-brewed for over 12 hours.
Why Is Cold Brew Coffee Expensive?
Some people often confuse the terms ‘iced coffee’ and ‘cold brew coffee’ because they assume that these are the same drinks with slight variations. However, that is not the case.
Cold brew coffee is twice the amount of normal iced coffee because of the sheer effort that goes into its preparation. While cold brew coffee involves a slow, gradual process that can take up to 24 hours, iced coffee is created by brewing hot coffee and then cooling it down with ice. Since iced coffee can be prepared in a few minutes and cold brew coffee takes several hours, there is a sharp difference in its pricing.
Can You Add Flavor To Cold Brew Coffee?
Yes, you can add flavored additives to cold brew coffee and there are several ways of preparing it. You can use flavored coffee beans that are available in exotic flavors or experiment with flavored syrups and microfoam toppings.
Since cold brew coffee has a distinctive smooth texture, you can spruce it up with ground spices, sauces, and even creamers! There are no limitations when you decide to make your cold brew latte at home. Some cafes offer several customizations but as compared to how many flavors you can try at home, those will fall short. Before we plunge into the unlimited world of flavors, let us first learn how to make a cold brew coffee at home.
How You Can Make Cold Brew Coffee At Home
Cold brew coffee has a deliciously smooth and refreshing flavor due to its brewing method. Since it is brewed for several hours on end in cold water, the coffee grounds tend to lose some of their acidity. This gets replaced by the natural sweetness and aromatic flavors of the cold brewed coffee.
The Brewing Process
For cold brew coffee, dark roast beans taste best and obtain the right bitter flavor when it’s cold. The ratio is an important factor to consider when brewing cold coffee. There are predominantly two main ratios
- Coffee grounds to water ratio: 1:4
- Cold brew concentrate to water: 1:1
For this recipe, we will be following the first ratio, that is, the 1:4 ratio. Specifically, this means we will need 1 ½ cups of dark roast coffee and 6 cups of water. Make sure that you consume the cold brew coffee 24 hours after making it.
- Start by grinding the dark roast coffee to a medium coarse grind.
- Next, add filtered water to the coffee grounds in a large pitcher and mix it completely
- Refrigerate this mixture for 24 hours and wait for the coffee to brew.
- Pour the coffee into a strainer with a towel placed underneath it and filter it into a separate container.
That’s it! Making cold brew coffee is a simple process but only works for you if you invest time into its preparation. The best part of this recipe is that it makes 9 servings so you can consume it for a couple of days.
How To Add Flavor To Your Cold Brew Coffee
Cold brew coffee on its own is not appetizing, especially if you are not used to the bitterness and acidity. The good news is that you can explore a plethora of flavors and sweeteners when you create your refreshing cold brew coffee drink. Listed below are some ways you can add flavor to your regular coffee drink.
Mix Unique Flavored Syrups
This is probably the easiest way to spice up your normal cold brew coffee. Flavored syrups enhance the sweetness of your delicious drink. While many recipes include a variation of the traditional vanilla and caramel syrups, we have taken a step further by exploring other unique flavors like:
- Lavender
- Pistachio
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Cheesecake
- Bourbon Caramel
You can add flavored syrups to your cold brew and your cold foam so make sure to try several flavors before you find your perfect mix!
Use A Flavored Creamer
It’s easy to create your flavored creamer at home or use a store-bought creamer that suits your taste. To create your homemade flavored creamer, you will need milk (You can even use coconut milk). Heat the milk on a stovetop to a low simmer and add spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, star anise, cloves, and nutmeg to enrich the flavor.
Make sure that you use whole spices instead of powdered spices as they are easier to strain out once the milk is infused. Here’s an in-depth recipe that explains the process.
Brew Flavored Coffee Beans
If you prefer your coffee to retain its natural flavor without adding a sweetener or creamer, you can try flavored coffee beans. These come in a variety of exotic flavors like salted caramel, blueberry muffin, and chocolate cherry.
So, now you can brew coffee that already comes infused with flavor instead of using additional syrups, sugars, and creamers. You can try this salted caramel cold brew recipe that is easy to make and tastes heavenly.
Add A Flavor While Brewing
Contrary to popular opinion, you can add a flavor even during the brewing process. As long you follow the right procedure, adding a flavor to your coffee grounds while brewing saves time and infuses additional flavor to the cold brew.
Along with the dark roasted coffee beans, you can use shredded coconut or ground spices to impart additional flavor to your cold brew coffee. The result is an immaculate blend of flavors that not only smells heavenly but also tastes like a dream!
Use Other Milk Derivatives
Apart from the traditional cow’s milk, you can use different variations of milk to add a hint of flavor to your cold brew too. You can use almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, soy milk, and sweetened condensed milk to add a rich taste.
Simply switch the milk you use for brewing cold coffee with any other milk derivative to see a slight change in taste. Mix your milk of choice with the cold brew concentrate and adjust the amount of syrup you use as needed.
Top With Flavored Cold Foam
Just like other parts of your cold brew, the topping you use is intricately customizable as well. Cold foam doesn’t have to be boring as you can experiment with different flavors like cookie butter or nut butter and coconut cream.
To add a flavored cold foam, mix your flavor of choice (let’s say cookie butter) with three parts of heavy cream. Add two parts of milk and 1 part simple syrup of choice. After mixing the ingredients, transfer your cold foam into your glass and enjoy the creamy-rich taste!
Drizzle Chocolate Or Caramel Sauce
After adding your cold foam topping, you can drizzle some chocolate or caramel to enrich the flavor of your cold brew coffee. It adds a visual appeal to your coffee and imparts a luscious taste.
You can either use a sauce that mimics the flavor of your coffee or use a contrasting flavored sauce.
5 Flavored Cold Brew Coffee Recipes
If you are more inclined towards being methodical and following a whole recipe rather than guessing the amount yourself, look no further. Listed below are 5 flavored brew recipes that are a perfect pick-me-up morning drink.
Chai Cold Coffee
If you’re craving warm flavors but do not necessarily want a hot brewed coffee, this recipe is perfect for you. For the ingredients, you will need 1 teaspoon of dried ginger, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 whole clove, 1 cardamom, 3 black peppercorns, and ½ vanilla bean.
Place the following ingredients in the filter basket with 85 grams coarsely ground coffee and then ½ cup of water at a time till it reaches 380 gms.
Cinnamon Honey Cold Brew Coffee
This is a healthy yet delicious version of the cold brew coffee. You can start by making your syrup.
- Add ¾ cup of water, ¾ cup of honey, and 3 cinnamon sticks to a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat till it dissolves in the water
- Turn off the heat and let it simmer for five minutes before you add the vanilla extract
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and allow the mixture to cool.
- Add this mixture to your cold brew coffee followed by your favorite milk or cream
Stir the mixture well and indulge in the mouth-watering flavors.
Chocolate Mint Cold Brew
If you are a lover of the chocolate-mint combination in ice cream, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this flavor in your cold brew coffee. Similar to the previous recipe, you need to create the flavored syrup first.
In a small saucepan, add 1 cup water, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup of fresh mint, and heat over medium flame. When the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat and strain the syrup, and store it in a jar. Add this mixture to your cold brew coffee and drizzle some chocolate sauce as a topping. The combination of these two flavors is a decadent indulgence that will live up to the hype!
Caramel Cold Brew With Salted Cold Foam
This sweet and savory cold brew topped with salt cold foam is a popular drink for many coffee lovers. For this recipe, you need to understand the cold foam milk ratio. To make the foam last longer, use 1 part whipped cream and 3 parts skimmed milk.
- Start by making the cold brew concentrate steeped for over 12 hours and stored in a mason jar.
- Place the milk and salt in a milk frother or shake it vigorously in a mason jar till the milk foams.
- In a glass, add cold brew coffee, caramel syrup, and ice. Add the foamed milk or cold foam as a topping.
Finish by drizzling a bit of caramel sauce on top.
Cookie Butter Cold Brew Coffee
For this cold brew coffee drink, we will be using a cookie butter creamer. The ratio for this recipe for the cold brew concentrate is 250 g of coarsely ground coffee for every 5 ½ cups of water. Prepare your cold brew concentrate 12 hours before consumption.
- For the creamy cookie butter creamer, you need to blend milk, cookie butter, and sugar in your blender of choice.
- Alongside, fill the glass with ice and add your cold brewed coffee.
- Lastly, pour your creamer into the glass
Indulge in your creamy and mildly nutty drink which is the perfect delicious drink to start your day!
Wrapping Up
Adding flavor to your flavored cold brew coffee is a game changer if you are bored with your everyday iced drink! The amalgamation of different flavors and alternatives makes your coffee brewing experience incredibly satisfying and thrilling!
With these creative flavor ideas, you’ll never get bored of your morning drink again! We hope that this guide gave you some fun cold coffee recipes and helped you choose the perfect drink for you.
