Cold brew is a refreshing beverage that never fails to satisfy the hunger for caffeine of coffee addicts in summer. It’s a simple drink you can easily make at home anytime. However, different coffee varieties with different roasts produce different cold brew flavors.
So you have to know which coffee flavor and strength level you want to get when you make your cold brew. Then you can decide which type of coffee grind you want to get.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help you find the perfect coffee grind to give you an absolutely perfect cold-brew coffee. This article covers everything you need to know about cold-brew coffee: what it is, how to make it, and the top 7 coffee grinds that will take your cold brew to the next level. With that being said, let’s dive right into it!
Is Cold Brew The Same as Iced Coffee?
No! The method used to prepare each beverage is the primary distinction between iced coffee and cold brew. Cold brew is different from iced coffee. It takes more effort to make cold brew than to make iced coffee. Time is the main factor that gives cold-brew coffee its distinct taste.
Coarsely ground coffee is steeped in cold water for 12 hours to make a cold brew. The flavor of your coffee gets stronger the longer you leave it in the fridge. After the grounds have been removed during the filtering process, you are left with concentrated coffee that can be combined with water or any type of milk.
The main purpose of this long process is to produce less bitter and acidic coffee. But with iced coffee, coffee beans are roasted using high heat to extract natural flavors. As a result, iced coffee can have a rancid or stale taste due to oxidation. This is how massive companies make coffee, which is why the iced coffee they sell usually tastes flavorless and watery.
Coffee is not extracted from cold water in the same way as hot water. In contrast, cold brew uses cold water instead of heat, drastically changing and enhancing the overall taste. As a result, cold-brew coffee has a super tasty flavor compared to iced coffee.
Cold brew doesn’t give you any undesirable bitterness or acidity that may be found in iced coffee. Instead, it gives you a sweet, smooth taste that is much more enjoyable and addictive.
And don’t worry, even though the coffee is not heated, you can still get your daily caffeine dosage from a cold brew. The amount of caffeine in cold brew and iced coffee can drastically differ according to how the coffee has been brewed. However, due to its long brewing time, cold-brew coffee can sometimes contain higher amounts of caffeine when compared to iced coffee.
Finally, the price of cold brew is generally higher than iced coffee since it takes more time and effort to prepare the cold brew.
How to Make Cold Brew at Home
Extracting coffee is a super important aspect to pay attention to if you want to make a perfect cold brew. It doesn’t matter if you have the highest-quality coffee grind in the world; if you don’t brew your coffee enough, you’ll end up with a disappointing coffee concentrate that is sour, salty, and acidic. On the other hand, if you steep your coffee for too long, you’ll get bitter cold-brew coffee.
Given the great taste you get at the end of the brewing process, cold brew is relatively easy to make—all you need is a little technique and patience. Follow these simple steps to make a refreshing cold brew:
- Coarsely grind your coffee beans using your coffee grinder. No coffee grinder? No problem! Head to any roaster or coffee shop and get your coffee beans after asking them to grind the coffee coarsely.
- Once you have your coffee grind, place them into a container and pour in water. You’ll need one ounce of the grounds for every cup of water.
- Using a long-handled spoon, carefully stir the grounds until they are completely submerged in water.
- Place the container in the fridge or counter for at least 12 hours. You can also steep your coffee for 18-24 hours. It’s okay if you unintentionally steeped your coffee for a longer period. If this happens and you want to improve the taste, you can dilute your coffee with milk or water. Although you can end up with a strong, bitter cold brew, consuming it would still be fine.
- Line a flour sack cloth or strainer with cheesecloth and put it on a big bowl or measuring cup, then strain the coffee.
- Store your coffee concentrate in a small jar or bottle. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Add milk or water
- Serve it ice cold, and enjoy!
- Pro tip: if you’re not into ice-cold coffee but want to enjoy the distinct taste of the cold brew, you can simply heat it in the microwave, and you’re all set!
Top 7 Coffee Grinds for Making Cold Brew
No matter how expert you are in making cold brews, your effort and patience will go to waste if you don’t have a high-quality coffee grind, to begin with. So you must carefully pick the type of coffee grind as it will directly affect the final taste of your cold brew.
Here are the best coffee grinds in the market that will absolutely take your cold brew to the next level:
1. Black Rifle Coffee Medium Roast x2 Caffeine Coffee Grind
Let’s be real—most of us drink coffee for the pleasure and caffeine we get, which boosts focus and alertness and improves our memory and reasoning. For many coffee lovers, coffee is useless without the high caffeine dosages it provides them! If you like cold-brew coffee and want to get a high amount of caffeine at the same time, we highly recommend that you use Black Rifle’s medium roast coffee grind that has double the caffeine.
This brand mainly targets coffee fanatics who want a cup with strong caffeine. Made with Brazilian and Colombian coffee beans, Black Rifle’s coffee grinds are roasted in-house, which makes their products stand out among competitors thanks to their unique freshness.
Black Rifle is obviously an industry-leading brand in the coffee niche that is loved by heavy coffee drinkers everywhere, having 22k+ reviews on Amazon and boasting a global rating of 4.7 out of 5. You can also choose from various roasts, including extra dark roasts, medium roasts, and light roasts. This is a big plus since you can pick your preferred roast and make an excellent cold-brew coffee.
Overall, Black Rifle is one of our fave choices to help you make a high-quality cold-brew coffee and enjoy the extra caffeine boost at the same time!
2. Bizzy Organic cold-brew coffee
Bizzy cold-brew coffee is one of the best cold-brew coffee grinds you can get—it’s ethically sourced from Peru, Nicaragua, and Guatemala and is 100 percent USDA organic. While cold brew is normally made using darker roasts, trying out the great taste of cold brew made with light roasts is definitely worthwhile.
This coffee brand excels in delivering a 100% natural cold-brew coffee grind that has zero artificial flavors, preservatives, and additives. Bizzy Cold Brew enables you to choose from delicious flavors, including caramel, hazelnut, and cocoa.
3. Tiny Footprint Coffee
The next coffee grind on our list is the Nicaraguan organic dark roast from Tiny Footprint Coffee. You get the best cold brew when you use Nicaraguan coffee, as the coffee concentrate tends to be sweeter than average, giving you an even more pleasant experience. The majority of Nicaraguan coffee is organic and shade-grown. Depending on the roast, it offers a wide range of aromatic flavors.
Tiny Footprint Coffee offers a high-quality, delicious coffee grind that is super nutty and chocolatey, which is ideal for making an unforgettable cold brew. When you brew the coffee grind correctly, you’ll also enjoy the undertones of spice and figs.
4. Stone Street Cold Brew Arabica Coffee
Arabica coffee is frequently regarded as superior to its rival, Robusta, in terms of flavor, sweetness, complexity, acidity, and balance. Arabica coffee is produced using the Arabica plant, which is grown in many different areas. This coffee type is more expensive and valued as a luxury product since it’s harder to grow than other coffee varieties.
The Arabica coffee grown in Colombia is super aromatic and delicious, making it one of the best Arabica coffee to make cold brew. One brand that offers great Arabica coffee beans from Colombia is Stone Street. Their Arabica coffee is excellent for making a fresh cold brew thanks to its tasty chocolate notes and strong, toasted flavor.
5. Join Top Shelf Grind Dark Roast Colombian Coffee Beans
If you’re a coffee lover, you’ve probably heard the terms ‘Arabica’ and ‘Robusta’ before. These two names refer to 2 different coffee varieties. Many coffee drinkers believe that the flavor of Robusta is similar to oatmeal, with a balance between neutral and harsh taste. Robusta is also less expensive than Arabica, enabling you to make a good cold brew without breaking the bank.
Robusta coffee is typically used to make espresso and instant coffee, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it to make a bold cold brew. If you’re into turning this strong coffee variety into a fresh cold brew, we recommend you get the Colombian Robusta coffee beans from Join Top Shelf Grind.
You can see this product’s incredible, given the 3900+ happy customers that gave it a 5-star rating on Amazon! These beans balance strength and acidity perfectly, giving you the best possible experience from Robusta. Plus, Top Shelf Grind’s beans are significantly smoother compared to other Robusta.
6. Fresh Roasted Coffee Colombian Supremo Coffee Beans
Cold brew is one of the many beverages that Colombian coffee is fantastic for. There are many reasons to adore Colombian coffee beans; on top of them is their strong yet well-balanced flavor.
Fresh Roasted Coffee is one brand that provides coffee fanatics with high-quality Colombian coffee. While these are medium-roast beans, you can still enjoy a strong coffee flavor owing to the cherry and honey notes. You can already see this brand’s popularity among coffee drinkers, with thousands of positive Amazon reviews and happy customers.
7. Copper Moon Guatemalan Antigua Blend
True Central American coffees are those grown in Guatemala. Guatemalan coffee is one of the most delicious coffee varieties that is frequently described as having a tasty chocolate and toffee flavor. Guatemalan coffee beans are unique as they have the ideal strength, sweetness, acidity, and note ratio.
Luckily, Copper Moon provides coffee addicts with the perfect Guatemalan coffee they need to make cold-brew coffee. This brand offers a light-roast coffee grind rich in aroma and flavor, making it an excellent option for a rich cold brew. And their product is well-liked, having a global rating of 4.2 out of 5 on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know the basics of cold brew and the best way to make it, you may use this knowledge to make perfect cold-brew coffee using one of our top 7 coffee grinds in the market.
Remember, all you need is a high-quality foundation (coffee grind) for your cold brew, and then you can simply follow the easy steps we mentioned to make the beverage. After that, we promise that you’ll have a mind-blowing cold brew to remember!
