This summer has passed (pretty much... feeling very fall-like these days), but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the newest trend in coffee brewing - cold coffee brewing.
Now, I know what you are thinking, and yes, ice coffee has been around for a long time. But it seems that brewing coffee cold has finally come of age. While for most people, they will brew coffee hot as usual, then pour it over a pitcher full of ice. Sure, this works, but Coffee Snob offers a very stylish, albeit extremely slow way to cold brew ice coffee - the cold drip coffee maker.
Essentially, it brews as the ice melts. The drips fall through the coffee grounds through a spiral tube into a pitcher at the bottom. You are left with a concentrated coffee that you add water or milk and sugar when serving. It's a beautiful way to brew, but slooooooow. Basically by filling a pitcher with ice and waiting for it to melt, you could be waiting for 6-7 hours to cold brew the coffee. Fun, but slow.
I've cold brewed with a french press, with mixed results. Consistency is a major challenge when doing it this way (I don't think I've ever been able to make the same brew twice). Fill your french press with about twice as much coffee as you would normally use. Add cold water, stir, wait. Stir, wait. Repeat. It takes a loooong time - I've left it overnight before, but its better if you can periodically stir the concoction.
