How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home

Two ways to make it

If you don’t have a scale, a common volume recipe is 1 cup of coarse grounds to 4 cups of water for a concentrate, though volume measures of coffee are less consistent.

Step by step

1. Grind coarse. Similar to French press or a little coarser. Fine grounds make filtering slow and the brew muddy and bitter.
2. Combine. Add coffee to a jar, pitcher or French press, pour in the water, and stir gently so all the grounds are wet.
3. Steep. Cover and leave it. Steeping in the fridge gives a cleaner, more delicate flavor; room temperature extracts faster and tastes fuller.
4. Filter. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, then through a paper coffee filter or cloth for a clear brew. A French press does the first stage for you.
5. Store. Refrigerate in a sealed container and drink within about a week for the best flavor.

Choosing beans for cold brew

Medium and dark roasts are the most popular for cold brew because their chocolatey, nutty, caramel notes shine when served cold with milk. Beans from Brazil, Colombia and Central America are reliable picks. Light, fruity coffees can make delicious cold brew too, though some of their brighter notes are muted. Our beans and grind size guide explains roast levels and origins.

Gear options

• Mason jar and sieve: cheapest, works perfectly well.
• French press: steep and press in one vessel; see our French press guide.
• Dedicated cold brew makers: pitchers with built-in fine mesh filters or drip systems make filtering easier for larger batches.
• Nut-milk bags or cloth filters: handy for big batches; wash well and dry thoroughly.

Is cold brew stronger in caffeine?

It depends entirely on the recipe. Because cold brew is often made as a strong concentrate with a lot of coffee, a glass can contain more caffeine than a cup of drip coffee — or less, once diluted. Cold water extracts caffeine more slowly, so the long steep compensates. If caffeine matters to you, keep track of how much concentrate you use.

Troubleshooting

• Weak or watery: use more coffee, steep longer, or dilute less.
• Bitter, woody or harsh: grind coarser, shorten the steep, or use fresher beans. Very long steeps (over 24 hours) tend to taste flat and woody.
• Cloudy and gritty: do a second filter pass through paper.
• Tastes stale: the beans may be old, or the brew has been stored too long. Make smaller batches.

Japanese-style iced coffee: the fast alternative

If you want iced coffee today rather than tomorrow, brew hot coffee directly onto ice. This flash-chills it and preserves the bright, aromatic flavors that cold brew mutes.

The total water (hot plus ice) gives roughly a 1:16 ratio, so the coffee isn’t diluted once the ice melts. See the pour-over guide for technique.

Food safety

Treat cold brew like any perishable drink: use clean equipment, keep it refrigerated once brewed, and discard it if it smells or tastes off. If you steep at room temperature, move it to the fridge as soon as it’s filtered.

Ways to serve it

• Over ice with a splash of milk or oat milk
• With a pinch of salt or a little simple syrup to round out bitterness
• As coffee ice cubes, so iced drinks don’t get watery
• Diluted with sparkling water and a twist of orange peel