1cupcoarse ground coffee beansideally dark or French roast
8cupscold filtered water
1teaspoonvanilla extract or a vanilla bean scraped
4tablespoonshalf & halfor cream
sugar syrup to tasteboil equal parts of water and sugar and then simmer for 10-15 minutes
Instructions
Start by grinding the coffee beans until coarsely ground. The grains should be slightly larger than what you would use for drip coffee. If you don't have access to an electric grinder, you can use a mortar and pestle instead.
Place the ground beans into the container and pour in the cold filtered water. Stir the mixture until all of the grounds are evenly saturated.
Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Once the brew time has elapsed, slowly strain out the grounds using cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Discard any solids that remain in either material after straining.
After the coffee is strained, add the vanilla, half-and-half, and the sugar syrup to taste (start with just a bit of syrup as cold brew is sweeter and less bitter than brewed coffee).
Pour into glasses filled with ice cubes* and enjoy! You can also store this cold brewed cup of joe in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to three days - just shake before serving each time!
Notes
*Tip - After 8 hours or so, pour some of the brew-in-progress into an ice cube tray. Using the “coffee ice” will prevent your cold brew from diluting – especially in the summer months.