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I hesitated to broach this subject here today because, while I realize most of you probably haven’t committed every single one of my feelings and preferences to memory, I worry (hope?) that at least a few of you will recall that I have written about iced coffee quite a few times since I started sending this newsletter every Friday — and that I might now be contradicting some things I’ve said in the past.
I drink lots of iced coffee. I have admitted to an embarrassing and financially reckless habit of having the fine men and women of Uber Eats bring me two massive iced coffees from a local bagel store on most days. I have placed countless orders on the Starbucks app — for myself, of course, but also for the co-workers I then make go pick it up in exchange for me paying. It’s crazy, I’m aware.
So last year, right around this time, I committed to making my own at home. The method I used centered around the OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker. It worked well, as it should have. Making cold brew is actually really simple — despite the proliferation of devices out there, all you really need is some water, some ground coffee, a large vessel in which to combine them and some sort of filtering device. Like, you could literally just get a (clean) bucket and some cheesecloth and you’d be well on your way to opening up your own overpriced coffee shop that looks just like all the other overpriced coffee shops. But I digress.
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Spoiler alert: denimAs I said, this method worked perfectly fine, until I realized something very important: I don’t like cold brew. I like iced coffee.
Cold brew, for those unaware, gets its name from how it’s brewed rather than how it’s served, which is to say it’s brewed using cold water (or, really, room temperature water, but “room temperature brew” doesn’t have the same ring to it) rather than hot water. This leads to different flavors being extracted from the coffee. It’s an extremely complicated topic I’ve tried to read about a bunch over the years, but basically, cold brew is perceived to taste less acidic or sour than hot coffee, despite lab tests showing near identical pH levels. Cold brew also tends to bring out more of the coffee’s floral and fruity notes, which are especially prominent in the lighter roasts used by lots of the fancier coffee shops out there.
I realize now that I prefer coffee that is brewed hot and then cooled down rather than coffee that is brewed cold. And I don’t think it’s because I have a particularly unsophisticated palate, even though I do happily fuck with Dunkin’ coffee on the regular. This piece by my former colleague and coffee expert Will Price features quotes from some coffee pros who feel the same way I do.
So anyway! I have a new method for making iced coffee at home, and it’s awesome. I simply brew hot coffee using a bit more ground coffee than I would normally (90 grams rather than 75 grams for a 10-cup pot) in order to account for the dilution that will occur when I put ice in it upon serving. When it’s done, I pop it in the fridge overnight, and it’s waiting for me in the morning.
Here’s everything I use:
There’s a reason every single publication on the planet tells you to get a Moccamaster. It makes a fantastic cup of coffee and looks great on your counter.
Speaking of looking great on your counter, the Opus 2 grinder from Fellow is a real looker, on top of functioning flawlessly. I’ve been using the original (not the newest iteration) for years now, and I’ve never had an issue.
Yes, you need a scale. Do you need a $200 scale? Probably not, but it’s really beautiful and extremely precise. If you want something more reasonable, you will be served well by this one from Escali, which has also had a place in my kitchen for years.
For any coffee enthusiast, budding or well-established, Trade is simply awesome. They work with independent roasters all over the country, and they send you bags of coffee based specifically on your preferences. I get a delivery every two weeks, and I always get a little rush of excitement when I see it in my mailbox. With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day coming up, it also makes a great gift.
If you’re gonna spend all that money on freshly roasted beans, you’ll want to keep them fresh for as long as possible.
Not exactly an earth-shatteringly original recommendation here, but I like to use an insulated cup to minimize the dilution I mentioned earlier. My morning cup is sitting next to me as I type this, and it’s still got a pretty solid clump of ice at the bottom.
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