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Toddy Cold Brew

We have recently been fielding questions on cold brew technique at the Red Cedar Coffee Co. retail store in Berea, Ohio. As we head into the warm summer months it is not hard to think about cool summertime beverages. Cold brew coffee is one of those options.

While cold brew tends to be most popular during the summer, increasingly it is being served year-round in cafes and restaurants. The Toddy Cold Brew System brews a coffee concentrate using cold or room temperature water. When you are ready to drink cold brew coffee simply add 3 parts of water milk or soy (cool or steaming) to 1 part coffee.

Why we like the Toddy Cold Brew System

One benefit to cold brew coffee is the longer brew time (using cooler water) removes much of the acidity naturally found in coffee (50-67% less acidity compared to drip coffee makers according to Toddy).

Another benefit is that the Toddy Cold Brew system is easy to brew and clean. The coffee concentrate stays fresh up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

What comes with the Toddy Cold Brew System

The system comes with a brewing container, glass decanter, lid, Toddy filters (2) and a rubber stopper. The Toddy Cold Brew system is BPA free.

Red Cedar Coffee Co. sells the Toddy Cold Brew System, replacement stoppers, filters and filter bags.

Brewing Steps:

  1. Pour coarsely ground coffee and cold water into the brewing container.
  2. Steep for 12-24 hours.
  3. Filter the coffee concentrate into the glass decanter. Stays fresh for up to 2 weeks.

Cold Brew Coffee Recommendations

While any coffee may be used to brew cold brew coffee, we have a couple recommendations. If you prefer fruitier coffees try our Kenya AA or Ethiopian Sidamo. For chocolaty notes try our Fair Trade Certified Organic Colombian.

Thai Iced Coffee*

Ingredients

4 oz. Toddy® Cold Brewed Coffee

1/4 tsp. Cardamom

2 oz. Half and Half

Ice

Directions

Stir all ingredients, except the ice, together in a 16 oz. cup until well combined. Fill with ice.

Orange Truffle*

Ingredients

3 oz. Toddy® Cold Brewed Coffee (Use coffee beans with chocolate notes)

1 oz. Chocolate Syrup

1 oz. Caramel Syrup

1 oz. Orange Juice

6 Ice Cubes

2 oz. Cold Milk

Directions

Stir together ingredients (except milk and ice). Pour into tall glass over ice, add milk and serve.

Café Français*

Ingredients

1/4 cup Heavy Cream, Chilled

1 tbs. Confectioners’ Sugar

1/4 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup Toddy® Cold Brewed Coffee

1/4 cup Steaming Hot Water

Directions

Beat cream until rich and fluffy, with soft peaks. Mix in sugar, and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Add whipped cream to mug. Mix Toddy® coffee concentrate with water and steam. Add vanilla and pour over cream. Serve right away, and do not stir.

*Recipes from Toddy.com. Additional Toddy cold brew recipes may be found here.

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Costa Rica Harvest 2017

In February, Anne visited our direct trade partners in Costa Rica during harvest. This year’s visit was special for Anne as she spent time at Finca las Torres in the Chirripó region of southern Costa Rica and participated in the harvesting and processing of the same coffee that will be in our Tasting Room this fall.

Finca las Torres is located about four hours south of San Jose off the Inter-American Highway. ICAFE, Costa Rica’s Coffee Institute, has designated this coffee production region as Brunca. This area is more accurately defined however as the Chirripó micro region. Here the coffee is grown at high elevation (around 1500-2000 meters) and has a distinctly different flavor in the cup when compared to the low elevation production in the Brunca region.

Anne worked at the micro-mill during the morning with Régulo and Luis. The coffee which was drying was carefully raked on the raised African beds. Coffee which had been drying on the patio was then collected into Grain-Pro bags to continue the drying process.

The activities in the afternoon centered on the farm. Coffee that is picked during the morning is collected by mid-afternoon. The coffee is measured and each picker’s yield is recorded. By late afternoon the coffee cherries are brought to the micro mill.

During the evening the coffee cherry is de-pulped and laid onto raised African style beds. Café Rivense del Chirripó micro mill specializes in honey processed coffees. The coffee skin is removed during the de-pulping process but the fruit remains on the bean. The idea is to have the honey dehydrate on the bean—the honey must hold onto the coffee bean—which will mean the cup of coffee will have more sweetness.

The balance of the trip was spent at farms in Tarrazu, Central and West Valley. Anne cupped coffees at the farms and arranged for Red Cedar Coffee Co. to bring fantastic coffees to your table.

Anne with the Ureña family

Measuring the coffee harvest

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Swiss Water Process Decaf

Since we started roasting coffee in 2005 we have been working to roast the best tasting coffee for our caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee drinkers.

With that goal, we roast Swiss Water Process decaf which is the only 100% chemical free decaf coffee. If you look at one of our Red Cedar Coffee Co. retail coffee bags you will see the Swiss Water Process logo placed prominently on the front label.

There are many ways to decaffeinate a coffee bean. However, the process that Swiss Water Process uses sets their coffee process apart. The Swiss Water Process method removes caffeine from the coffee bean using water, while protecting the unique characteristics (sometimes referred to as the origin or taste) of the coffee.

The decaffeination process begins by soaking the unroasted (green) coffee beans in hot water which in turns releases the caffeine. Once the caffeine has migrated from the bean and into the water, the caffeine rich water is moved into a new tank. Within this new tank the caffeine rich water will slowly flow through a carbon filter which traps the caffeine molecules and allows the soluble components to flow through the carbon filter. The unroasted coffee bean’s flavors and oils and then reabsorbed into the unroasted coffee bean which keeps the flavor intact. This process takes 8-10 hours and in the end the unroasted coffee is 99.9% caffeine free.

We understand that decaf coffee should be as special as its regular caffeinated counterpart. Therefore, we only trust Swiss Water Process with our decaf coffees.

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Costa Rica Trip Recap

Anne traveled to Costa Rica in February to visit coffee farms and micromills, and to work with our direct trade partners.

February is an important time to visit the coffee farms in Costa Rica. It allows us to gauge harvest, reconnect with our producers, and to cup coffees from this year’s harvest to make our buying decisions.

During this year’s visit, Anne visited producers and mills in five of Costa Rica’s eight growing regions. For the first time, Anne traveled throughout the Brunca region in southern Costa Rica. This region is known for Cerro Chirripo, Costa Rica’s tallest peak at nearly 13,000 feet. This is a relatively new region that is known for producing distinctive, full bodied coffees.

February is the peak of the specialty coffee harvest. This month producers have experienced unusual rainfall which has complicated the harvest in some regions. In the south the rainfall has brought about the flowering of coffee trees earlier than normal. After the coffee tree has flowered coffee cherries will begin to grow.

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La Lia Finca Dragon

Have you had a chance to try our new Direct Trade coffee, Costa Rica La Lia Finca Dragon? This exceptional coffee comes from the award winning farm of Finca Dragon. This micro lot is exclusive to Red Cedar Coffee Co.

Finca Dragon is located at 1800 meters in Santa Rosa in León Cortés, about a 2 ½ hour drive from San Jose in the Tarrazú region. Luis Alberto Monge is the producer and owner of the farm and micromill. The micromill, named La Lia after Luis’ mother, was built in 2007. By owning a micromill the family can separate the coffee varietals and process the coffee using various methods. Most importantly, the micromill allows Luis to ensure that his coffee is being processed carefully and at the highest attention to detail.

 

The coffee varietal is red catuai and our coffee has been processed using the honey (miel) process. After the coffee has been processed the coffee is sun dried. The micromill has raised African beds along with patios for drying.

Check out our video to learn more about our Direct Trade relationship with Finca Dragon.

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