What a hot summer we have had so far!!! We had a great time at the famous Atlanta Ice Cream Festival this past weekend. Our Cibao Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee was such a hit! Why? Because the flavor of the coffee mixed perfectly well with the cool ice to refresh coffee lovers while strolling through Piedmont park on a 95 degree summer day.

Why Cold-Brewed Coffee is so good? 

Some say it is less bitter than coffee brewed with hot water. And since it has less acid than hot brewed coffee, it may be gentler on your stomach, according to Healthline.com. Read about more health benefits there.

Cold-brewed coffee is made by steeping coffee in room-temperature water for 12-18 hours. It is then strained and chilled before serving. Making coffee in this method extracts the flavors of the coffee along with the caffeine, but leaves a very clean and smooth finish. Not only is it very easy to make, it makes a stunning drink to hold in your hand.

How to make it 

Use 1/3 of a cup of coarsely ground Dominican coffee. This coffee is best because of its smooth creamy body and its sweet undertones and nutty tasting notes. This is also a nice strong coffee that stands up well to sweeteners, ice and milk. 

The coffee is placed in a mason jar along with 12 ounces of water, or 1.5 cups. Many think the coffee needs to be placed in the refrigerator, but you can leave it on the counter if you like. I normally make it around 6pm so that it is ready by 9am, when I am usually ready for my daily cup of joe. 

The process of making cold-brewed coffee

Strain the coffee through a filter to remove the grounds. If you have a metal filter, you may want to strain it further with a paper filter to ensure the tiny coffee grounds are removed as well.  

Use a large cup and fill it with ice. Add 6 ounces (half of the 12 ounces) of cold-brewed coffee just filtered.  

Leave room in your glass for milk and sweetener if you like.

Tip: Sweetener is best added to the coffee before the milk. Adding is before the coffee is poured will result in it falling to the bottom not being incorporated into the drink as much. The best sweetener to use is agave nectar (as we used in the festival) or simple syrup (recipe below).  

If you like milk in your coffee, add about 4 ounces of milk. Almond milk or oat milk seem to work best to bring out the coffee notes. 

Stir it all together and enjoy a nice, cool and refreshing drink. 

Recipes

Cibao Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee 

(Yields 2 servings)

1/3 cup of Cibao coffee 

12 ounces of filtered water 

Add coffee into a 12-ounce mason jar and mix in the water. Stir and let sit for 12-18 hours. 

Simple Syrup 

¼ cup of sugar 

¼ cup of water 

Dissolve the sugar into the water and let it cool before using. The easiest way to remember this is to use equal parts sugar and water. If you make a bigger portion, you can use it for up to 30 days once it is sealed and refrigerated.  

Enjoy your cold-brewed iced coffee at home.

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