After having it explained to me by the barista at the Seattle’s Best coffee shop inside of Borders, I decided to try the cold brew process again.

It seems that people have to complicate everything and there are decidedly complicated instructions out there – and even a cold brew system you can buy. The basic idea is to soak your grounds (a cup or two of ground) in cold water for 12 to 18 hours, drain them off through a fine sieve and create a coffee concentrate. It’s said to be less acidic than hot brewed coffee and therefore easier on the tummy. It also makes a darn fine sugar free frapaccino. I’m not sure I’d want to use it to make hot coffee but they say it works for that too.

To make my drink, I tested the concentrate and added about the same amount of water. Then it took a splash of hazelnut sugar free coffee creamer and ice – instant frapaccino. For some reason, it worked much better than my usual espresso or strong drip coffee for the purpose. I think the last time I tried the method I didn’t have a fine enough sieve. It might even be useful to use a two sieve method since the fine sieve had to be dumped a few times.