Cold Brewed Coffee

There is a post circulating on facebook about the potential dangers of using a K-cups and I have to say, after researching further I am realizing the Keurig, although extremely convenient, is probably making its way out of our household soon. I've grappled with how wasteful the kcups are and they are not cheap. As we work towards eliminating toxins and chemicals from our daily life as much as possible, I think finding a new way to brew my coffee is the next step. So, here are a few articles that I wanted to save and refer back to in my endeavor to brew a delicious cup of coffee without involving the use of plastics and excessive waste.

The first method I have tried is cold brewed coffee using a mason jar. It is the simplest and doesn't require me to buy any new equipment, other than a tea strainer, which I can use for my loose-leaf teas as well. So far, I am loving this method. It's very easy and produces a concentrated coffee that I can put in the fridge and keep for a week (although it's gone before then). I can pour it over ice or heat it up. I mix it with a little water and half and half. So far, so good!

Cold Brewed Coffee

1/3 cup coarsely ground coffee
2 1/2 cups water

Pour water in a mason jar, add coffee, stir and let sit for 8 hours or more. Keep it out on the counter at room temperature and cover it. It will get stronger the longer it steeps. When ready, filter out the coffee grinds and keep the concentrated coffee in the fridge.

Other methods I'd like to try include the french press, aeropress, or chemex. I like this article for tips on how to make a good cup of coffee.