Since Todd went to Japan in this week’s episode of Uncommon Grounds, we’re trying out the Japanese-style method of making iced coffee!
If you are a cold brew lover, this recipe is great for a quick fix. Japanese-style iced coffee involves hot brewing at double strength over ice. By cutting the amount of water you brew with and replacing it with ice, you can cool down the coffee without diluting it. Here’s how:
Step 1: Weigh out 30 grams of coffee and grind it medium-fine (a similar consistency to table salt, and finer than you would for a usual Chemex). For coffee, we’re going with our Ethiopian YirgZ, because the ice will play up the coffee’s bright, peach and vanilla notes. Rinse your Chemex filter with a little hot water and pour in your coffee.
Step 2: Heat 335 grams of water to 204 degrees. Then, put 175 grams of ice into the bottom of the Chemex. This equals 510 grams of water total for your brew, or a 1:17 coffee to water ratio.
Step 3: Pour 60 grams of water over the grounds and let it bloom for 30 seconds. Then, continue pouring the remaining water in pulses. Try to keep the water at a consistent height in the filter.
Step 4: Once all the water has descended, pull the filter and swirl the Chemex to help melt the ice. Serve over more ice for extra chill factor!
*Pro-tip:*Pro-tip: When brewing over ice, keep your coffee to hot water ratio at around 1:11 so that the coffee has enough hot water to extract a good bit.