Cold brew coffee

Ground coffee + water + time = a less acidic version of the favourite caffeinated drink.

Tagged as:

I’ve just returned from a trip to the West Coast of the States. Initially I was pretty nervous about travelling with my stomach issues and food intolerances. After discussing things with my doctor, he said as long as I steered clear of sugar and dairy while on the road then I shouldn’t hinder my gut-healing protocol. Yes, I might feel a little more worse for wear if I eat yeast (to which I’ve tested intolerant), but I should just do what I can without stressing about it. His words were true indeed, but I was lucky enough to be travelling to a number of cities that made things extremely easy. Healthy, allergy-friendly options awaited on every corner in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco. As did cold brew coffee; it was available almost everywhere I went.

Why was I happy with the cold brew wave? Standard coffee is on the no-go list for me as it’s very acidic. Cold brew coffee isn’t. I was inspired to make my own at home when I returned since it's pretty damn easy. I just love the taste of coffee so it’s a nice change from the green tea I’d been consuming in its absence. The recipe I used is a smaller version of the recipe in Paul Pitchford’s Healing with Whole Foods.

Note: A cup of coffee/espresso is also tolerated by most on a low-FODMAP diet.

Cold brew coffee

250 g x coarse freshly ground organic coffee
4 cups x water

Instructions

Makes around 500 ml of concentrated coffee.

Mix the coffee and water in a large sealable glass container (I used a 1.5-litre mason jar) and store in a cool, dark place for around 16 hours. Filter the coffee into a smaller resealable jar using standard coffee filters or cheesecloth.

The mixture is concentrated and can be used to make hot or cold coffee. Mix 2-3 tablespoons with either hot/boiling or cold water (with ice, if desired). Try it with your favourite non-dairy milk, frothed if you have the means, to make a cold-brew latte. You can also add some to a smoothie for an extra boost, or to other recipes (like chilli or baked goods) that would normally need coffee.

Store the mixture in the fridge. It will keep for around 2 weeks.