No boiler, no coffee machine: Cold Brew requires zero energy to prepare and is now wonderfully refreshing in the summer. IMAGE: Pixabay

Cold brew coffee has benefits

Cold brew coffee has been a trendy drink for a few years now. In the summer, it’s a sugar-free alternative to iced coffee.

Advantages of cold brew coffee:

• Mild & easy on the stomach (cold brew contains only 15 percent of the acidity of hot brewed coffee).
• No heat makes the coffee less bitter
• No need for a coffee maker
• You can make it in your holiday-accommodation

Cold Brew Coffee – Preparation

The preparation is very simple – but you should allow about 12 hours! (Prepare in the evening, drink the next morning).

You need

• A French press (or 2 jugs)
• 100 grams of fair trade organic coffee
• 1 liter of cold water

Preparation:

• Add coarsely ground coffee powder to the jug or French press.
• Pour in cold water
• Stir to combine
• Cover and refrigerate (overnight)

The next morning, simply squeeze the grounds with the French press or pour the coffee through a filter into the second carafe.

Alternatively, you can add milk or a plant-based beverage (organic, of course) and serve with ice cubes.

Which coffee is best for Cold Brew Coffee?

Baristas and coffee bloggers recommend a mild to medium roast. It’s best to buy whole beans and grind the coffee yourself. The organic seal tells you if the coffee comes from sustainable organic farming.

Öko-Test recommends GEPA coffees

We also recommend that you look for a Fair Trade seal on the coffee so that the farmers on the plantations are paid a fair wage.

The German consumer magazine Öko-Test recommends coffees with the Fair Trade or GEPA seal. They criticize the UTZ label for not guaranteeing a fair minimum price, for not providing pre-financing for cultivation, and for not having a comprehensive list of prohibited substances.

In general, GEPA coffees have already been ranked among the best by Öko-Test for their taste, and they carry both the Fair Trade and the organic seal. (Unfortunately, my other favorite coffee, Lavazza, has not yet moved in this direction).