Cold Brew Concentrate: a different way to enjoy Cold Brew Coffee

Cold Brew Concentrate is extremely easy to make and is the basis for many delicious drinks.

Cold Brew, the iced filtered coffee, has been growing in popularity among Greek coffee drinkers in recent years. Those who are accustomed to enjoying our Cold Brew in cafes (though it is very easy to make it at home) may have noticed the barista diluting a very dark liquid that stays in the refrigerator before serving our Cold Brew. No, the barista does not steal or distort our coffee - just use Cold Brew Concentrate!

Cold Brew Concentrate is essentially concentrated cold-extracted coffee, which is diluted with water or milk before consuming it. Despite its "scientific" name it is extremely easy to produce - and it is particularly tasty, as it can become the "base" for many tasty preparations.

What's the difference between Cold Brew and Cold Brew Concentrate;

Cold Brew, is produced by extracting coarse ground coffee in cold water. It is usually consumed as it is, or with the addition of some milk. Cold Brew Concentrate, follows the same extraction philosophy, with the difference being that the coffee to water ratio is significantly higher. Thus, the resulting extract is more potent and must be diluted with water or milk before consumption.

If Cold Brew is extracted correctly, its color is light brown and clear and its taste is mild, with natural sweetness and pleasant fruity notes - depending on the variety of coffee we have chosen. Cold Brew Concentrate is darker in color, more intense with a brown flavor and blends better with milk without losing its body. Especially in a cold Cold Brew Latte, Concentrate has a flavor that can, as appropriate, bring to mind as much as possible espresso.

Still, Cold Brew Concentrate has a relatively longer shelf life - while regular Cold Brew coffee usually lasts 4-5 days, the cold-extract coffee concentrate can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10-12 days, without problems.

How is Cold Brew Concentrate prepared?

The process of preparing the Cold Brew Concentrate is essentially the same as the one we know about the regular Cold Brew, and the proportions are drastically changing. We need coarse ground coffee, water at room temperature, a glass container (bottle, jar, jug, etc.) and a very fine filter.

Our coffee should be ground to a degree reminiscent of coarse sea salt, otherwise our concentrate will be dull, cloudy and with floating particles, and will gradually begin to bitter due to over-extraction. Place our coffee in the dish we use, add water to room temperature and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, depending on how much we want the extract to come out. For Cold Brew Concentrate, 18 hours is a good time, but it also depends on the variety we use, so a little experimentation is welcome. After the extraction is completed, carefully filter our coffee with a very fine cloth filter or a special metal filter to obtain a clear, particulate-free extract. We never store unfiltered extract, because the extraction will continue constantly, making it extremely bitter.

Looking at ratios to start Cold Brew Concentrate extraction, we can set the 4: 1 rule as the starting ratio. Ideally, we use 280 grams of coarse ground coffee per liter of water.

How can Cold Brew Concentrate be used?

Our extract must be diluted before consumption, either with water or with milk. The proportions can vary from 1: 2 to 1: 3, that is, one part of extract in two parts of water or 1 part of extract in three parts of water, depending on our personal taste.

The exact dilution ratios vary depending on our taste sensor, how much we want our coffee, the variety of coffee we used, and whether we dilute our coffee with milk or water. It is worth noting that while Cold Brew Concentrate works best with cold water or cold milk, it can also be diluted with hot water or hot milk, with quite interesting results.

Still, Cold Brew Concentrate is used in many recipes that use Cold Brew coffee, such as various Cocktails, with or without alcohol, especially in those recipes that come from the US. Generally, when reading such recipes, it is advisable to use regular cold brew coffee or concentrate in order to achieve the desired tasty result.

Whether Cold Brew or Cold Brew Concentrate, cold rolled coffee slowly proves to be not a transient fashion as many imagined, but on the contrary, it came to stay. If you're still skeptical, try preparing it at home - a try will convince you!