How to Make Cold Brew Coffee

How to make cold brew coffee: combine coarsely ground coffee with water, steep for 12–18 hours, then strain and serve.

Basic cold brew steps:

1. Use a 1:4 coffee-to-water ratio

2. Grind coffee coarse (like cornmeal)

3. Add coffee and water to a container

4. Stir and let steep for 12–18 hours

5. Strain using a fine filter or press

6. Serve over ice and dilute to taste

Cold brew coffee is known for its smooth, rich flavor and is less sharp than hot brewed coffee due to its slow extraction process.

Being a San Francisco Bay Coffee Roaster we love our customer's reaction upon tasting our cold brew coffee for the first time.  We want to share our cold brew coffee recipe with you.  So, if you have a few free minutes, take the time to whip up a little cold brew coffee to get you through the day. This cold brew coffee guide will help take your cold brew coffee to the next level. Might want to make a couple of trays of Coffee Ice Cubes as well. When coffee is cold brewed, there are more complex flavors that surface than from what you will get from hot brewed coffee. Cold brew coffee is significantly less acidic, and it provides an iced-coffee experience that is not watered down, while retaining all the caffeine content of coffee.

For deeper flavor, see our best strong coffee beans recommendations.

👉 Best Strong Coffee Beans Guide

What is Cold Brew Coffee?

What is cold brew coffee? While regular coffee is brewed with hot water that’s 170℉ to 190℉, cold brew coffee uses water at room temperature. When you cold brew coffee it releases the coffee flavor using time, as opposed to heat. 

What is the difference between Hot Coffee and Cold Brew Coffee?

1. Lower acidity and more subtle flavors. Heat releases the flavor of coffee, but it also dissolves the fatty acids and bitter oils that give coffee a bite. This acidic bite of hot brewed coffee anesthetizes the tongue leaving out the enjoyment of more subtle flavor profiles of coffee. When you prepare cold brew coffee it extracts the desirable flavor compounds. 
   
   
2. Less bitter than hot brewed coffee. Hot brewed coffee has more bitterness. Also, the oils can become rancid over time as they continue to heat which is why your hot coffee starts to taste extremely bitter if left to sit on a warmer for a long period of time. 
   
   
3. Cold brewing requires more coffee grounds. Another major difference is the coffee to water ratio. When making cold brew coffee, the ratio is 1 part coffee to 4 parts water.  Hot coffee, the ratio is 1:6 or 1:12 depending on how strong one wants their coffee.
   
   
4. Takes more time. The time it takes to cold brew coffee is also much longer. One cup of hot coffee can be brewed in less than a minute. Cold brew coffee is steeped for 12 to 24 hours. Longer steeping time is needed if the coffee is refrigerated.
   
   
5. Same amount of caffeine. Cold brew coffee and hot brew coffee do not have a significant difference in caffeine. 
   
   
6. Stores longer so you can make in bulk. As we all know, hot coffee is only good for a few hours. As an undiluted concentrate, cold brew will keep for up to two weeks, although the flavor quality will degrade after the first week. If you've cut the concentrate with water, that shortens the shelf life to a mere 2-3 days.

What Coffee to use when you Make Cold Brew Coffee:

1. Dark roasts are most commonly used for cold brew coffee because the roast profile offers a consistent flavor. The margin of error is low, and the rich flavor is suitable for those who enjoy adding milk or sweeteners to their brew. overpowers the natural bean flavors, minimizes bitterness - best if you are just beginning to cold brew.
   
   
2. Medium roasts reveal slightly more complexity. you can experience some of the bean’s intrinsic taste along with the medium roast flavor. The best of both worlds

Learn more about the difference between the types of coffee roasts here. 

How do you Make Cold Brew Coffee?

Making cold brew coffee is incredibly simple. There are lots of different devices that can help you cold brew coffee, but to start with, you need just a Mason jar.

What is the Ratio for Cold Brew Coffee?

The standard cold brew coffee ratio is:

• 1 part coffee to 4 parts water (1:4) for concentrate
• Dilute with water or milk before serving

Best Cold Brew Coffee Recipe:

1. Start with a clean glass container.
2. The cold brew coffee ratio is  1 part coffee to 4 parts water (1:4) for concentrate
3. The coffee should be a medium coarse grind. It will be about the same grind as corn meal.
4. Let the cold brew coffee sit on a counter for 12 to 18 hours.
5. Filter the cold brew coffee concentrate twice. Use a fine sieve, a French press, or any other screen type of filter.
6. You can store cold brew coffee in the refrigerator for up to three days.  Be sure to put a tight lid on the coffee to keep the volatile oils in the coffee.
7. Remember you can always cut cold brew coffee with pure water if it is too strong for you.

• Stir the coffee grounds in the water. The ground coffee can sometimes clump and you want as much of the coffee’s surface touching the water as possible.
• If the coffee is too smooth, use the Hot Bloom Method. Use just enough boiling water to bring out the complex flavors. Then add the coffee to cold water to the cold brew.
• Cold brew coffee is often stronger than hot-brewed, so feel free to dilute to taste. Use coffee ice cubes to keep the strength of the coffee, but still be able to cool the coffee. Cold brew coffee is perfect for making coffee ice cubes.
• Add a dash of salt to bring out the flavor of the cold brewed coffee.

Pour cold brew over ice and add your choice of milk and sweetener. Cold brew coffee may be used for everything from coffee sorbet to coffee puddings to nearly any variation of a cold drink.

Why Try Cold Brew Coffee?

• The short answer is that it’s delicious and smoother, sweeter, and has a more balanced flavor without the bite.
• Pre-brew a week of cold brewed coffee without sacrificing flavor.
• Cold Brew Coffee has been proven to be 67% less acidic than hot brewed coffee which makes cold brewed coffee available for all those who suffer from acid reflux. 
• There will be less sweetener or milk used in your coffee.
• Same caffeine content cup for cup as hot brewed coffee.

  
  

Best Coffee for Cold Brew

We recommend for your Cold Brew at Home are our Espresso Blend Coffee, Aged Mocha Java Coffee, and Original Blend Coffee.

Cold Brew Coffee Recipes 

9 Cold Brew Coffee Drink Recipes