BKG Brew Guide: How To Make Nitro Cold Brew at Home

Do you find it hard to think about hot coffee when it’s 85°F and above? Well, you’re in luck. Today, we have another iced coffee recipe to share with you all. 

Have you read our post on How to make the perfect cold brew? Today, we are turning a regular cold brew into a bomb nitro cold brew. With this at home version, we are using a french press and whipped cream dispenser to achieve that dreamy and satisfying foamy texture.

To make this delicious nitro cold brew at home, you will need:

. coffee beans

. burr grinder

. french press

. pour over dripper and paper filter (optional)

. whipped cream dispenser

. scale

. spoon or stirrer

STEP 1: GRIND YOUR COFFEE

You can comfortably use a coarser grind with cold brew for the ease of reducing coffee fines. Since cold brew is usually made in larger quantities. It’s not fun when extreme fines clog your filter, and you end up with a messy mess.

We are using 45g of coffee in a small french press that usually holds 350g of water. Or you can use 143g of coffee per 1 liter of water based on the volume of your container. 

STEP 2: ADD WATER AND SATURATE COFFEE

Add 315g of cold water (or 1:7 coffee to water ratio depending on the volume of your vessel). It is very important to saturate the coffee ground. Use a spoon to agitate the slurry until you get a rich, thick and foamy “crema” on top.

Position the french press plunger without pressing down.

STEP 3: STEEP

Once your slurry feels effortless to stir and has no dry clumps, your cold brew is ready for steeping. Depending on the coffee you’re using and your desired level of extraction, a 12~15 hour steep time at room temperature is a good range to start.

STEP 4: DRAIN

Once it’s done steeping, press plunger half way down without squeezing the coffee ground. Be careful not to agitate coffee at this point. Instead, we simply pour out  the cold brew concentrate. This way we leave most of the slurry in the french press. Additionally, you can use a pour over dripper and filter to make sure no sediment ends up in your cup.

STEP 5: DILUTE TO TASTE

Add 50g to 100g of water to dilute the concentrate to taste. Then refrigerate finished cold brew for at least an hour or until completely chilled.

STEP 6: WHIP IT?

Pour chilled cold brew in a clean whipped cream dispenser and operate it according to the manufacturer’s manual. Make sure the nitrogen capsule and the whipper itself are both screwed in tightly.

Dispense cold brew as you would with whipped cream. Be cautious as coffee liquid creates a more violent outburst.

STEP 7: ENJOY!

HOW TO DIAL IN YOUR COFFEE

Please see our previous post on cold brew for dial in recommendation.

BONUS PRO TIPS

In the shop, we use a carbonation stone to create the perfect nitro texture that is smooth and consistent. Using the whipped cream gun, the result varies depending on the volume and mechanism of your dispenser. You can spoon out the foam if it turns out to be too foamy. If you find your nitro cold brew doesn’t have enough of that enticing cascade, try shaking the dispenser before dispensing it.

We also find that by being decisive when using the dispenser can avoid some of the large bubbles (it happens when your dispenser is half on half off). 

HAPPY BREWING

Never thought that you can create this tasty and yummy nitro cold brew at home? Well, you’re welcome! You might find this process elevates the taste of your cold brew, not simply by changing its texture, but making it tasting more refreshing as well. This is due to the infusion of nitrogen that aerates the coffee.

And boy, that stout-like texture is EVERYTHING! 

Let us know what you think. Do you agree that nitro makes it better?