Sugar, milk or a combination of both is often a remedy for smoothing out the bitterness in a cup of coffee. Iced coffee is often so watered down that bitterness and acidity can linger and put a damper on this hot day beverage.

The cold-brew process removes the bitterness, giving you a balanced taste. You may just decide to opt out of using sugar and milk. For a fraction of the cost of buying your favorite bottled version at the supermarket or one from your favorite cafe, DIY a much larger batch at home. If you are a caffeine lover (addict) then you’ll get a bigger buzz from this concentrated version of coffee.

Here’s how to make a near perfect batch of cold-brew that is user and budget friendly:

Ingredients:
Roughly ¾ cup of favorite coffee beans
Do NOT use espresso beans
4 cups of filtered water
Don’t have filtered water? Boil water and let it cool down.

Directions
1) Coarsely grind coffee beans and pour into a medium to large (preferably deep) bowl.
2) Pour in filtered water and mix well. Cover bowl with cloth and place bowl on the countertop away from the sun. Let it sit for 24 hours and stir occasionally.
3) Give your coffee mixture a good stir. Then, place 2 paper towels in a strainer to use as a filter. Put the strainer over an empty medium bowl.
4) Pour Coffee mixture into the paper lined strainer and scrape all the grinds into the strainer, too. Let it all drip out completely.
5) Dispose soiled paper towels from strainer; rinse and dry strainer.
6) Redo the process again in a clean bowl to filter out the rest of the grinds.
7) Place Coffee in Mason Jar(s) and refrigerate.

Your cold-brew will last for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Guru Tips:
-Select coffee beans that are less acidic and have a full-bodied flavor.
-Turn cold-brew into a bitter-free cup of coffee by heating it in the microwave.
-Adding in water or ice will dilute the concentration.
-Feel free to add sugar and/or soy, almond, or cow’s milk.

Now, back to the grind!