If you prefer extra strong coffee with high levels of caffeine, double brew coffee may be right for you. But what is double brew coffee exactly?
Double brew coffee is coffee that’s been brewed twice. This can be accomplished in one of two ways. First, by brewing coffee with twice the normal amount of grinds. Alternatively, you could run brewed coffee through your coffee machine for a second time.
While either of these options will work to make double brew coffee. There are pros and cons to each method.
Keep reading to learn more!
What Is Double Brew Coffee?
Double brewed coffee is coffee that’s been brewed to be twice as strong. It has twice the amount of coffee solubles as regular coffee but the same volume of water.
You can make double brew coffee either by:
- using twice the amount of coffee grinds to make your coffee much stronger than normal
- brewing a regular cup of coffee and then pouring that coffee back into your coffee machine to brew it again.
However, there are pros and cons to each of these methods.
Keep in mind that there’s an ideal coffee-to-water ratio to get the best-tasting coffee. So if you use twice the amount of coffee grinds, while keeping the same amount of water, you’ll throw off the ratio and end up with a bitter cup of coffee.
On the other hand, if you pour pre-brewed coffee into a coffee machine you could end up burning the coffee as it runs through the machine.
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Why Would Anyone Double Brew?
Double brewing is an excellent idea for people who want a potent coffee concentrate to make homemade specialty drinks, more caffeine, or a makeshift espresso.
Let’s talk about each in a little more detail.
Double Brew For Concentrated Flavors.
When you double brew your coffee, you also get an extra kick of flavor. So, if you would like to try the concentrated flavor of your favorite coffee, double brewing is the way to go.
Of course, it has to be properly done, otherwise, you will end up with double the bitterness, which is not what we are looking for with double brewing.
Double brewed coffee is a better base for iced coffee and specialty coffee.
1. Iced Coffee
Iced coffee at home is usually made by taking a normal cup of coffee and adding ice to it. The problem with this is that the ice melts and quickly dilutes the flavor of your coffee. But this isn’t the case with double brew.
Sure, the ice still melts, but since double brew is so concentrated you’ll still have that strong coffee flavor.
So, for those of us who don’t want to miss out on the flavor in their iced coffee, treat yourself with a double brewed cup of joe.
2. Home Made Specialty Coffee Drinks
For people wanting to brew a bold specialty coffee at home, double brewing will help achieve a bolder flavor of specialty drinks like lattes and cappuccinos.
Or alternatively, use your double brew to make coffee ice cubes and put a different spin on your specialty drinks.
So, if you like specialty coffee, not making it double brewed would be equivalent to missing out on a pleasant flavor boost and caffeine kick.
For More Caffeine
For most of us, a strong caffeine boost is almost a must to get rid of that brain fog.
Double brewed coffee means you get a stronger caffeine boost, which can be a lifesaver for those eying to finish off a project overnight or get a productive night study session.
But, a strong dose of caffeine isn’t what all of us would want. Some of us might not feel calm enough after getting such a strong caffeine boost. And, it may make them jittery.
As A Makeshift Espresso
Don’t have an Espresso machine at your home and would love to experience the strength of an Espresso coffee? Well, worry not.
You can make a strong cup of joe by just brewing your coffee grinds twice, with a standard coffee maker. Double brew coffee makes a perfect alternative to an Espresso if you are interested in the bold flavor Espresso has to offer.
What if you make it too strong? To make the double brew a little less strong, you can always add some foamed milk to dilute it.
How To Double Brew Coffee?
There are essentially two ways you can make double brewed coffee. By using double the usual amount of coffee grounds, or by brewing your coffee with coffee instead of water.
1. Brew Your Coffee With Double Grounds
This method is a relatively simple one. You just have to use double the amount of coffee grounds you use normally.
For instance, if the recommended coffee to water ratio is 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces of water, you put 4 tablespoons in the same amount of water.
Ideally, you can use an automatic drip coffee maker to double brew this way. Just put the amount of water you normally use and double the number of coffee grounds. That’s it. Your double brewed coffee is ready to be enjoyed.
2. Brew Your Coffee With Coffee Instead Of Water
The second method to make double brewed coffee is to brew a cup of joe with already brewed coffee, instead of water.
All you have to do is replace the water with already brewed coffee. But, you need to take care of a few things if you are to get the best results.
Let’s dig into the details on how you can double brew with different coffee machines.
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Percolator – Pros And Cons Of Double Brewing With A Percolator
The process the ground coffee goes through in a percolator makes your coffee quite strong. This is because the water keeps on repeating in circles over the coffee grounds until the required consistency is achieved. So, you get stronger produce compared to other methods.
However, double brewing with just a percolator can lead to grits in your coffee. This is because you are repeating the procedure on an already saturated cup of coffee.
Another problem with double brewing your coffee with a percolator is ensuring the basket is cool when pouring the grounds a second time. Otherwise, the coffee heats up too fast, resulting in a bitter second brew.
French Press – Pros And Cons Of Double Brewing With French Press
Double brewing with French press gives a rich taste of the coffee extracts and a smooth textured coffee.
The caffeine content, however, isn’t doubled because the first-time brew is too saturated to pull off much from the new coffee beans.
So, while double brewed coffee with coffee (instead of water) makes your coffee bold and strong, the caffeine content isn’t what you would expect.
To get the best results, just heat the pre-brewed coffee before you put it into the French press for a second-time extraction.
Automatic Drip – Pros And Cons Of Double Brewing With An Automatic Drip
While using an automatic drip machine can be effective in making double brewed coffee, we won’t recommend it for the second brew.
This is simply because the coffee particulates left behind in the first brew can clog up your machine, making the process risky for your machine.
But, there is a way to sidestep that land mine. You can make a smooth double brewed coffee without risking your machine by filtering out the particles from the first brew.
Combining Brew Methods For Double Brew
You can also use two different machines to get to a smooth and strong cup of joe. The best method to do so is by combining the automatic drip method and the French press. It’s safe for your equipment and produces the richest taste.
Just brew your coffee with the drip method. Put the grounds in the French press and brew them using the coffee you made with the drip method.
Let the mixture sit for about 4 minutes. Your double brewed coffee is now ready to be served.
Alternatively, you can use a percolator in place of the drip machine. The procedure is the same, but the coffee will be stronger as it goes through the percolator in the first round.
Similarly, if you have a drip machine and a percolator, another method would be to make the first brew in the drip machine and then brew that one in a percolator.
Things To Look Out For When Double Brewing
Watch The Water Temperature
When you are using a percolator, be sure not to use the basket when it’s hot. Let it cool for a few minutes before you brew in it for the second time.
Plus, if your first brew is cooled off, warm it up again before you double brew it with any method.
Watch Your Grind When Brewing Twice
Coffee grinds can get into your coffee, so you need to filter it out before you can brew it again. This is especially necessary if you have to use a drip coffee maker for the second brew as it could mess up the machine’s filter.
Use Fresh Grounds Each Time
For optimum flavor and caffeine, you should use fresh coffee grounds for each of the two steps involved in making a double brewed coffee.
If you use the same grounds twice, your cup of joe won’t be that strong and flavorful. This is because the used grounds can’t provide enough of what you want for a strong coffee.
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Conclusion
A double brewed coffee is the best way to take your coffee game to another level. Especially when you don’t have an Espresso or Aeropress machine to get the bold flavors and a strong caffeine kick.
If you want to try something different with your favorite coffee beans or single brew coffee simply isn’t working for you, double brewed coffee is what you need.
You know how to make your own double brewed coffee now. So, keep the things we talked about in mind and serve yourself a strong cup of joe every day.
Cheers Coffee Lovers!
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Oliver is co-owner of Coffee Break Lovers. The only thing he loves more than the process of brewing coffee is drinking it.