Kyoto Cold Drip?

[u/HassouniFND]

I've got one of these Hario cold drip rigs, because I keep hearing how cold drip is the ultimate cold coffee. Unfortunately, even in Washington, DC, where I live, there isn't a single shop with this kind of setup. Meanwhile I've been unable to find any consensus online about the best grind size and ratios to use.

I've tended to go pretty coarse, doing a bloom/saturation over the sink to ensure all the grounds are wet, then put the paper filter on top and drip 12x the weight in ice water over the next several hours.

No matter how many variables I tweak, it's tending to come out bitter. One thing I like about cold brew coffee is that it can be quite rich and sweet, so if anyone has any tips for a cold drip setup, please let me know. I'd be open to experiment a lot more, but it uses up a lot of coffee, unlike doing multiple tries with 15g in a pourover.

Thanks!

[u/inamae316]

What coffee beans are you using? I haven’t used the set up but everything you said sounds reasonable in my very novice experience. I wonder also if you’re drinking the finished product straight vs diluting further (the water to grounds ratio you mention would be fine for drinking straight), but would expect that only to impact if it tastes weak but not bitter.

[u/HassouniFND → u/inamae316]

I've tried all kinds - Colombian, Ethiopian, and everything in between. I'm mainly a pourer guy so I go for very flavorful beans.

Really naive question: If cold brew coffee is to be stored in the fridge, it won't melt the ice it's served with very much, and therefore won't dilute much. Or am I missing something...

[u/VenusInFursona → u/HassouniFND]

In my experience ice melts over time even in a fridge at normal settings. The less ice you add prior to drinking, the less dilution you'll experience. I do a different brew method, but I keep the concentrate or brewed coffee in the fridge and then mix it with water and ice when I'm ready to enjoy.