Cold brew is an easy and delicious coffee drink. But if you’ve already mastered the basics — and especially if you want a less caffeinated cold brew — it’s time to try your hand at a new recipe: New Orleans cold brew!
This cold brew recipe produces a rich, full-flavored drink with substantially less caffeine than regular cold brew. It’s a New Orleans specialty, perfect for a Mardi Gras celebration or just an extra-special weekday. Keep reading to learn how to make New Orleans cold brew — and see our handy brewing tips, too.
What’s New Orleans Cold Brew?
What makes cold brew into New Orleans cold brew? Chicory! Chicory is a plant root that’s roasted and ground to make a coffee-like drink. It doesn’t contain caffeine and has a unique flavor.
Chicory was originally used as an inexpensive coffee substitute during times of hardship, but these days many people love it as a way to reduce their caffeine intake. You can mix it into coffee for a tasty New Orleans-style drink.
New Orleans Cold Brew Recipe:
- Coarsely-ground coffee (We’re using Lifeboost)
- Ground chicory
- Filtered water
- Milk and sugar (optional)
- Cold brew maker or French press
- Large glass
1. Combine coffee and chicory.
Mix ground coffee and chicory in your cold brew maker or French press. Make sure the coffee is coarsely ground. To avoid overwhelming the coffee with chicory, we usually start with a ratio of 3 parts coffee to 1 part chicory. You can adjust that ratio to your taste! If you’re using an especially tasty coffee like Lifeboost’s dark roast, we recommend increasing the amount of coffee.
2. Add filtered water.
Pour filtered water into the mixture and give it a good stir.
3. Let it brew!
Let your cold brew steep for 12 hours on the counter or 16 in the refrigerator. When it is finished, filter out the grounds and transfer your cold brew concentrate to a new container.
4. Serve & enjoy.
To serve your cold brew, pour it over ice and add a little cold water. You have made a cold brew concentrate, so you’ll want to add some water to bring out the best flavors. You can add milk or sugar if you’d like!
New Orleans Cold Brew Tips:
Wondering how you can customize this New Orleans cold brew to your tastes? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Chicory Ratio
How much chicory to add is the biggest decision you’ll need to make in this recipe. Add more chicory for a stronger flavor and the least caffeine. Up the coffee content if you want your cold brew to taste mostly like coffee and a little like chicory. If you’ve never had chicory before, we recommend starting with less and working up from there. It’s a bit of an acquired taste!
Steeping Time
Steeping New Orleans cold brew is just like steeping any other cold brew. Whether you do it on the counter or in the refrigerator will affect exactly how long it needs to steep, but it will take between 12 and 18 hours. Let your cold brew steep longer if you want a stronger flavor.
Serving Suggestions
For a stronger drink, make coffee (or coffee and chicory) ice cubes. Just pour any extra brewed coffee or cold brew into an ice cube tray and let it freeze. As for toppings, we recommend spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to play up the chicory flavors. You can also mix in a little milk or cream.
Conclusion
There you have it: an easy (and tasty!) New Orleans cold brew recipe to try today. Steeping coffee and chicory together produce a unique, rich cold brew that may just be your new favorite drink. Why not give it a try and see what you think?
RELATED READS:
- How to Make a Mardi Gras King Cake Latte
- How To Make Chicory Coffee at Home
- Cold Brew Cereal? A Caffeinated Twist on Breakfast
Featured Image Credit: Wade Austin Ellis, Unsplash
