Abilene Crave

Cool off guests at your next summer party or backyard BBQ with refreshing iced coffee drinks. A growing number of coffee lovers are finding that the best way to make an iced coffee drink is to start with a smooth-tasting cold brewed coffee concentrate.

What is cold brewing? It's a process that uses cold water to extract the natural, delicious flavors of coffee and leaves behind undesirable bitterness. The result: a bold, slightly sweet, a little crisp, super-smooth taste with the added benefit of about 50 percent less acidity than conventional brewing methods.

Using a system such as the Seattle's Best Coffee Toddy brewing system lets you make up to 48 fluid ounces of coffee concentrate - which is enough to make plenty of iced coffee treats for a party.

The cold brewing process is very simple.
* Use regular or coarsely ground coffee with your Toddy.
* Add two cups of water and a half a pound of ground coffee, such as Seattle's Best Coffee(r) Beach House Blend(r)
* Wait five minutes then slowly add two additional cups of water.
* Allow to cold brew in the refrigerator for 12 hours before draining, for maximum results

Create a party-ready iced coffee bar for guests by setting out a bowl of ice, pitchers of water, milk, sugar, tall glasses and cocktail umbrellas. And you can get creative with different flavored syrups or add-ons like whipped cream.

If you have leftovers, the cold-brewed coffee concentrate may be refrigerated for up to 14 days without any deterioration in taste or freshness. If frozen, the concentrate will remain great tasting for up to six months.