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With the summer in full swing, it’s time to break out the iced drinks are get our refreshment on. There’s no better way to perk up and get your daily caffeine kick than with a chilled cup of cold brew coffee. The first time I had cold brew, I was hooked right away. It’s not watery or bitter like regular iced coffee can be because the coffee is never heated. It is literally brewed cold, hence the name! It’s a simple technique that coffee shops across the world are now using to serve up this tasty beverage to their coffee-loving customers.

Did you know that you can also make cold brew at home? If you don’t have time to stop by Derby Joe for a cup of our fantastic cold brew, making your own is the next best option. It’s a basic formula and just a few easy steps. It all starts with cold, filtered water, coarse coffee grounds, and 18-24 hours of brewing time.

There are several “home cold brew coffee makers” out there. They are all variations on the same theme. The coarsely-ground coffee is left to brew in cold water for a long period of time. Each invention provides a way to strain out the ground coffee at the end, and each promises to be more convenient than the last. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about all that. All you really need are some coffee filters, a bowl, a large mason jar or glass container with a lid, ground coffee, and cold, filtered water.

Grind your coffee on the coarsest setting, whether using a home grinder or at the store. You don’t want anything too fine or you’ll end up with swirls of grimy coffee clouds in your delicious iced beverage.
Grab a large mason jar or glass receptacle (make sure it has a lid!). Add your coffee grinds into the bottom, using an 1:8 ratio of coffee-to-water. Cover with your cold water and fill to the top.
Stir the mixture gently until the grounds are well-combined with the water. Leave it on the counter or stick it in the fridge for approximately 18-24 hours.
Once your coffee is brewed, use coffee strainers to sift out the larger grounds. You can use the leftovers for mulch, compost, or dozens of other things. Strain back into the jar, now free of all those coarse coffee grinds.
Repeat the straining process a few times to remove any solids from your home-brewed coffee. Don’t worry if a small amount of coffee is left at the bottom – simply grind it more coarsely next time.
Add some ice and milk/sugar if you like and your homemade cold brew is ready for you and your family to enjoy!

What’s your favorite icy beverage to quench your thirst in the summer heat? Share with us and stop by Derby Joe to try out all of our delicious iced coffee and cold brew drinks!

Brewed coffee has only one limitation – the quality of the beans you start with. If you want the freshest, tastiest beans, the only option is to roast your own coffee at home. It sounds like a difficult task, but it’s actually way easier than you could imagine. Just to follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to drinking the freshest coffee you’ve ever had!

Buy Green, Unroasted Coffee Beans

The first step is buying some small, hard unroasted coffee beans. They don’t resemble the final roast very much, but it doesn’t matter at this stage. Many local places roast their own beans, so you could start there – or take a look at the wide variety available for online purchase. The beans increase in size and decrease in weight when roasted, so buy about two pounds of raw beans for every pound of roasted coffee you want.

Do some research before buying the beans to ensure that their particular flavor profile fits what you are looking for. Then it’s on to the equipment!

The Equipment

Commercial coffee roasters use large, complicated roasters to process an astounding number of beans per day. We’re just looking for a way to do this without breaking the bank. If you have some cash laying around, a countertop roaster runs about $200. You could also just grab a popcorn popper or a cast iron skillet for a low-cost roasting option.

Grab your roaster of choice, some metal bowls, a pair of gloves, and a wooden spoon and let’s get roasting!

The Roasting

Roasting your own coffee means you have control over everything. You can ensure that the beans are exactly to your preferred boldness and caffeine level by adjusting the time and roasting temperature. Once the beans have been placed into your heating element of choice, increase the temperature. The beans will start to crack as you stir and change color from green to light brown.

At this point, you should start hearing some popping sounds. This is referred to as the “first crack,” and soon you’ll see the “husk” of the bean rising to the top. Simply blow it off or remove it and continue to stir.

Remove From Heat

Once your beans are dark enough, remove them from the heat. Keep in mind that the darker the roast, the less caffeine your coffee will have. You can roast beans until they are black, but they can easily be over roasted so be careful not to go from French Roast to straight up charcoal.

Let Them Cool

Let your beans cool for a few hours after your remove them from the heat. They will be incredibly hot, so choose your technique wisely. I prefer to lay them out on a large cookie sheet personally. This will take a bit of time, so don’t rush it or you can get burned.

Start the Brew

Once your beans are room-temperature, it’s time to let them air out a bit. They let off carbon dioxide for about 2 days, so leave them out for about that long. Once the CO2 is gone, they will be safe to roast, brew, and drink!

Try out this easy technique today and let us know what you think!

dyi

How To Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home

How to Roast Your Own Coffee