How To Make Cold Brewed Iced Coffee

No morning is complete without my coffee fix! No matter what season, my coffee of choice is always over ice! I grew up in a coffee family {maybe that’s why I’m on the shorter side!} Coffee is connected to so many moments in my life: the smell of coffee at family breakfasts on the weekend, hanging out at Starbucks with friends, midday iced coffee with my mom and sister, and finally getting my husband to share my love of coffee with me. 

However, when I try to make my own iced coffee from hot brewed coffee, it never tastes quite as good as the iced coffee I get at Starbucks or any other good coffee shop. Hot brewed coffee over ice always tastes watered-down and slightly burnt. 

I think I have found the answer to my problems. I am going to share my secret, an at-home cold brewed iced coffee that is bold and flavorful. 

First, you need to choose a coffee. You want to use a good quality coffee, as the taste will really come through. I used one of my favorites, Starbucks Dark French Roast. 

Once you have course ground your beans, {if you are starting from whole coffee beans like I am} measure out how much coffee you will need and pour it into you container. I used a mason jar since it closes airtight. You are going to want 4 ounces {1/2 cup} for every 1 quart {32 ounces} of water. 

Pour in your filtered or spring water. 

Give the coffee mixture a good stir to combine everything. 

Screw the cover back on to your mason jar. You want it to be air tight, if using a container without a lid cover with saran wrap. Let the coffee sit for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. 

After 12 hours it's time to strain the coffee grounds out. {If you let the coffee sit longer, the final result will be more bitter and bold.} You can use a cheese cloth or a fine strainer like I did to strain the coffee. 

To strain, place your strainer over a bowl or a pitcher and pour the coffee mixture through. The cold brewed coffee will filter through and the coffee grounds will stay in the strainer. 

The cold brewed coffee will last in a sealed container in your fridge for up to a week!

Save those coffee beans!  I have an easy DIY coffee sugar scrubyou can make with them later in the week! 

Now it's time to pour some of your cold brew over ice.

Tip: Make some coffee iced cubes so your coffee never gets watered down! 

You can drink it black, as cold brewed coffee is naturally sweeter than hot brewed coffee, it will naturally taste sweet. 

Or, add some milk and sugar for even more decadence.

Enjoy!