A cold brew introduction

Cold brew is everyday in America and is now conquering Europe.
Everyone knows ice coffee (= hot espresso chilled on ice). Cold brew replaces the heat with time. More specifically, it may take 6 to 24 hours until cold brew is ready. The result makes waiting worthwhile.
The idea behind cold brew, is that the coffee is not only served cold, it also is prepared cold. Because no heat is used, the end product is sweeter and contains less bitterness and acidity which makes this extraction an invigorating and delicious refreshment. In addition, cold brew is, because of its low level in acidity, more tolerant for stomach and teeth.

The different flavors that are present in coffee beans make cold brew a fascinating drink for coffee geeks and baristas. No other coffee brewing method emphasizes the deepest flavors of chocolate, caramel, citrus, berries, and spicy notes. You can experiment with origins, grammage, extraction time and grind thickness until you find your perfect cold brew. The possibilities are truly called endless. In addition, cold brew can be stored for
days refrigerated and in a closed environment. I drink cold brew mainly out of a tumbler. Ideal during a long drive to work. I enjoy a nice cold brew, full of caffeine without falling asleep.

How to prepare cold brew?

Cold brew can be prepared in various ways. The best aromatic and flavored cold brew is achieved, drip by drip, by means of a cold drip. The simplest way is by means of a French Press or Toddy system.

Grind 50 g of (coarse) coffee . Put the ground coffee in the french press and add half a liter of water. Do you have a 1 L french press then double the normal amount. (no rocket science :). Stir well with a spoon so that all the ground coffee is mixed with the water. Allow the extraction to take place for 12 to 24 hours in a refrigerator. In order to allow a proper extraction, you can stir the coffee with a spoon after a few hours.
Once the ground coffee beans have done their job, just push the membrane of the press down and your Cold brew can be served.

How to drink cold brew?

Of course it all depends on personal taste. I like to drink cold brew with cane sugar sirup (monin), soy milk over ice. Others like it straight on the rocks or in a cocktail.
Experimenting is the message. Both with origins, level of grinding and extraction time.

Let me know your experience!
Kind regards, Dries

With The Lab Brewer you can transform a simple bottle of gin or vodka into an outstanding bottle of delicious homemade gin. Forget the costly distilling equipment or the purchase of expensive bolder tasting gins infused with interesting botanical combinations.

WELCOME TO THE BREWING COMMUNITY

Micro-breweries and craft distilleries are popping up like mushrooms. Artisan gin is big business. The DIY movement is a commercialized business with plenty home-brew wine and beer kits. Personalisation is key.
But still it is rare to find brewing kits to make your own spirits. The Lab Brewer does it all. Originally it was created to make cold brew coffee. But after the experiment with spirits and botanicals, this simple and pure piece of equipment created a second destination. A unique and delicious home-blend of your very own gin! I truly was beaten by surprise. The result was astonishing good. The beauty of making your own is that you can tailor the ingredients to match your favourite craft gin, one that is customised to your flavour profile and this for a fraction of the price.

All you need to do is pick your favourite botanicals; crush if distinct flavour is necessary; choose a basic quality gin and allow time and gravity to do the work. Drip by drip. In 4 hours you have your own infused gin without any illegal distilling equipment.
You can also try it with vodka. At the heart of it, infused vodka is a valid type of gin if it also included Juniper Berries. The rest is entirely up to you, that’s the fun part. Do the experiment, and tweak it time after time, till you find your taste profile.

Gin & Botanicals

There aren’t many spirits that inspire such passionate opinions as gin does. The possibilities are endless. There are hundreds of botanicals and thousands of combinations. This is an open recipe. Personaly I always use cardamom and love the spicy taste of pepper. Try also spices like cinnamon to create a winter gin or coriander, lemon grass, chili pepper, orange peel and even liquorice to tackle the orange peel bitterness. Try it even with tea. Use jasmine, lavender and dried lemon peel. You’ll get nice surprises with nutmeg, cloves, anise, angelica seeds or Thai basil. Have fun, and if you found your favorite recipe, leave a comment below and let us know how what it turned out to be!

Who’s interested?

I believe this will be the perfect gift for a gin drinker or any cocktail enthusiast. If they like making cocktails, they’ll love making their own gin. Next to that, The Lab Brewer will be an eye catcher in your personal kitchen. Restaurants and bars will have the possibility to produce their home gin, a signature product appealing to each customer and increasing margins and thus profitability. And if you are looking for a fancy glass bottle to serve your gin or apothecary jars to store your botanicals, spices and aromatics, you don’t have to look further. You’ll find everything at MyLabStory.com

Remember, making something yourself has always been the best gift. Bring out the master brewer in you!

Categorie: Blog

Cold brew, the next hot thing!