Editor’s note: From time to time, DRN welcomes guest editors to contribute to our content. Enjoy this short cup of java from Ray!
The KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker (5KCM4212ASX) is a compact, well-constructed and stylish device with a premium feel and price tag. It’s straight forward to use, easy to clean and most importantly, produces great tasting coffee.
What we liked:
• Premium construction: nicely finished metals and thick glass jar.
• Steel steeper: no need to buy paper/cotton filters.
• Compact design: easy fits in the fridge.
What could it be improved?
• Small capacity: Only makes 830mL of concentrate, enough for 14 servings.
• Left over sediment: The steel steeper isn’t as efficient a paper/cotton filter.
Making the Concentrate
For the uninitiated, a cold brew is a smooth tasting, low acidic coffee that is served cold. Despite the entire process involving two ingredients: coarsely ground coffee and cold water, there are endless variations to producing the same result. For this test drive we followed the included instructions.
We started by added 250g of coarsely ground coffee beans into the stainless steel steeper and then slowly poured in 1.25L of cold water in concentric circles. This produces a concentrate with a 1:5 ratio of coffee to water. After a gentle stir to ensure that all the beans were soaked we left the beans to immerse for 24 hours.
The Taste
The coffee concentrate allows for some flexibility during serving, the end brew to be tailored in strength or mixed with milk and sweeteners. For this taste test we diluted the concentrate with 3 parts water, taking the final coffee to water ratio to 1:15 (this is considered as medium strength).
The brew produced was tasty, full-bodied and without any bitterness. There was a bit of left of sediment that managed to escape the steeper but not enough to require additional filtration.
Keeping it in the fridge
The compact design of the KitchenAid makes it easy to find a space for it in the fridge. This a great, not only to chill your coffee but also because cold brew concentrate stays fresh for up to two weeks when refrigerated.
Cleaning Up
Cleaning the KitchenAid is straight forward, the steeper, outer lid and bottom cover are detached and hand cleaned in the sink with soapy water. Finally, all the parts are dried off and reassembled, ready to make another batch of tasty cold brew.
Final Thoughts
The KitchenAid is definitely a premium device with a matching price tag especially considering that a cold brew can be made with just a filter bag and a plastic tub. Fortunately, the KitchenAid looks and feel like the part.
