Choose your weapons It’s weird, isn’t it? I hate it when a cup of hot coffee goes cold – I won’t drink it – but cold brewed coffee is a very different thing. That’s because it’s smooth and chilly and perfect for summer – especially the hot, people-packed summers of New York – but not at all watery or bitter. (At least, not if you make it right.) And it’s a million times better than your basic iced coffee – which is just regular filter coffee poured over ice – or the big coffee chain versions, which are sweetened to within an inch of their lives. It doesn’t get as hot here as New York, though, so cold brewed coffee seems more an affectation than a survival essential… That’s true, which is why we should enjoy it for its other pleasures too. A good cold brewed coffee, you see, is rich in flavour, subtle in its sweetness, and utterly refreshing – and its secret is that it’s steeped in cold water from the start, not brewed hot then cooled down with ice. Traditional iced coffee is made hot, fast and very strong – so the taste can survive dilution with all that frozen water – but this is a process that also makes it horribly bitter. Cold brew is different, its gentler infusion process taking up to 24 hours and keeping the acidity low throughout, leaving it sweeter. And because it’s already cold, you don’t need to serve it with much – or even any – ice, meaning there’s little dilution going on. It’s just coffee, though, so surely it’s easy enough to make at home? Indeed, and without extreme barista skills too; all you really need are coarse coffee grounds, cold water, a big jar, a big bowl, a sieve, some paper towels – and the patience to wait overnight for your brew. It’s possible to make it using your regular cafetière, too. So what do I need this thing for? I was about to say! Basically, the KitchenAid Artisan Cold Brew Coffee Maker is a way to make everything easier for yourself, reducing the process to three simple steps: grind, brew and pour. It steeps your coffee in cold water for at least 12 hours, and up to 24 (though over-steeping can result in the bitter flavours we’re trying to avoid), giving smooth, balanced results every time. There’s no need
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THE JAPANESE AND AMERICANS HAVE LONG SAID THAT COFFEE, LIKE REVENGE, IS BEST SERVED COLD. NOW, RECKONS MATT BIELBY, KITCHENAID HAS COME UP WITH A EASY WAY FOR US TO ENJOY ITS UNIQUE MELLOW QUALITIES TOO… to drink it all at once either, as – unlike regular coffee – the low acidity means it will keep in the fridge for weeks, actually saving you time each morning. Since it’s by KitchenAid, it’s pretty cool looking too, right? Yes, and solidly made – all stainless steel and chunky glass – as well as easy to clean and small enough to fit easily on a fridge shelf (or even in the door rack). From the fill guideline mark to the reusable stainless steel steeper for custom brewing, it’s designed to make the whole process as fool-proof as possible. Oh, and it’s surprisingly cheap, too.
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Remortgage the house cheap, right? Not so; you can pick one up for £129. Not much, considering how cold brewing drags all the flavour (and, yes, all the caffeine) from your beans, but leaves behind everything that can make coffee sour. And when the weather turns you can just warm your cold brew up for the perfect hot cup, less bitter yet more caffeinated than filter coffee. You may have discovered your new morning pick-me-up. The KitchenAid Artisan Cold Brew Coffee Maker costs £129; find yours at KitchenAid stockists like Kitchens Cookshop or branches of Debenhams in Bristol and Bath; kitchenaid.co.uk