Cold
How to brew Cold Brew
Long steep in cold or room-temp water for low-acid, smooth coffee. Filter through fine mesh or paper after steeping.
Difficulty
Beginner
Total time
12-24 hours
Ratio
1:5 – 1:15
How-to guide
Gear needed
- Cold brew maker, large jar, or French press
- Grinder (extra coarse)
- Digital scale
- Filtered water (room temp or cold)
- Fine mesh strainer or filter paper
- Freshly roasted coffee (medium-dark works well)
Step-by-step
1. Grind the coffee
Use an extra coarse grind — like rough breadcrumbs. Too fine and you'll get a muddy, over-extracted brew.
2. Combine coffee and water
For a concentrate, use a 1:5 ratio. Add 100g of coarse coffee to 500g of cold or room-temperature filtered water in a jar or cold brew maker. Stir to fully saturate the grounds.
3. Steep (12-24 hours)
Cover and steep at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Room temp: 12-16 hours
- Fridge: 18-24 hours
4. Strain
Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the bulk of the grounds, then through a paper filter (V60 or Chemex filter works) for a clean concentrate. Don't squeeze the grounds — let it drip naturally.
5. Store and serve
Store the concentrate in a sealed bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. To serve:
- Iced black: Dilute 1:1 with water or milk over ice.
- Cold latte: Pour concentrate over ice, top with cold milk.
Troubleshooting
- Too bitter: Coarsen grind, or shorten steep time.
- Too weak: Increase dose, finer grind, or longer steep.
- Cloudy / muddy: Use a paper filter as final strain.
Ratios & recipes
Ratio
1:5 – 1:15
Grind
Extra Coarse — rough sea salt
Temperature
Cold or room temperature
Typical time
12–24 hrs
Concentrate (1:5)
- Dose
- 100g
- Yield
- 500g
- Time
- 16 hours
Dilute 1:1 with water or milk to serve.
Ready to drink (1:8)
- Dose
- 60g
- Yield
- 500g
- Time
- 16 hours
No dilution needed — pour straight over ice.
Tips
- Use medium-dark roasts for chocolate and caramel notes.
- Always strain through paper for the cleanest result.
- Concentrate keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Try with a splash of tonic and orange peel for a refreshing summer drink.
- Don't use boiling water — defeats the purpose of cold brew.
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