Coffee guide / Cold coffee
Cold coffee at home: iced filter coffee and cold brew
Two ways to a cold glass: a strong filter decoction poured over ice (ready in under an hour), or cold brew steeped overnight.
In the cup: Iced filter coffee is strong and creamy with milk. Cold brew is smooth and soft, and drinks well without milk.
How to make it
Iced filter coffee (About 1 hour, mostly cooling)
- Brew strong. Make the decoction in a steel filter with three heaped tablespoons of Pureswada or Swadamalnad (the top of the usual range).
- Sweeten. Stir in sugar while the decoction is warm, if you take it.
- Chill. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes on the counter, then 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Build the glass. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in cold milk, then the chilled decoction. Stir and taste.
| Starting point | |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 3 heaped tablespoons for the decoction |
| Water | Just off the boil, to fill the top cup |
| Mix | A little more decoction than your hot kaapi, with cold milk and ice |
| Time | 15 minutes to drip, about 45 minutes to chill |
Cold brew, from beans (12 hours, then 5 minutes)
- Grind coarse. Grind 60 g of Roastswada coarse, like rock salt. Fine powder makes cold brew cloudy and bitter.
- Steep. Put it in a jar with 600 ml of cold water. Stir, cover and leave on the counter or in the fridge for 12 to 14 hours.
- Strain. Strain through a fine strainer or a paper filter. Keep it in the fridge.
- Serve. Pour over ice. Add water or milk to taste. It is a concentrate, so start with half and half.
| Starting point | |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 60 g |
| Water | 600 ml, cold (1 part coffee to 10 parts water) |
| Grind | Coarse, like rock salt |
| Time | 12–14 hours |
| Keep | In the fridge; drink within 3 days |
What you need
- South Indian steel filter (you probably have this): Two stacked cups with a pressing disc: it drips a thick decoction slowly. The classic way to make filter kaapi.
- Cold brew jar with strainer (nice to have): Steep coarse coffee in cold water overnight, then strain.
- Hand coffee grinder (nice to have): Grind beans fresh for each brew and pick the grind for the method.
- Kitchen scale (0.1 g) (nice to have): Weigh coffee and water, so the cup tastes the same every day.
We are planning to stock this equipment; it is not on sale yet.
Which Kaapiswada coffee to buy
Pureswada (100% Arabica · No chicory, 250 g): For iced filter coffee, Pureswada gives a clean, strong decoction that still tastes of coffee when the ice melts. Swadamalnad also works if you like it thick and milky.
Also works: Roastswada (100% Arabica · Whole beans). For cold brew you need beans you can grind coarse. Our powder is ground fine for a steel filter, so use Roastswada.
Do not use our fine filter powder for cold brew. It is ground for a steel filter and will turn cloudy and bitter when steeped.
Tips
- Never pour hot decoction straight on ice. It melts the ice at once and waters the glass down.
- Make the iced version stronger than your hot cup: ice thins it.
Read more: Iced filter coffee at home
More guides: I love black coffee · I want South Indian filter coffee · All guides
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