Here’s something you probably never learned in chemistry: The temperature of your coffee should be inversely proportional to the temperature outdoors. With that being said, it’s time to start thinking more seriously about iced coffee—especially if you plan on brewing it at home. This Cold Coffee Dripper by Japanese brand Hario is our pick during warm weather months, because it’s both easy-to-use and elegantly designed. The device, which retails at $265, produces a tasty, mild coffee without bitterness or acidity.
Since the process of home-brewing cold coffee is a bit different than the average cup of Joe, we turned to two industry experts for advice. “To start, grind 3/4 of a pound of coffee on a coarse setting, so that it almost looks like the consistency of sea salt. If you don’t have a grinder at home, ask the local coffee shop where you bought the beans to grind coarse,” recommends Jeremy Lyman and Paul Schlader, co-owners of the New York-based Birch Coffee. Then, pour the grinds into the brewer. And whatever you do—do not forget a filter. Next, Lyman and Schlader recommend measuring out 57 ounces of cold water.* “Pour it into your brewer and stir thoroughly while doing so. Make sure all of the grinds are covered with the water and no dry coffee remains at the top. It should appear to be a light brown color.” Then, let the coffee sit in the water at room temperature for at least 12 hours and drain. Before you drink, Lyman and Schlader say that for every part coffee you use, pour two parts water on top. For example, if you have drained 10 ounces of coffee concentrate, pour 20 ounces of water to dilute—then add ice, and enjoy.
* If you need to use less coffee or would like to use more coffee, the measurement is roughly 76 ounces of water to every pound of ground coffee.
