Be your own barista: A quick and easy way to make iced coffee

Stopping at a coffee shop on a daily basis can do a number on both our waistlines and our wallets. But if you’ve ever tried to make iced coffee on a hot day, you probably realized it just doesn’t taste as good as the one at the coffee shop.

Why?

Because when you pour hot coffee over ice cubes, the cubes weaken the coffee as they melt. But if you let the coffee cool to room temperature and then pour it over ice, it can taste old.

Cold-brewing coffee is a great way to make iced drinks. Start it in the morning, and it’ll be ready by the next one. Here’s how:

Use a mason jar or a French press coffee pot. Add 4 cups of room temperature water, preferably filtered.

Then add at least 1 cup of ground coffee, but not more than 1 1/3 cups (after you make it once, you’ll know if you want it stronger). Stir gently with a spoon, knife or chopstick.

Put the lid back on the jar or press and set it aside for 24 hours. (If you’re using a French press, do not press it down yet!)

The next day, press down the plunger and pour the coffee into a clean pitcher. If you’re using a mason jar, pour the coffee through a fine mesh filter into a storage container. The coffee is highly concentrated at this point, but the cold brew means it’s less acidic, less caffeinated and has a smoother taste, which is perfect for iced coffees. You may need to dilute it with water — 1 part coffee to 2 parts water — but you’ll know better after the first one you make.

Pour the coffee over ice and add whatever milk and flavorings suit your fancy. Put the remaining coffee concentrate in the fridge. It will keep for a week!

Want a hot cup, instead? Just dilute it again and heat it up.

Happy brewing!