By Rebekah Peppler, The New York Times
Despite its name (and temperature), cold brew’s season extends far beyond summer’s last breath — especially when put to use behind the bar.
It is just as easy — if more time intensive — to make your own cold brew as it is to make hot coffee. On the other side of the time it takes lies the reward of a smooth, nuanced drink with less acidity and bitterness than its hot-brewed counterpart. And it’s possible without any special equipment: Even your French press will do, loaded with just coarsely ground beans and water. Ally Walsh, a founder and the creative director of Canyon Coffee, suggests using one part coffee to eight parts water — for example, a half-cup of coarsely ground coffee beans, preferably a lighter roast, to four cups of room-temperature water for a cold brew that needs no further dilution. Or to make a stronger concentrate, use one part coffee to four parts water (a half-cup ground beans to two cups water).
The amount of time you allow the mixture to steep also helps dictate the flavor and potency. “The longer you let it sit, the more it will extract and the stronger the coffee will be,” Walsh said. “Taste it after 24 hours and if you want it stronger, let it sit longer.” Seventy-two hours should be the maximum extraction time. The resulting cold brew should last for about a week.
But if it’s immediate gratification you’re looking for, opt for a can or bottle of quality premade cold brew concentrate, looking for those without added sweeteners.
In the mornings, make a coffee tonic, a play on an espresso tonic, which features a crisp, quinine-bittered combination of espresso and tonic water. The beverage first appeared in 2007 at Koppi Roasters in Helsingborg, Sweden and is now served over ice in many a specialty coffee shop. But in this coffee tonic variation, a quick pour of cold brew stands in for the drink’s classic shot of espresso.
Later in the day, add a few ounces of cold brew to your cocktail shaker. While you could opt to transition from daytime coffee to cocktail hour pick-me-up with an espresso martini, being caffeinated and spirited doesn’t always mean going full force. Make a caffè amaro by combining cold brew, amaro, vermouth and lemon. This shaken, caffeinated combination is also served up while delivering a lighter alcoholic punch. Or blur the line between Americano (the highball cocktail) and Americano (the coffee drink) by adding an ounce or so of cold brew to the former. Or mix a measure of amaro into your coffee tonic.
If you prefer your caffeinated cocktail hot, you’re not lacking in options, whether it’s an Irish coffee, a Café Brûlot or spiked Café de Olla. Otherwise simply look to the Italian tradition of caffè corretto (“corrected coffee”) and add a splash of amaro, brandy, cognac or grappa to your espresso cup.
That said, there’s no need to default to hot brews simply because temperatures are cooling. Rather than setting aside cold brew for the next six months, make a batch and stash it in the bar fridge for a caffeinated boost in drinks from morning to night, spring through winter.
Recipe: Coffee Tonic
By Rebekah Peppler
A simple variation on the espresso tonic (that first appeared in 2007 at Koppi Roasters in Helsingborg, Sweden), the coffee tonic relies on a smooth pour of cold brew coffee for its caffeinated topper. Choose a quality dry tonic and, for the prettiest float, add the ice and tonic water to the glass first before gently pouring the brew on top. If your coffee palate leans sweet, add a splash of simple syrup or maple syrup. If you don’t have limes in the house, no need to run out. Simply swap for a slice or peel of another citrus, such as orange, lemon or grapefruit.
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients
- Ice
- 4 ounces dry tonic water, chilled
- 1 1/2 ounces cold brew coffee, chilled
- Lime wedge, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Fill a lowball or Collins glass with ice and add the tonic water. Gently pour the cold brew over the top and garnish with the lime wedge.
Recipe: Caffè Amaro
By Rebekah Peppler
The caffè amaro takes a lighter, lower-in-alcohol approach to caffeinated cocktails. Made with cold brew coffee, amaro, vermouth, lemon and a brown sugar simple syrup, the drink is rich in both flavor and texture. Opt for a lighter, more citrus-forward amaro and be sure to shake the cocktail firmly — served up, the drink’s layer of creamy froth hearkens to its full-proof, also caffeinated cousin: the espresso martini.
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients
- Ice
- 2 ounces quality cold brew coffee, chilled
- 1 ounce amaro, such as Amaro Nonino, Montenegro or Averna
- 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce rich brown sugar simple syrup (see Tip)
- 1 lemon peel
- Maraschino cherry (optional)
Preparation
1. Place a Nick and Nora or coupe glass in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve the drink.
2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the cold brew, amaro, vermouth, lemon juice and rich brown sugar simple syrup. Shake vigorously and strain into the chilled glass. Garnish with the lemon peel and maraschino cherry, if using, and serve immediately.
Tip: To make rich brown sugar simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup water. Place over low heat and warm, stirring frequently, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool completely before using.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
