Lavender Cold Brew "Latte" + How to Make Cold Brew!

Who doesn't live for that morning cup of coffee? Well, to be honest, I don't (I'm caffeine intolerant!) but I miss my morning cup of coffee. I've always loved the ritual of it, which I now supplement with tea. But I do remember groggy and rushed mornings when I couldn't get my act together to make a decent cup of coffee, and I don't miss those. For those who aren't great at mornings, the long lines at those drive through coffee stands may be worthwhile. But for the rest of us, the expense and hassle just isn't worth it.

The simplest solution is to make your coffee at home, but mornings are busy and it's okay if you just don't really function without that first cup of coffee. So why not just make your coffee ahead of time and reheat it? The obvious answer is that's gross. Brewed coffee goes stale quickly. Yuck. So is there an answer to delicious, simple, make-ahead coffee? Yes!

The answer is cold-brew. Cold brew has many advantages over other forms of coffee besides its make-ahead nature. It's smoother and less bitter, and its lower acidity is easier on your stomach. Cold brew lasts longer in the fridge for two reasons, which I think are really cool so I'm going to share them:

• Room temperature extraction results in less oil in the finished product that methods that use hot water. Oil itself goes rancid in your coffee very quickly, so the less oil in the finished brew, the longer it'll last.
• Cold brew is higher in antioxidants which slow down the process of oxidation, preserving flavor longer. That harsh, acidic flavor you get from old beans or worse, a cup of coffee that's been sitting out on the counter? That's the bi-product of oxidation. Slow down oxidation, prolong the freshness of your coffee!

But for our purposes today, we're focusing on making a big batch ahead of time because it just makes mornings so much easier. 

Here's what you'll need:

1. Coffee beans: choose a light to medium roast, something with naturally low acidity. Blue Bean Coffee Roasters specialty formulated Cold Brew Roast is perfect.
   
2. A burr grinder capable of producing an even, coarse grind.
3. A cold-brew coffee maker. In these directions, I'll be using the OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker, which makes up to 40 oz of cold brew concentrate (more on that later) at a time.
4. For iced coffee, make sure your freezer has plenty of ice ahead of time. I like the Lekue Ice Box with Reversible Lid for making and storing ice.
5. Milks and flavorings of your choice (we'll get to that!)

Once your supplies are gathered, making cold-brew is so simple. Follow these simple directions:

1. Flip the Brewing Container upside down and set the Mesh Filter so that it sits flat in base.
2. Screw on the filter cap until secure, then place the brewing container on the stand. Set the brew-release switch to the off (up) position.
3. Add 10 oz/284 grams coarsely ground coffee to the brewing container and place the rainmaker on top. If using an OXO Conical Burr Grinder, this will be 11-15 on the grind setting. We recommend weighing your coffee, but for reference, 10 oz is roughly 3.5 cups.
4. Pour 40 oz/1200 ml (5 cups) of water over the rainmaker in a circular motion, to ensure an even distribution.
5. Remove the rainmaker and gently stir grounds. Let it brew at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
6. Once brewing is finished, slide the glass carafe underneath the stand. Press the brew-release switch down to drain. Draining will take approximately 20 minutes, but could vary based on ground size.

Your concentrate is now ready to enjoy or refrigerate for up to one week. I think five days is the perfect window for storing cold-brew in the fridge. Now what exactly is this concentrate? Due to the long extraction time, cold brew is incredibly strong. Unless you're use to drinking rocket fuel style coffee, you probably don't want to drink this straight. That makes it perfect for morning coffee beverages with a little bit of milk, or even just water. The ratio of concentrate to milk or water depends on your desired strength:

• 1 part concentrate to 2 parts water: A common ratio for making iced coffee
• 1 part concentrate to 1 part water: A less intense ratio that's easy to drink
• 1 part concentrate to 2 parts milk or creamer: A ratio for making iced coffee with milk or creamer

You can also add hot water or milk to the cold brew concentrate for a hot beverage! Simple syrups, extracts, and cinnamon are tasty additions to your cold brew.