Become the Brewmaster: 5 Cold-Brew Coffee Favs

Coffee has been around for years, but every so often a new trend comes around that people try to make their own. Recently, cold-brew coffee has been all the rage. The beverage, which is made with cold or room temperature water, takes 12 to 24 hours to brew or steep, according to Today.

While the drink itself is a wonderful alternative for coffee drinkers, there’s more that wannabe brewmasters can do with this beverage. Here are five examples:

1. New Orleans style

If you want a morning cup of Joe that’s unlike any other, the New Orleans variation of cold-brew coffee will add a hint of sweetness you’ll want to replicate every day. The key is to make your beverage with one-fourth cup of ground chicory and an extra cup of water, according to Sugar and Charm. Chicory, a root vegetable, gives the drink a chocolate flavor that cuts a little off the bitterness of the coffee.

2. Cold brew ice cubes

On most occasions, people dilute their cold-brew coffee to lessen the strength of the drink. While this is the way some prefer the beverage, others enjoy their coffee to be more robust. For the latter cases, cold-brew ice cubes can pack that punch, according to Bon Appetit. These items are easy to make, as it simply takes freezing cold-brew coffee in an ice cube tray. Add one or add a few, whichever you prefer.

3. Coconut cold brew

If you’re looking for a simple addition to your cold brew, try a pinch of coconut. Toast one cup of the sweetened, shredded variety to start. Add the coconut to your coffee grounds and using a Toddy system, brew the combination for 15 hours, A Beautiful Mess recommended. If you want a beverage that’s a little less strong, dilute one part cold brew in two parts filtered water.

4. Cold drip Irish coffee

Various types of alcoholic beverages, including darker beers, incorporate the taste of coffee. You can do this at home as well by experimenting with different liquors in your cold-brew coffee. One of our favorites is cold drip Irish coffee. Take your mug of choice and mix 10 ounces of cold brew, two ounces of Irish whiskey, one tablespoon of simple syrup and one ounce of fresh cream or Bailey’s Irish Cream, according to Home Grounds. This recipe is simple to create, all you have to do is combine the ingredients and enjoy!

5. Almond milk latte

If coffee with milk is more your style, try cold brew with a bit of almond milk. Prepare cold-brew ice cubes and drop them into a mixture of almond milk and water. Adjust the strength of your beverage by adding more or fewer cubes.

There’s no end to the recipes you can create with cold-brew coffee. Whether you’re looking for a simple cup of joe or a more fun version that incorporates alcohol, test out different ingredients to see what truly suits your taste.