Cold Brew

Cold brew coffee makers – make cold brewed coffee at home

Cold brew is coffee that is brewed with cold water over a longer period of time instead of hot water in just a few minutes.

The result is typically a rounded and full-bodied coffee with a different flavor profile than traditionally hot-brewed coffee. Cold brew can be enjoyed straight from the fridge, served over ice, or used as a base in various cold coffee drinks.

At Brændeholm Risteri, you will find cold brew coffee makers from brands such as Hario and Goat Story, making it easy to brew cold coffee at home.

If you want to see other brewing methods, you can find them in our complete selection of coffee makers.

What is cold brew coffee?

Cold brew simply means that the coffee is extracted with cold or cool water over a longer period of time.

It differs from regular filter coffee, where hot water passes through the coffee in just a few minutes.

The longer extraction at a low temperature provides a different taste experience, which is often perceived as rounded, smooth, and with less prominent bitterness and acidity.

However, this does not mean that all cold brews taste the same. Coffee beans, roast level, grind size, dosage, and brewing time still have a major impact.

Cold brew or iced coffee – what is the difference?

Cold brew and iced coffee are sometimes used interchangeably, but the brewing methods are different.

Cold brew is brewed with cold water from the beginning.

Iced coffee, on the other hand, can also be regular hot-brewed coffee that is subsequently cooled down and served with ice.

Both can be great ways to drink cold coffee, but the flavor profile is not necessarily the same.

How to make cold brew

A cold brew coffee maker makes the process very simple.

You put ground coffee into the brewer's filter, add cold water, and place the brewer in the refrigerator.

The coffee is then left to steep, after which the filter is removed.

The exact amount of coffee and brewing time depends on the coffee maker you are using. Therefore, follow the manufacturer's recommendation as a starting point and then adjust to your own taste.

This is better than using one fixed cold brew recipe for all coffee makers.

Which cold brew coffee maker should I choose?

The choice depends primarily on how much coffee you want to brew at a time.

Hario Mizudashi 600 ml

The smaller Hario Mizudashi is a good fit if you usually make cold brew for one person or prefer to brew smaller portions.

It can stand directly in the refrigerator during brewing and has a reusable filter, so you do not need paper filters.

Hario Mizudashi 1000 ml

The larger Hario model is an obvious choice if you want to prepare more cold brew at a time.

The larger capacity can be practical for several coffee drinkers or if you want to have cold brew ready for multiple servings.

Goat Story Cold Brewer

The Goat Story Cold Brewer is an alternative with a different design and a capacity between the smaller and larger Hario models.

See the individual product for current dimensions, capacity, and brewing instructions.

Which coffee beans are best for cold brew?

There is no single specific coffee bean that is always best for cold brew.

It depends on the flavor profile you prefer.

Light-roast coffee beans

Light-roast coffee can provide a fresher and more fruit-forward cold brew, where the coffee's original character is given plenty of room.

This can be interesting if you want a lighter and more nuanced cold coffee.

Medium-roast coffee beans

Medium-roast coffee is a good, versatile starting point.

Here, you often get a balance between sweetness, body, and the coffee's individual character.

Dark-roast coffee beans

Dark-roast coffee typically provides a more distinct roast character and a stronger flavor profile.

This can work well if your cold brew is to be served with milk or ice and still retain a clear coffee taste.

You can also see our entire selection of freshly roasted coffee beans.

Grind size for cold brew

The grind size depends on both the coffee maker and the recipe you use.

A very fine grind can produce more sediment and a stronger extraction, while a coarser grind can produce a lighter extraction.

Therefore, start with the manufacturer's recommendation for the specific brewer.

If you have your own coffee grinder, you can subsequently adjust the grind size and compare the results.

Preferably, only change one thing at a time. This makes it easier to figure out what actually improves your cold brew.

How long should cold brew steep?

There is no one single correct brewing time for all cold brew coffee makers.

The brewing time depends, among other things, on:

• The coffee maker

• The amount of coffee

• The amount of water

• The grind size

• The coffee bean

• The desired strength

Therefore, follow the recipe for your coffee maker as a first attempt.

If the coffee tastes too weak, you can then adjust, for example, the coffee amount, grind size, or brewing time.

If it is too strong or bitter, you can adjust in the opposite direction.

Should cold brew be diluted?

Not necessarily.

Some recipes create a ready-to-drink cold brew, while others use a higher ratio of coffee to water and produce a concentrate that is then diluted.

It is therefore important to know the recipe before you automatically add water.

Taste the coffee first and then adjust.

Cold brew with milk

Cold brew can also be used as a base for coffee drinks with milk or plant-based drinks.

A stronger cold brew often works well with milk because the coffee can still stand out clearly in the finished drink.

You can serve it with ice and cold milk or experiment with different ratios of coffee to milk.

If you want to work more with milk-based drinks, you will also find our selection of milk frothers.

Use a coffee scale to repeat the recipe

If you find a cold brew recipe that you like, a coffee scale is useful.

When you know exactly how much coffee and water you have used, it becomes easier to repeat the same result.

This also makes it easier to experiment systematically.

If the next brew should be a little stronger, you can change one parameter and compare it with the previous one.

Cold brew is not just a summer drink

Cold brew is often associated with summer and iced coffee, but the brewing method can obviously be used all year round.

The advantage is primarily that you can have ready-brewed coffee standing cold and serve it immediately as needed.

This can make cold brew practical both at home and at work.

Cleaning a cold brew coffee maker

Remove the coffee grounds after brewing and rinse the filter thoroughly so that fine coffee particles do not dry onto it.

Follow the cleaning instructions for the individual model, as materials and construction can vary.

Especially reusable fine-mesh filters should be cleaned thoroughly after use so that coffee oils and small particles do not accumulate over time.

Cold brew at Brændeholm Risteri

At Brændeholm Risteri, you will find cold brew coffee makers in various sizes as well as coffee and equipment for the rest of the brewing process.

We roast our coffee ourselves near Faaborg on Funen and are happy to recommend various coffee beans if you want to experiment with cold brew.

You do not need a special "cold brew bean." The most important thing is to choose a coffee that you like and then adjust the brewing accordingly.

Frequently asked questions about cold brew

What is cold brew?

Cold brew is coffee that is extracted with cold or cool water over a longer period of time rather than being brewed quickly with hot water.

Is cold brew the same as iced coffee?

Not necessarily. Iced coffee can be regular hot-brewed coffee that has been cooled down, while cold brew is brewed with cold water from the start.

How long should cold brew steep?

It depends on the coffee maker, amount of coffee, grind size, and recipe. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for your brewer as a starting point.

Which coffee is best for cold brew?

Light-, medium-, and dark-roast coffee can all be used. Choose based on the flavor profile you prefer.

Should cold brew be diluted?

Only if you have brewed a concentrate. Many cold brew recipes produce a coffee that can be drunk directly.

Do I need a special coffee grinder?

No. A regular coffee grinder that can provide the grind size your recipe requires can be used.

Can cold brew be made with whole coffee beans?

No. The coffee beans must be ground before brewing so that the water can extract the coffee's soluble flavor compounds.

Should cold brew stay in the refrigerator?

Many cold brew makers are designed for brewing directly in the refrigerator. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific model.