Bard Coffee Recipe

Combine coffee and water

In a clean 1-quart jar or pitcher, combine 1 cup coarsely ground coffee with 4 cups cold filtered water. Stir gently to make sure all grounds are saturated.

Steep

Cover the jar with a lid or plastic wrap and let it steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. Longer steep (up to 18 hours) yields a stronger, more concentrated brew.

Strain

After steeping, strain the concentrate through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean container. If needed, strain a second time to remove fine particles. You should have about 3 to 3.5 cups of concentrate.

Store

Cover and refrigerate the cold brew concentrate for up to 1 week.

Prepare glass

Fill a tall glass with about 6 ice cubes.

Dilute concentrate

Pour 1 cup cold brew concentrate over the ice, then add 1/2 cup cold water or milk (adjust dilution to taste). Stir gently to combine.

Sweeten and flavor

Add 1 tablespoon simple syrup (or preferred sweetener). If using vanilla or cinnamon, add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch (1/8 tsp) cinnamon now. Stir until combined.

Finish and garnish

If you want a richer mouthfeel, float 2 tablespoons heavy cream or oat creamer on top and gently stir for a marbled look. Garnish with a lemon twist or orange peel, expressing the oils over the drink and dropping it in.

For a stronger drink, use a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to water/milk. For a sweeter version, increase simple syrup by 1 tablespoon. Warm version: heat diluted concentrate gently (do not boil) and serve without ice.