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Author:
Tracy Nawara
Nitro cold brew is all the rage these days at coffee shops big and small. It is the infusion of nitrous oxide into cold brew coffee, a method that was typically used in brewing dark beer. This infusion makes for a smoother and more mild coffee with a slight sweetness. It is a perfectly chuggable cup of coffee!
You do not need to wait in that 30-minute drive-thru for coffee. Making a nitro cold brew at home is super easy, and you can save the $6 that a small coffee costs at the store. You will need a few items, such as a pitcher, a whipped cream dispenser for infusing, and a coffee grinder.
You will also need a little bit of time on your hands. Nitro cold brew starts with plain and simple cold brew, which takes about 24 hours to steep. You can prep the cold brew beforehand and keep it in the fridge for whenever you are ready to make it “nitro”.
Here are 2 easy steps to make the perfect cold brew at home.
Before you can infuse nitrogen into your coffee, you have to first make some cold brew coffee. The best way to do this is by grinding your own coffee beans roughly. Using finely-ground coffee beans will lead to a cloudy cold brew, so break up your coffee grounds much less than you normally would.
After the grounds are roughly broken up, add them to a pitcher. If you have one part of coffee, you will need 4 parts of water. Add the water and stir gently to make sure all grounds are wet. Cover and leave to steep at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
After 24 hours, strain the coffee from the grounds. Keep this cold brew in the fridge all week for when you want a fresh nitro cold brew.
It’s super helpful to have a whipped cream dispenser on-hand, and you can find inexpensive ones on Amazon. There a multitude of different uses for it and you will also be able to enjoy a nitro cold brew whenever you want.
Dilute ½ cup of cold brew with ½ cup of water. Pour your coffee into the whipper and seal it tightly. Charge with one shot of nitrous oxide and give the dispenser a good shake for about 30 seconds. Discharge the canister and pour your nitro cold brew over ice.
These two steps will surely make the best nitro cold brew ever, and you didn’t even have to leave your house for it! This method is economical, practical, and super satisfying.
For the Cold Brew:
For Whipping:
Grind your coffee beans very roughly from whole beans by adding them to your coffee grinder. Pulse very lightly to break up the beans but not grind too finely. A fine grind will lead to a cloudy cold brew.
Add the roughly ground coffee into a pitcher with 2 cups of fresh cold water. Stir very well to combine and wet each coffee ground.
Allow to sit overnight for 24 hours or until the cold brew has reached your ideal strength. Once the coffee is strong enough, strain the solids from the cold brew.
Add ½ cup of the cold brew and ½ cup water to a whipped cream dispenser. Charge with 1 shot of nitrous oxide and shake well for 30 seconds.
Discharge the gas using the trigger and pour your nitro cold brew over ice. Add any additional cream or sugar syrups as per your taste. Serve immediately. Keep the remaining cold brew in the fridge all week for when you want to make a nitro cold brew.
