Can You Make Coffee With Cold Water?

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Can You Make Coffee With Cold Water?

You wake up every morning and go through the same old routine of brewing coffee as you stand on the counter with tired eyes. 

While you can’t live without your morning cup of coffee, the process of making the coffee can get boring and tedious. 

At some point, thoughts like, “Does the temperature of the water really matter while making coffee?” come into mind. The answer is: yes, it does matter. Read on to know more. 

The Brewing Process

If you’re planning on trying a few different methods of brewing coffee, it is important to understand the brewing process first. 

There are so many different ways of preparing coffee at home nowadays that it can get overwhelming. As a result, you might just stick to your instant coffee that requires the least amount of effort. 

However, this will lead to you missing out on the rich and delicious taste of a good cup of coffee that you can brew at home. 

On the surface, you just need some ground, coffee, water, and a filter to brew a cup of coffee. Just let the coffee ground simmer in the water for the required time, and your coffee is ready. 

However, using the right technique to brew your coffee can make a huge, even with the exact same ingredients. 

So, if you want to make a coffee that tastes similar to your favorite barista, you’ll have to tweak your methods. The good thing is that it isn’t too hard to do. 

Cold-Brewed Coffee

A lot of people confuse the term “cold-brewed coffee” with “cold coffee” or “instant iced coffee.” While you can make cold coffee with the cold-brew method, you can also easily make hot coffee with it.  

The basic process of brewing requires the coffee ground to dissolve in the water. While coffee grounds dissolve almost instantly in warm water, they will eventually dissolve in cold water as well. 

However, this method requires some patience as the brewing process would be significantly longer, even if you have the proper equipment. 

Ideally, you should leave the coffee ground in about 1/4th cup of cold or room temperature water for a few hours. This will allow the coffee ground enough time to dissolve properly in the water. 

Afterward, you can add water or milk according to your preference. 

Make sure to keep the temperature of the cold brew in mind while adding more liquid. If you want a warm cup of coffee, you will have to add really hot water or milk to balance out the temperature. 

On the other hand, you can add cold milk and ice if you’re craving some cold coffee. 

Make sure to filter out the remaining coffee grounds, or they may leave a bad taste in your mouth. 

Cold-Brew Coffeemaker

You don’t necessarily need any fancy equipment for making cold brew coffee. As discussed earlier, the process is very simple and can be achieved with basic things that are probably already in your kitchen. 

However, if you are passionate about your coffee and want to try authentic cold-brew coffee, you can invest in a cold-brew coffeemaker. 

Some espresso machines may be able to handle cold brews as well, but they tend to be on the more expensive side. If you don’t need an espresso machine, you can buy a separate cold-brew coffeemaker. 

Depending on the machine you choose, the cold brewing process can filter out about 66% of the coffee acids. This makes it a healthier choice that wouldn’t upset your stomach. 

However, even homemade cold-brewed coffee made without any equipment eliminates a significant amount of these acids. 

When you buy the coffeemaker, it will likely come with an instruction manual about how to brew the coffee. Make sure to follow it properly to get the best-tasting coffee. 

However, the general process would require you to place some coarsely ground coffee in a container on top of the equipment. Fill the container with cold water and let it steep for at least 12 hours. 

Ideally, you can leave it overnight to get the best results. However, do not stir the ground coffee after adding the water. 

After allowing it to steep for the required time, you will have to remove the plug. This will filter the coffee concentrate into the attached glass carafe. 

Depending on your preference, add milk or water to this concoction. 

As a rule of thumb, you can add 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water. Taste this mixture and adjust according to your taste. 

The remaining concentration can be stored in the refrigerator for future use. 

Does Cold-Brew Coffee Require Special Coffee Grounds? 

You may have come across some coffee bags at the grocery store that are specifically made for cold-brewing.

Depending on the manufacturer, these can be great and cut down on the brewing time. However, you don’t necessarily need these specialized beans. 

The whole idea behind cold brew is to let the coffee ground steep in the water for a longer period of time to allow it to dissolve and blend. 

So pick your favorite roast, and try the cold-brew methods. If you enjoy it, you can try the special cold-brew coffee ground as well. 

Can You Cold Brew Instant Coffee? 

The simple answer is: yes, you can cold brew instant coffee.

As stated earlier, coffee grounds will dissolve in water sooner or later. And that applies to instant coffee as well. 

So if you don’t have any fancy coffee grounds or beans available at the moment but still want to try the cold-brew method, by all means, use your instant coffee. 

Benefits of Cold-Brew Coffee

Cold-brew coffee may require a bit more time and effort on your part, but it is worth it. Here are some benefits that you will experience if you decide to cold brew your coffee. 

Saves Time 

This might sound paradoxical since the method requires significantly more time than the hot-brew method. 

However, when you wake up and are rushing to get dressed for work, you won’t have to spend the time preparing your morning coffee. 

All you have to do is add some hot water or milk to the premade concentration, and you’re good to go. 

You can also make a large batch of cold-brew coffee concentration and refrigerate it for up to a week. This will save you a lot of time every morning. 

If you prefer having fresh coffee every morning, you can leave the coffee grounds in water before going to bed, and it will be ready for you in the morning. 

Hence, the process may require more time, but it will make your life much easier. 

Less Bitter Coffee

Another interesting side effect of cold brew coffee is that it reduces the bitterness of the coffee. Not only does this make it taste better, but it reduces the need for added sugar and sweeteners.

You can still add sugar, but you might not require as much sweetener as you needed earlier. Over the months, this can significantly reduce your calorie intake. 

May Boost Your Metabolism

The process through which your body turns food into energy is known as metabolism. When you have a higher metabolism, your body becomes more efficient at burning calories. 

There are various things you can try to boost your metabolism, and one of them is drinking more coffee. 

The caffeine in cold brew coffee can boost your resting metabolic rate by up to 11%. Not only can this make it easier to reach your weight loss goals, but it will also allow your body to utilize the calories better. 

In addition to that, caffeine also makes the body more efficient at burning fat. So if you’re planning on hitting the gym, having a cup of unsweetened coffee an hour before could improve your workout. 

Improves Mental Activity

If you regularly drink coffee, you may be familiar with the feeling of being more awake and alert after your regular cup. No, it isn’t just in your head. 

Coffee is a stimulant that can improve your mental activity. 

A neurotransmitter, adenosine, which is naturally found in our bodies, increases the feeling of sleepiness. Caffeine binds to the adenosine receptors and increases the absorption of dopamine.  

As a result, the effectiveness of adenosine decreases, and you feel more alert and focused. 

Keep You Mentally Healthy

In addition to improving your focus, it can also benefit your mental health in the long run. 

Regular consumption of coffee can reduce the risk of various mental diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. 

The process of cold-brewing coffee increases caffeine absorption, which can further improve these long-term benefits. 

Conclusion

Cold brew coffee requires some additional effort on your part. However, you should certainly try it to see if you enjoy it, as it can certainly improve the benefits and make your life easier.

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