Cold Water Method

This very simple method creates a coffee liquid by soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for 10-20 hours, depending on the strength you prefer.The coffee and grounds are strained and the concentrated liquid is then stored in your refrigerator for several weeks, a concept I found rather startling when considering the importance placed upon freshly made coffee. So I tried this method. You can purchase a device for this at your favorite coffee retailer but I decided to create my own `brewer' by using a large glass bowl to hold my pound of fine ground coffee. Any bean variety will do. Add two quarts of cold water to your coffee grounds, pushing them down until all have become wet. I covered my bowl with plastic wrap and set it on the counter for 20 hours. I chose the longer time because I enjoy an intensely flavored cup of coffee. I strained the infusion through a paper lined cone filter into a glass bottle with a screw top and refrigerated it. When I made that first cup of coffee, I boiled water and added it to my cup where I had placed 2 ounces of coffee concentrate. Stir together and voila! I had a mild, delicate cup of coffee with a lot less acidity than hot brewed coffees. I would recommend this method of coffee making if you prefer a very mild, almost weak cup of coffee, if you tend to find coffee making a daily chore, particularly if you make it just for yourself or if you found regular coffee making methods would produce a cup of coffee that was just too harsh on your stomach. This may be the direction for you to take. Conversely, if you prefer your coffee strong like me or are an impatient coffee maker, then I would definitely not recommend this method.