Hario Cold Brew Pot

Its super easy to use, just make sure you read the instructions here and not on your box because they are all in Japanese! I use an espresso roast with it and make Ice coffee. It comes out way better than almost any Dunkins or Starbucks Iced coffee. Definately worth the purchase and its cheaper here than Amazon!

(Posted on 4/5/13)

this system makes perfect daily coffee. it's that simple. you will taste distinct notes in your coffee that you missed brewing the same coffee a different way.

it becomes almost a zen practice in the morning which i look forward to. it was a constant experiment until I found my formula - Dark French Roast which I medium grind then add a chocolate simple syrup described below. absolutely yummy! My morning ritual was to go out for coffee every morning before work. now I can't stand the bland taste of barista prepared coffee. I love my own brew so much better.

fill the basket between 1/2 & 3/4. any more & you're wasting coffee as it produces a crust that will sit out of the water and not add to the process (unless you check it nightly & break up the crust which would be tedious). less and you'll make a weaker coffee & wonder what all the fuss was about.

pour water over the ground while stirring with a chopstick. you want the coffee to be a thick, saturated mud. if you don't do this, you'll notice a clump of thickened slag when you dump the basket. these grounds didn't add to your coffee and were wasted. fill to near the top. the grounds should be saturated mud for full effect as opposed to a damp crust. cover and stick in the frig for 12-24 hours to steep.

next morning pull the basket up & let it drain before dumping. a quick water spray upside down in the sink cleans it out.

now here's my trick - in a jigger add a teaspoon of Ghirardellis double chocolate powder. add a shot of milk. shake it up. then add a small squirt of agave or simple syrup ( honey clumps & changes the flavor of the coffee too much, sugar doesnt dilute fully) then shake that up. don't be lazy & add them all together since the powder will clump with the syrup & you'll wind up with chocolate spittle.

add this mixture to taste to your cold brew coffee. it is a chocolate simple syrup that dilutes completely into the cold coffee & makes it really delicious.

(Posted on 3/24/13)

I got turned on to cold brew with the Toddy system which creates a great cold concentrate but uses a full pound of coffee and the filter clogs way too easy.

The Hario is a much simpler set up and is much sturdier compared to the Toddy. The filter basket is rinsable and reusable and make the process easy as pie.

A word of warning, however. I got the larger model Hario and wasn't getting good, dark concentrate (I like to mix with water to reheat to hot coffee). Although it's pretty dark, the brew doesn't come out as a concentrate and is almost too light for me to drink straight (I like a dark coffee).

I checked with the store and they confirmed the basket size is the same on both the 500 ml and the 1000 ml bottles, so if you like a heaver concentrate, you may want to try the smaller size first.

Overall this is a quality product at a good price. I just wish I would have known about the filter size before purchasing.

(Posted on 1/24/13)

I am a hot beverage wimp, therefore my go-to coffee is iced coffee. I previously owned a Toddy. It was a nice introduction to iced coffee, but the filter would sometimes clog and cleanup was a bit messy. The Toddy also brews a large amount of coffee (even when I cut the proportions in half) leaving me with a pot left in the fridge for more days that was probably optimal. Enter the Hario. Oh my goodness!! This thing is a BREEZE!! I believe others have already mentioned it but what you want is 80 grams of course ground coffee in the filter and then you add 1125 milliliters of water. I use a trick similar to that of the Toddy. I add maybe 1/3 of the grounds to the filter and then pour water over it to thoroughly saturate. Then add another 1/3 or so of the grounds, then add more water. Then finally the remaining grounds and water. This ensures that the grounds get evenly saturated without any need to stir. I also have no trouble getting all the water to pour through the grounds (I do not lift the filter out and pour water into the container). This larger capacity Hario brews the perfect amount for me to use up in about 3 days and cleanup is a snap compared to the Toddy! I just take the filter and knock it inside a trash bag, give it a quick rinse in the sink and I'm good to go! I cannot recommend this product highly enough!

(Posted on 12/28/12)

wonderful way to make coffee with quality glass and filter, try making coffee this way: your best coffee will taste very different and better.
I used the Verona Twilight with splendid results.

(Posted on 12/22/12)

This pot is a jewel and is ideal for anyone who suffers from the acid effects of "normal" coffee. It's easy to use and makes enough concentrated coffee to last about a week. There are no English instructions, but here is one version from a reader @Amazom.com:

Making your coffee:
Before starting: Use coarse or "French Press" ground coffee in your Hario Cold Brew system.
- Pro Tip: Use your favorite coffee. You'll be surprised at how much better it tastes!
1. Fill your Hario glass pot to the 800 ml line with quality cool water. Remember: coffee is 99% water. Using icky-tasting water will result in icky-tasting coffee.
2. Fill the filter assembly with ground coffee just until the filter mesh is totally covered. (directions say 80ml, but meh)
3. Place the filter assembly into the glass pot.
4. Pour additional water through the grounds until the glass pot is completely full and grounds are wet.
- Optional: give the grounds a stir with a plastic straw or chopstick. (I never bother)
5. Place the pot cover onto the pot. It will click into place.
6. Let the pot rest! You can keep it on your kitchen counter for up to 12 hours. If you'd like a stronger steep, place the pot in the fridge and allow to chill for up to 24 hours. (I go 12 hours on the counter. No more than 75 degrees F, though. So, hot nights, put it in the fridge)
7. Remove the filter and enjoy your coffee concentrate!

For hot coffee, I mix 1 part coffee concentrate to 1 part boiling water.
For iced coffee, I fill a glass with ice and mix in 2 parts coffee concentrate to 1 part milk.

(Posted on 11/19/12)

I discouvered this on this website! what a difference! making hot espresso then adding ice cubes?? what was i thinking? this make a great coffee-i've had to try different blends-went back to my espresso blend...Easy!!!

(Posted on 8/1/12)

I have no more use for my French Press or Automatic Drip coffee maker. This is the best little gadget ever!

I didn't even measure the amount of coffee I put into the strainer: just poured in coarse-ground coffee until it completely filled in the mesh area. I put 800ml of fresh filtered water into the carafe, popped in the strainer with ground, then poured water over the grounds to top it off. Gave it a swirl and let it sit on the counter for 12 hours.

I'm normally a 1 sugar guy... 2 sugars if its sub-par coffee. I didn't need any sugar! I filled up a mug half way with coffee from the carafe and topped it off with hot water for a great eye-opener in the morning.

In the afternoon, I filled a glass with ice, added coffee about 3/4 of the way up and topped it off with whole milk. Fantastic!!

Cold brewing definitely brings out more of the subtle flavors present in your favorite coffee. I only wish I'd discovered this cold-brew system earlier!

Plus: Seattle Coffee Gear has this system cheaper than anywhere else I've seen.

(Posted on 7/16/12)

Great product. A friend recommended Hario and it does not disappoint. Just find the right blend(s), coffee ratio, and most importantly the right coarseness of the coffee grind.

Pros:
Great Taste, Easy To Use, Commercial Grade, Quiet, Large Water Container, Easy To Clean

Cons:

(Posted on 4/4/12)

i gave this as a gift to my sister who only likes coffee cold. i was thinking she would never listen to me and would stick to her old ways of pouring hot coffee over ice. i was WRONG! she not only uses it daily, but asked me for a second one so she can have two going at once. i have to admit on a hot summer day that cold brew is really refreshing! maybe we both learned something? thanks SCG! :-)

Pros:
Easy To Use

Cons:
You will want more than 1

(Posted on 11/21/11)

Instructions where in Japanese (the icons led me thru most of it. Love the sleeping refrigerator) but I found English version online. Very easy to use. I suggest holding the bottom of the carafe as you poor as the handle seems a tad light for weight once filled. Depending on the coffee you use, you may have to run the brew through a filter before consumption. The taste of cold-brewed coffee is tremendous. Love it. Price was right as I'm not going to brew this everyday.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Great Taste

Cons:

(Posted on 8/15/11)

I love a good cup of iced coffee in the spring and summer. The Hario cold brew pot has taken over as my preferred method of brewing iced coffee. I used a Toddy Coffee Maker all last year with good results, but that was before I started roasting my own coffee. With the Toddy I was stuck brewing a pound of coffee at a time and drinking the same brew for 1-2 weeks. The Hario lets me brew less coffee so that I can switch between roasts more often.

The process I use could not be easier. I drop 80g of freshly ground coffee into the strainer, and then place the strainer in the pot. I pour cold water over the grounds slowly up to the top of the white filter (it should take approximately 1000ml or 33.8oz). I give the grounds a light stir and then place the brewer in the refrigerator. Hario's instructions say to extract for 8 hours, but I have done up to 12 and gotten good results. Once it's done brewing I pull out the strainer and discard the grounds. The cold brew coffee is good for 2-3 days, but I am lucky if it lasts a day in my house. I enjoy mine black or mixed with a little milk and Vanilla or Caramel Monin syrup.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Easy To Clean, Great Taste

Cons:

(Posted on 3/16/11)