How to Make Cold Brew at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide
Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold water for a long time instead of brewed with hot water, resulting in a smoother, less acidic cup. You don't need expensive gear — with the right ratio and a little patience you can make it easily at home.
What is cold brew, and how is it different from iced coffee?
Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee in room-temperature or refrigerated water for 12-24 hours. Iced coffee, by contrast, is regular hot-brewed coffee poured over ice.
Cold steeping extracts fewer of the bitter and acidic compounds, giving you a sweeter, rounder cup that is gentler on the stomach.
Ingredients and equipment
You don't need complicated equipment to get started. A jar and a strainer from your kitchen are usually enough.
- Coarsely ground coffee (about the texture of sea salt)
- Filtered cold water
- A glass jar or pitcher with a lid
- A paper filter, fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for straining
Step-by-step cold brew recipe
Making a concentrate and diluting it when you serve is the most practical method. A 1:8 ratio (1 part coffee, 8 parts water) makes a good starting concentrate.
- Add 100 g of coarsely ground coffee to the jar.
- Pour in 800 ml of cold water and make sure all the grounds are saturated.
- Close the lid and refrigerate for 16-18 hours.
- When the time is up, strain first through a coarse mesh, then a paper filter.
- Dilute the resulting concentrate 1:1 with water or milk when serving.
Ratio guide: concentrate or ready-to-drink?
If you want a stronger, longer-lasting base, make a concentrate; if you want to drink it straight, lower the ratio.
- 1:8 — Concentrate. Keeps up to a week refrigerated; diluted when served.
- 1:12 — Balanced. Drinkable with a light dilution or straight.
- 1:16 — Ready-to-drink. Served over ice without dilution.
Common mistakes
Cold brew is a forgiving method, but a few details noticeably change the result.
- Grind too fine: over-extracts, turns cloudy and is harder to strain.
- Too short a steep: under 8 hours gives a weak, watery taste.
- Over-steeping: past 24 hours bitterness and woody notes take over.
- Using hot water: ruins the smooth character that defines cold brew.
Serving and variations
There's a lot you can do with a ready concentrate. Drink it black over plenty of ice, add milk or a plant-based alternative, or enrich it with a pinch of cinnamon and vanilla.
Cold brew topped with tonic water makes a refreshing summer alternative. To sweeten, use a liquid syrup rather than sugar — it dissolves far better in cold drinks.
Frequently asked questions
How long does cold brew last in the fridge?
Strained cold brew concentrate stays fresh in a sealed container for about 7-10 days. Once diluted, it's best consumed within 2-3 days.
What grind size is best for cold brew?
A coarse grind is ideal — aim for the texture of sea salt. A fine grind leads to over-extraction and a cloudy, bitter result.
Does cold brew have more caffeine?
The concentrate is high in caffeine due to the high coffee ratio, but once diluted for serving, the caffeine per cup drops to a level close to regular coffee.
