Perfect Iced Coffee

I'm not going to lie, ever since I've become a momma I have become quite the coffee addict. 

I need it to survive, ya know what I mean?

I love to drink it on my front porch first thing in the morning... but down here in Louisiana, even at 7 a.m., it is a warm 80 degrees (or in the case of today, 87 degrees). So when the temperature rises, I love me some iced coffee. 

Problem is, I could never make it taste quite right. My traditional method was to brew it hot, let it cool, then put it in the fridge to pour over ice. But it always tasted a little bitter and went sour quite quickly. 

And then I thought, what if I cold-brew it? 

And so I did. And it truly makes the difference between good iced coffee and ah-mazing iced coffee. Not only that, but it lasts at least 3 weeks in a tight container in the fridge. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb. of coffee of your choice

2 gallons of water

Creamer/milk/half & half to taste (optional)

Sugar to taste (optional)

Step 1: 

Pour your coffee in large container/bucket/bowl/whatever (as long as it can hold the coffee and 2 gallons of water). 

Step 2:

Pour in your 2 gallons of water and let sit for at least 8 hours (or longer if you like).  

Step 3: 

Take a mesh strainer (preferably a fine-mesh strainer but I had one available to me) and cover with a paper towel or two. Then begin to pour your liquid through the strainer into another container. 

Once all the liquid is poured through, be sure to press against all of your coffee grounds to get that good stuff that may be left. 

Step 4: 

Put your coffee in the fridge in an airtight container. Once cold, pour your coffee in a nice (if you're like me) large glass. Make sure to leave room for your ice and creamer. 

Next pour in your milk. Or if you naughty like me, some good ol' high-calorie creamer. 

Add a spoonful of sugar (or two... who's counting?).

Add your ice cubes, grab a straw, and enjoy that caffeinated goodness!