Cold drip coffee refers to a method of slowly extracting the aromatic substances from coffee grounds by dripping ice water through them at a constant rate under normal pressure. Since cold ice water does not easily extract the bitter compounds from coffee, and the slow flow rate greatly increases the extraction yield, cold drip coffee tastes strong but not bitter. If you choose coffee beans with more prominent flavors, the fermented notes and fruity sweet-tartness, combined with the refreshing chill of ice, can instantly cool you down in summer.

After reading the story above, CoffeeHunters believes you now have a general understanding that this method of soaking coffee grounds in cold water to extract coffee liquid is what people call Dutch Coffee. Cold drip coffee, which was improved from the principles of cold brew coffee, also belongs to the Dutch Coffee category. There is also a newer low-temperature extraction method: cold brew coffee, which involves pouring ice water into a container holding coffee grounds, letting it sit for 12-24 hours, and finally filtering out the grounds to get a cup of iced coffee with a slight alcoholic note and sweet-tart flavor. The brewing principle is essentially the same as Dutch Coffee, so it also belongs to the Dutch Coffee category.

How to Use a Cold Drip Coffee Maker

We can usually find various cold drip coffee makers online, available in different materials and shapes, but they generally consist of three parts—top, middle, and bottom—and can be divided into four main structures: the upper pot, the valve, the grounds cup, and the lower pot.

The upper vessel is mainly used to hold ice cubes and water. Below it is connected a metal component—this is the valve that can adjust the outlet diameter to change the drip speed, allowing ice water to drip evenly onto the coffee grounds. The middle glass pot, shaped like a cup, is used to hold the ground coffee. There is a filter hole at the bottom center that allows the extracted coffee liquid to drip through. The large pot at the bottom collects the extracted coffee.

Here, CoffeeHunters has chosen a Costa Rica Mozart coffee, which is quite popular in our stores, to make this. Mozart coffee beans are made from raisins anaerobic honey-processed green beans, with flavors of raisins, osmanthus, and fruity fermented sweetness. Cold drip coffee can make the fermented notes more pronounced.

For grind size, CoffeeHunters generally chooses the same grind as for iced pour-over. Since the low temperature of the water reduces the extraction rate, we grind the coffee finer to improve extraction. For this bean, we choose an 85% pass rate through a Chinese No. 20 standard sieve, which corresponds to a grind setting of 9 on the EK-43s grinder at CoffeeHunters stores.

We usually first calculate the extraction parameters. Using a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:10, 60g of coffee extracts 600g of coffee liquid. The ratio of ice to water in the mixture is 1:1. The valve flow rate is controlled at 7 drops per 10 seconds, and the drip process is generally completed within 6-8 hours.(Usually the cold drip ratio is between 1:10 and 1:12; you can adjust according to your own taste.)

At the bottom of the middle pot, attach a round filter paper moistened with water. Then grind the coffee beans into powder and pour them in. Be careful to spread it evenly to ensure uniform extraction. Place another round filter paper on the surface of the coffee bed to prevent water droplets from disturbing the grounds. Before dripping, moisten the coffee bed with cold water—this saves extraction time and prevents uneven extraction at the beginning.

Place the grounds cup onto the stand and start adding the ice-water mixture, usually half ice and half water. Adjust the valve flow rate to 7 drops per 10 seconds, making sure the dripping water aligns with the position where the coffee liquid exits. After the drip process is complete, pour the contents of the lower pot into an airtight container—at CoffeeHunters, we use a glass bottle—and place it in the refrigerator to ferment for at least 12 hours. It is usually ready to drink the next day.

After a night of refrigeration, the Mozart coffee will present a wine-like fermented note, with the sweet-tartness of berries, pineapple, and other tropical fruits. The flavor is rich but not bitter. After diluting with ice cubes, it tastes like a refreshing fruity cocktail.

How to Choose Coffee Beans for Cold Drip Coffee

The biggest characteristic of cold drip coffee is long extraction at low temperature, so when choosing coffee beans, we generally consider types with more prominent flavor characteristics. Here, CoffeeHunters introduces several types of coffee beans with more typical flavors.

1. CoffeeHunters Tropical Fruit, Fermented Wine Aroma Type

We recommend CoffeeHunters Mozart Coffee, which has the sweet-tartness of dark berries, plus a wine-like aroma from low-temperature aging that enhances the overall mouthfeel. In addition, several other coffees on the CoffeeHunters bean list also belong to this type—Colombia CoffeeHunters Sidra, CoffeeHunters Ombligon, CoffeeHunters Strawberry Candy, and Costa Rica Blackberry Coffee—all with very distinct aromas, also suitable for iced pour-over and cold brew methods.

2. CoffeeHunters Refreshing and Clean Type

Some coffees are washed to give them very clean and full acidity. When made into cold drip coffee, this flavor profile produces a juice-like acidity with the bright, clear fragrance of cherry tomatoes and pomelo, perfect for drinking in hot summer. The most representative ones are Kenya CoffeeHunters Cherry Tomato, Ethiopia CoffeeHunters Gutinguting, and Panama CoffeeHunters Butterfly. If you are a fan of light and clean flavors, you will definitely enjoy this pure, transparent mouthfeel.

3. CoffeeHunters Sweet and Pleasant Type

Compared to the above two types of medium-light roasted coffees, dark roasted coffees are generally less commonly used for cold drip coffee, as people think they would be very strong and bitter. Actually, that is not the case. CoffeeHunters has tried making cold drip coffee with Indonesia CoffeeHunters Golden Mandheling. After adding ice cubes, it has a rich chocolatey sweetness and a fermented aroma, without any bitterness at all. If you cannot accept the "heavy" Mandheling coffee, Brazil CoffeeHunters Queen's Estate can also present nutty and chocolate flavor notes, with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel when diluted with ice.

4. CoffeeHunters Flavor Blend Type

Those of us who often drink espresso certainly know that coffee beans can be blended. Cold drip coffee can do the same. Besides using single-origin beans with distinct flavors, cold drip coffee can also be made by blending two or more single-origin beans for extraction—for example, CoffeeHunters Sidra + CoffeeHunters Kenya, CoffeeHunters Mozart + CoffeeHunters Red Cherry, CoffeeHunters Ombligon + CoffeeHunters Butterfly—all of which can present excellent complex flavors.

Regarding flavor expression, you can refer to the categories recommended by CoffeeHunters above to make your selection. Since cold drip coffee is extracted at low temperature with slower efficiency, it is quite forgiving. You can adjust based on factors such as your equipment at home and your budget. One thing to note here is that all flavor expression is based on the freshness of the coffee bean roasting, so CoffeeHunters recommends choosing coffee beans within their optimal flavor period. CoffeeHunters' roasting philosophy is freshly roasted good coffee. Everything CoffeeHunters ships is freshly roasted within 5 days, and we hope every customer can enjoy good coffee at its peak flavor.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.