Iced Kuntu Coffee (cold brew)
Hot coffee that's put in the fridge becomes acidic and flat. Cold brew extraction is different: it's rounder, sweeter, without bitterness.
Ingredients — for 2 large glasses
- 60 g of Kuntu coffee, coarse grind
- 700 ml of cold water
- Ice cubes, and milk if you like
Preparation — 5 min · Waiting time — 12 h
- Grind the coffee coarsely, as you would for a French press. A fine grind would pass through the filter and make the drink cloudy and bitter.
- Mix coffee and water in a jar. Stir to ensure all the powder is wet.
- Cover. 12 hours at room temperature, or 16 hours in the refrigerator.
- Filter with a paper filter placed in a sieve, or with cheesecloth. Do not press the grounds.
- Serve over ice. Add a little water or milk to taste.
Why it's less bitter
The compounds responsible for bitterness and sharp acidity are extracted mainly with heat. With cold water, the extraction is slower and more selective: it draws out sugars and aromas, leaving much of the rest in the grounds.
On Kuntu, this highlights notes of dark chocolate and dried fruits.
Proportions and storage
The ratio used here is approximately 1 to 12. For a concentrate to dilute, increase to 1 to 8 (90 g for 700 ml) and dilute when serving.
Filtered cold brew can be stored for a week in the refrigerator in a sealed bottle. Beyond that, it oxidizes and loses its aroma.
With ground coffee
The ground Kuntu also works, but its medium grind extracts faster: reduce to 8 hours and filter carefully.