Flavoured Cold Brew: Spices, Citrus and Homemade Syrups

Once you have the basics from our cold brew guide down, flavouring is where cold brew gets fun. Its smooth, low-acid base takes on spices, citrus and sweeteners far better than hot coffee does.

Two ways to add flavour

During the steep. Add whole spices or peel straight into the jar with the grounds. The flavour infuses gently over the steeping hours and blends right into the coffee.

After brewing. Stir in a syrup, extract or milk just before you drink. This gives you more control, and you can flavour one glass at a time.

Start with the right base

Chocolatey, nutty coffees take flavours best. Medium roasts from Brazil or Colombia are a safe bet. Our piece on beans for cold brew has more on choosing a coffee.

A slightly stronger brew also helps, since added milk and syrup dilute it. Check your cold brew ratio and go a step stronger than usual if you plan to add lots of extras.

Spices to steep

Add these per litre of water, along with your coffee:

• Cinnamon: 2 sticks, lightly broken.
• Cardamom: 6 to 8 pods, cracked open.
• Vanilla: half a vanilla pod, split down the middle.
• Star anise: 1 to 2 pieces. It is strong, so go easy.
• Cocoa nibs: 2 tablespoons for a deep chocolate note.

Whole spices strain out cleanly. Ground spices turn the brew muddy.

Citrus

Strips of orange peel, without the white pith, make a bright, marmalade-like cold brew. Add the peel from half an orange per litre for the last 6 to 8 hours of the steep. Leaving it in for the full time can make it bitter.

Easy syrups

Syrups are the simplest way to flavour after brewing.

• Brown sugar syrup: equal parts brown sugar and water, heated until dissolved.
• Cinnamon syrup: the same, simmered with a cinnamon stick for 10 minutes.
• Honey syrup: 2 parts honey to 1 part warm water, stirred together.

Cool them before use and keep them in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Recipes to try

• Spiced cold brew: cinnamon and cardamom in the steep, splash of oat milk.
• Orange mocha: cocoa nibs and orange peel in the steep, dash of brown sugar syrup.
• Vanilla sweet cream: plain cold brew topped with cream whisked with vanilla and a little syrup.

Do not overdo it

Coffee should still taste like coffee. Start with less flavouring than you think you need. You can always add more next batch.

Keep reading

• Cold brew steep time: timing infusions alongside the coffee
• Cold brew concentrate: the best base for sweet drinks