This cold brew coffee kit is more wonderful than I could have imagined. I've been looking into a different option for my coffee for quite some time. Some would call me a coffee snob, but I just knew there had to be a better way to make coffee, for someone that is fairly lazy about making coffee. I blame the bitterness of coffee for not ever becoming a daily coffee drinker. I learned about cold brew coffee when looking into making my own nut milks and storing them in mason jars. Thanks to YouTube, I knew I had to try cold brew coffee.
With this kit, I can say that I have jumped with both feet, and hands, into the daily coffee drinker world. I really had no idea how smooth my coffee could be. And I can't help but think of the many decades of drinking coffee that was made the wrong way. Right for so many people, but not a perfect fit for me. I'm now anxious to get up in the morning to have coffee.
I looked at other kits before deciding to buy this one. In hindsight, I wish I had purchased two kits. I had already been making cold brew tea, and having to strain the tea leaves from the 1 quart mason jar I use to make tea. This cold brew system can be used to make coffee or tea, but I prefer to keep my cold brew coffee in constant production. So, another kit is a MUST – especially for the hot summer when it's so hot that insanity is staved off only by a refreshing iced drink.
I received an email from County Line Kitchen that my cold brew kit had shipped. The email was a nice touch. When the package arrived, I was so excited, and also impressed by how nicely everything looked. The color brochure inside was much more professional than most manuals that are included with much more expensive items.
I knew immediately this was a quality purchase when I inspected the filter. It is not a delicate fine mesh strainer, but a very sturdy steel fine filter. This is the part I was most concerned about when deciding which infuser to buy. I've bought enough strainers and infusers to know that they are often flimsy, and often have holes too big, so they are made to be disposable. The filter included with this kit is very durable. The seams were all intact and no wires of the filter were poking to cause cuts to hands and fingers. I ran my hands and fingers along every cm of the filter and was very impressed. I admit, I was also relieved I wouldn't have to keep bandages handy while making my brew or cleaning the filter.
We all know glass is easier to clean than plastic. Glass is also better for the environment and our health. My hands are small enough to reach into the jar to clean, but honestly, just put a few drops of dishwashing liquid into the jar, add hot water, put the lid on and shake the jar. Then rinse thoroughly. The filter is just as easy to clean which I did not expect. Fine mesh strainers have always taken a bit of time, but this filter comes clean in no time. Thus far, no staining! I haven't tried leaving the filter to sit uncleaned with dried coffee getting caked on, so results may vary.
With my order, the brochure shows how to attach the silicone seal to the filter basket. Mine was already attached and I did not remove it to clean. I just check that there are no coffee grounds caught under the seal when I fill and clean. The seal is thin and time will tell if it is durable. If not, I hope replacements can be purchased.
The brochure includes several recipes. All of them look delicious, so I plan to try them all.
The first brew I rushed a little bit. But after that, I give it a full 36 hours or more to brew the coffee. Each and every cup has been so delicious that I often think of my late husband who was a coffee-holic and I am sure would have enjoyed this new experience. My routine is to fill the jar in the morning and leave it sitting on the counter until bedtime. Then I let the brew finish in the refrigerator for the remainder of the 48 hours. I immediately pour that into a glass pitcher, with ice and some condensed sweetened milk to enjoy while I begin the next batch of coffee. I think each brew would last longer if I wasn't telling everyone "You have to try this coffee!" Most people assume it is expensive coffee, and are shocked that it is regular Italian roast from a local store. However, I won't be so quick to share when I get my bag of Komodo Dragon beans from Starbucks for my birthday. I LOVE that coffee!
It's been fun telling my friends that my secret to great-tasting coffee is my cold brewer. We are never too old to try something new. Now I just need to win the lottery so I can buy this brewer for all my friends so they don't come over and drink all of mine.
Yes! I wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone because I think it should be in every home!
July 02, Edited to add: I purchased a second one that I am happily using for tea. The package arrived with the same brochure, plastic lid, and Ball jar as the first. I also received the same courteous email confirming my order and receipt of purchase from County Line Kitchen. The only thing different this time around worth noting is that the seal on the length of this filter is definitely not as smooth as the first brewer I purchased.
I usually pour a few drops of dish soap in the palm of my hand and then rub it all over the exterior of the filter to get it lathered up. Because of the rough edges of the seam, I now use a stiff nylon brush, which doesn't distribute the soap as well as I'd like. Dish cloths can be torn when washing. I haven't noticed any change in the quality of the brewed tea, however. But, it does take slightly more time to clean and causes me to hesitate when handling it to avoid the rough edges. I see this as a problem with those with sensitive skin and skin that may be fragile due to medical conditions. Also, I think the edges are rough enough to damage gloves and render them useless. This is probably a very minor issue for those putting the filter in a dishwasher.
I love this product so much that I am not deducting any stars from my review because of the seams. After all, my blender has sharp blades which require a little more caution when cleaning and handling. But with sharp, pointy blades, that is expected. I didn't expect rough edges because my first purchase had none. But as it was noted in reviews by others, I'm glad I used common sense to inspect the second order in case there were discrepancies from the factory.
That being said, I made a batch of pecan nut milk last night which has me wondering if I should order a third brewer to make it easier to filter the pecan pulp I save to use for making waffles. I rinse the pecans, soak them for an hour or more. Then blend in my Oster blender. Straining requires a nut milk bag, stainless steel strainer, and a stainless steel funnel with removable strainer. If both filters from my County Line Kitchen brewers hadn't been in mid brew, I would have tried pouring the blended milk into my 64 ounce mason jar with this filter. Since I squeeze most of the moisture out of the nut milk sack, I imagine I'd have to have something to press the pulp to the bottom of the narrow filter gently, but firmly. I'll probably update this review when I give it a try next week as I usually only make the pecan milk once a week – longer when I don't have anything to bake that requires milk. Pecan milk makes a very delicious cup of cold brew coffee taste spectacular. Much better than dairy cream or powdered cream. Even better than almond milk. Glad I don't have any nut allergies. Using this brewer should make it less tedious and less messy to make my nut milks.
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