If you think that double brewed coffee is just coffee that’s been brewed twice…you’re right! It might not be the most creative name we’ve ever heard, but it does get the point across without mincing words. Actually, double brewed coffee generally means one of two things. It either refers to coffee that you brew twice or coffee that has been brewed at twice the standard strength.
Whether you should try double brewed coffee depends on two things. How strong you like your coffee and how much sleep you want to get over the next few nights. If your answers to those questions are “strong enough to chew” and “not very much,” then double brewed coffee is for you! Double brewed coffee is strong. It’s important that you don’t miss that last point: double brewed coffee is STRONG.
If you haven’t been scared away yet, then you’ll probably love double brewed coffee. In this article, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know to concoct some out of this world double brewed coffee. We hope you know what you’re getting into, but if you’re sure you’re ready, let’s jump in.
Why Double Brewed Coffee?
There are a few reasons that people double brew coffee, but the most common is to increase the caffeine content of their coffee. Double brewed coffee is kind of like a double shot of espresso but for full-sized cups of coffee. You get twice the caffeine content in the same amount of liquid, which is great for fueling a late night of work or study.
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Another reason you might want to double brew coffee is if you want to make iced coffee. A big downside to making iced coffee at home is it’s hard to cool down coffee without adding ice. When you make a cup of coffee, you typically don’t want to wait an hour or more for your coffee to cool down. Adding ice speeds up the cooling process but results in a weaker, watery cup.
Double brewing can help by increasing the strength of your coffee so that when it gets watered down by ice, it is approximately regular strength.
The final reason to try double brewed coffee – and we feel this is the least likely to apply to most people – is for the taste. We made it a point to emphasize just how strong double brewed coffee is, and we weren’t kidding. For most people, it will be borderline too strong to enjoy. For a scant few, however, it will be just what they’ve always wanted. If you live for strong coffee and can’t seem to make your cups at home strong enough, double brewing could easily become your favorite way to make coffee.
How to Make Double Brewed Coffee
There are two main ways you can make double brewed coffee.
Method 1
The first way is just to use twice the amount of coffee you normally would.
If you usually use a 16:1 water to coffee ratio, simply make it 8:1 instead. This works well for some brewing methods but not others. We’ll discuss which methods are best suited for method one below.
Method 2
The second method is to brew one regular-strength pot of coffee and then use it in place of water in a second batch.
This can seem a bit odd to some people, but it is just as simple as repeating the brewing process a second time, replacing the water with brewed coffee.
Which of these double brew methods you should use depends on your preferred brewing mechanism. We’ll run through a few popular brewing methods – starting with our favorite for double brewed coffee – and give you some tips to make the process go smoothly.
How to Make Double Brewed Coffee: 4 Methods
1. French Press
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Using a French press is the easiest way to make either version of double brewed coffee. If you choose to use method one, this is very similar to making a cold brew concentrate. Regardless of which method you choose, you don’t have to do anything differently mechanically. Cleaning up is just as simple as an ordinary French press cup, and no adjustments need to be made.
2. Moka Pot
Moka pots are also great for making double brewed coffee, but only if you use method two. They don’t use much water to begin with, so if you cut back to half the amount of water you won’t be left with much coffee. There also isn’t enough room in the chamber for twice as much coffee.
Instead, we prefer to brew one cup and then fill the bottom reservoir with that coffee for a second brew. Be careful to make sure the brewed coffee doesn’t have any grounds in it since it’s possible for it to get stuck in the main tube.
3. Pour Over
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You can technically use your favorite pour-over with either method, but we find it easier to use method two. The reason is that most pour-over cones and filters – like Chemex and Hario V60 – are designed for use with a specific amount of coffee. If you double the amount of coffee you use, the filtration process will happen differently, and your filter might even clog.
4. Automatic Drip Machine
For standard coffee makers, we recommend only using method one. If you put brewed coffee in the water reservoir, any fine ground in the coffee can get stuck inside the machine and will be impossible to clean. This will make any coffee you brew in the future overly harsh and bitter. Method one is the better option since you can brew the same amount of coffee at double strength by putting twice as much coffee in the filter basket.
Conclusion
Double brewed coffee is a serious business. You will absolutely feel the effects of the increased caffeine, and if you are sensitive to it at all, we suggest avoiding double brewed coffee. On the other hand, if you need to cram for a test or work a double shift, double brewed coffee can be a lifesaver.
It’s also great for iced coffee. The increased strength means it holds up to ice really well and won’t taste watery and thin. Double brewed coffee is very easy to make, and the two methods we presented in this article work with a lot of brewing options so you should be able to find one that works for you.
If you aren’t after the high caffeine content and don’t want to make iced coffee, double brewed coffee might not be the best option for you. The only exception is if you like your coffee stronger than almost everyone we know. If you’re one of this rare breed, then definitely give it a shot. We haven’t found any way to make stronger coffee that is still drinkable, albeit barely drinkable.
Sean’s obsession with coffee started when he received his first French press as a gift almost ten years ago. Since then, his love of coffee – and the number of coffee gadgets he owns – has grown considerably. A scientist by training, there is no stone he has left unturned in the never-ending quest for the perfect cup of coffee. He has spent many hours tuning his pour-over technique, thinking about how to best compare grind quality, and worrying about whether the Nicaraguan or Kenyan beans will make the best cold brew.
These days he favors the Hario V60, and starts each day by hand grinding his coffee before enjoying a cup prepared with care and attention to detail.
