New Orleans Cold Brew Coffee Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio for New Orleans cold brew? ›

Measure water in the ratio of 1 part coffee+chicory mix to 4.5 water water. So for 4 ounces of coffee+chicory, add 18 ounces water. Stir it well and you'll get the wonderful smell of coffee plus delicious-looking crema on top. Cover and let it brew at room temperature for 12 hours.

Initially conceived as an alternative to the erratically composed and often disappointing iced latte, our New Orleans-style Iced Coffee is cold-brewed for 12 hours with roasted chicory and sweetened with organic cane sugar.

Put simply, New Orleans coffee is coffee that is infused with chicory root. The chicory root adds a little boost of flavor to the coffee, making it a bit richer, earthier, and nuttier.

A ratio of 1:8 of coffee to water will produce a nice coffee ready to drink after around 24 hours at a coarse grind. Another option is to create a much stronger cold brew (named cold brew concentrate), by using a ratio anywhere from 1 part coffee to 4 parts water, up to around 1 part coffee to 2 parts water.

To make hot-brewed New Orleans-Style coffee, simply brew coffee as you normally would, but add chicory to the grounds. The process will work with almost any brewing method, although we've not tried it with espresso. At first, use a ratio of 1 part chicory for every 2 to 3 parts coffee grounds.

Most New Orleans-style coffee relies on a blend of dark roasted coffee and chicory brewed together. One thing iced coffee should never be is wimpy or watered down and that's why some producers advocate for using what's essentially a cold brew concentrate for New Orleans-style iced coffee.

Now it's a sought-after flavor. If you get coffee in New Orleans—at a restaurant, someone's house, an office, or anywhere that pre-gentrification New Orleanians exist—it'll likely contain the rich, complex, roasty, toasty flavor of dried chicory root. Coffee with chicory is what New Orleanians are used to.

Cold brew tends to be smoother and also contain less acid. Therefore, if you have acid reflux, your body may be able to handle cold brew better. Additionally, cold brew contains crude polysaccharides. These molecules are known for their ability to help with your digestive system.

The Coffee and Chicory should be brewed to the ratio of 2.0 US gallons per 13 ounces of Coffee and Chicory. One 15oz can should be brewed with 2.3 US gallons.

The Café Brulot Diabolique

Café Brulot Diabolique, or “Devilishly Burned Coffee,” was invented at Antoine's Restaurant in the late 1880s by Jules Alciatore, the son of the restaurant's founder.

Why does New Orleans coffee have chicory? ›

When the blockade was lifted the French continued to use chicory as an additive because they believed it was good for one's health and improved the flavor of coffee. In the 19th century, its use as a coffee additive and substitute became widespread in France and areas of French cultural influence like Louisiana.

What makes a coffee “New Orleans-style”? The addition of chicory, a spice made from a floral root.

Proudly Roasted in New Orleans

Folgers^® has been proud to call New Orleans home since we opened our roasters in the city in 1960. Since then, the passion of our people and the vibrancy of our community have shaped who we are today.

One of the most popular Louisiana brands is Community Coffee, a coffee roaster and distributor based in Baton Rouge. As of 2005, it was the largest family-owned coffee brand in the United States. French Market Coffee and Cafe du Monde's chicory blends are also popular in South Louisiana.

Cold Brew Coffee Recipe Ratios

For the best results, use 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee beans for every 4 cups of water. This ratio will give you a strong, full-bodied cold brew coffee. If you prefer a less intense flavor, you can use less coffee beans and more water.

Most cold brew coffee recipes use a 7:1 water to coffee ratio. In other words, for every liter of water you're going to use about 140 grams of coffee. Here we're making a half batch, so we are only grinding 70 grams. (If you don't have a scale this is slightly less than a cup of ground coffee.

Most New Orleans-style coffee relies on a blend of dark roasted coffee and chicory brewed together. One thing iced coffee should never be is wimpy or watered down and that's why some producers advocate for using what's essentially a cold brew concentrate for New Orleans-style iced coffee.

If you go for a standard ratio, like 1:10 (1 part coffee, 10 parts water), you'll get a cold brew that you can drink right from the carafe. It will be smooth and delicious, and the perfect strength. If you go for a stronger ratio of 1:5, you'll end up with a cold brew concentrate, and this opens a few more doors.