The Netherlands plays an essential part in the spread and popularity of coffee over the world today. For many centuries, Dutch traders had grown and distributed this plant to many regions, making it one of the most popular drinks. Thus, it is no surprise that there is a special brewing method named after these pioneers: Dutch coffee.
What is Dutch coffee?
First introduced in Japan and Korea during the 18th century, Dutch Coffee is a cold brewing technique which uses cold water rather than hot water. Though this process often takes somewhere from three to six hours, the addition of cold water can make up for the extended brewing time.
One major benefits of Dutch Coffee over regular hot methods is that it barely oxidises, thus preventing the coffee from becoming acidic and bitter. Also, this makes it extremely simple for you to taste the finest of fruity flavours in the coffee. Contrary to hot brewed coffee, a cup of Dutch Coffee could be easily put in your fridge for drinking later.
In many cases, the taste would be even better after several days in these conditions. This form of brewing also contains no calories since the fat in beans isn’t soluble in cold water. For these reasons, Dutch Coffee is a refreshing alternative to coffee lovers who want to stay away from iced, milky, highly sweetened coffees which could be found everywhere these days.
5 simple steps to make Dutch coffee
Although brewing a good cup of Dutch Coffee can be relatively simple, it is necessary to pay a bit more attention than brewing hot coffee.
Basically, there are four main factors that determine the taste and flavour of coffee, including the coarseness of the grind, drip speed, amount of coffee, and the ratio of ice and water. Here are five simple steps to help you balance all of these components and create a great cup each time.
Step 1: Choose Dutch Coffee beans
Every brewing process starts with choosing the best coffee beans. Dutch Coffee is best known for bringing out the fruity flavours of used coffees. Thus, it is advisable to go for lightly roasted units so that you can get more taste of the originals, which can be reduced in dark roasting profiles. If you really want to enjoy the fruity flavours, then unwashed coffees might be a great option to create the ultimate amazement.
Step 2: Prepare the maker and grinder
The next step is to prepare the maker for brewing your Dutch Coffee. You need to put the cotton filter in the holding glass of coffee grounds to prevent them from entering the pot and ensure a clear cup.
The coffee amount will partly determine its strength. Basically, it is recommended to use around 10 grams of coffee for every 100 grams of ice water. More coffee will obviously create a stronger cup. This factor can also be changed slightly with the grinder you use. The most common option is 7 on a 10 point scale, which is in between the used grind for French press and filter coffee.
Next, you need to put a paper filter on the top. Make sure to moisten this filter before placing to allow for an equal distribution of water over coffee grounds.
Step 3: Fill the maker’s top reservoir
Put ice and water on the maker’s top reservoir. The ideal ratio of coffee and ice water for a cup of ready-to-drink Dutch Coffee is approximately 1 to 10. The amount of ice will depend on the drip speed and room temperature in which you are brewing.
Since the icy water will cool coffee grounds, you need to make sure that the last piece of ice should melt near the end of the brewing time. For a room temperature of around 20 degrees and a brewing time of six hours, it is best to use an equal part of water and ice.
Step 4: Choose the right maker’s dripping speed
The last main thing in brewing a cup of Dutch Coffee is the maker’s dripping speed. Basically, it is simple to adjust this feature by turning the valve located at the bottom part of the top reservoir. In the beginning, you should set the maker to drip 2 times in 5 seconds.
Because of the fluctuation in water pressure, a full top reservoir in classical makers tends to drip quicker than one which is almost empty or half full. When you can’t check on the maker when brewing, use the following tip.
Once you have set the maker for the brew, just fill 1 centimetre of water in the top reservoir and change the valve till one drip comes out very slowly. After that, you should fill the remaining part of the top reservoir. By doing this, the process would always be completed, even if you can’t check the brew.
Step 5: Prevent oxidation
If you go out for a while, it is advisable to cool the brew by placing the put of Dutch Coffee on ice. After pouring coffee into a bottle which contains little oxygen, you can store it for at least 2 weeks. Ideally, it should be used after 3 days in the fridge for the best taste.
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