I have enjoyed coffee since childhood. Although, I will admit, I did and still do like my coffee with plenty of cream and sugar. I did not become a daily coffee drinker until my (second) Senior year of college (that’s another story for another day). Somehow I had managed not to have a single 8 o’clock class until my next to last semester of college. I never have been, nor will I ever be, a morning person. Once I get going, I’m good… but, until then, I’m a foggy, hazy mess!
So, there began my daily morning coffee consumption. I would drink one big cup of coffee in the morning on the way to class and by the time class started, I was fully present and ready to engage. By the time I graduated I was a slave to my morning cup of coffee. And within a few weeks of Bub and I being married and living together, he was dependent on a morning cup of coffee as well. And to be perfectly honest, our Black and Decker hot coffee maker suited us just fine. We did not have anything against Keurig or espresso enthusiasts, we were just content with our regular hot coffee maker.
Fast forward 2 years to last summer…at the beach. It’s not exactly real awesome breaking a sweat drinking your morning coffee. But, we didn’t really know any different until one fateful day when I was discussing coffee with the chef where I worked. This chef is totally unpretentious and real smart- so, listening to and trusting his advice was simple. He suggested that Bub and I try cold brewing our coffee with a Toddy Cold Brew System. He explained that the cold brewing system cut the acidity of coffee by 2/3rds and that cold brewed coffee is easier on the stomach. And most importantly, it was cold and tasty. (Rather than watered down and stale-tasting after the ice melted in your hot coffee.) So, I got us a Toddy Cold Brew System and we have not looked back.
The actual cold brewing process is fairly simple. You use the stopper to plug the hole in the bottom of the big white canister and dampen the filter and place it in the bottom over the plug in the canister. Then you pour in a cup of water and drizzle 6 ounces of coffee grounds (2/3 cup) in a circular fashion over the water. Next you add 3 cups of water, also in a circular manner and another 6 ounces of coffee grounds, wait five minutes and add another 3 cups of water. So, in total 7 cups of water and 12 ounces of coffee. It will look like this:
Once you get it all in the canister, you just set the whole thing aside over night or 12 hours. I usually make it before we go to bed and it’s ready to be drained when we wake up.
You pull the plug from the bottom of the white canister and set it on top of the clear urn (that is included with the system) and let the coffee drain into it from the canister. This takes just a couple minutes. At this point the coffee is comparable to a concentrate. The instructions included with the system say you can dilute the coffee with water (hot or cold depending on your preference). Bub and I don’t do that. We just drink a smaller total amount.
I cannot end this discussion of coffee without also mentioning a perfect way to dispose of your used coffee grounds- plants love them. Throw them out in your garden, dump them in your flower pots or toss them in your flower beds- any which way is great. When we were using the traditional coffee maker, what brewed coffee was left, I watered my inside plants with- they love the caffeine!
Immediately put this on my Amazon wish list. I love coffee but have had to cut it out due to acid stuff. Do you stick it in the microwave when you want it hot?
Yeah- when you want warm water, you can microwave it or boil it if you’re anti-microwave. I got ours at World Market- but, Amazon most certainly has them.
I wonder… do you think you could do this in a French press? Just leave it for 12 hours? Or is there a special function of the apparatus? It seems like all you need is water, coffee, time, and a filter of some sort…