- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 100 g
- 800 ml
- 200 g
- 120 ml
- 2 tbsp
Process
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Grind 100 g coffee beans coarsely, about the texture of coarse sea salt. If using a blade grinder, pulse in short bursts and stop before it turns powdery.
Add the ground coffee to a large jar or pitcher and pour in 800 ml cold water. Stir gently with a spoon until all grounds are wet and no dry clumps remain.
Cover the jar and let it steep at room temperature for 16 hours, or in the fridge for 18 to 24 hours for a cleaner, less bitter result.
Set a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or muslin cloth over a second jar. Pour the coffee mixture through slowly in batches.
Discard the spent grounds. The filtered cold brew concentrate will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 7 days.
To serve, fill a glass with 200 g ice cubes, pour in 100 ml cold brew concentrate and 100 ml cold water, then stir. Add 120 ml milk and 2 tbsp simple syrup if desired.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is grinding too fine. Powder-like grounds clog the filter, slow the drip and leave a muddy, bitter cup. Aim for coarse sea salt texture.
- Do not steep longer than 24 hours. Past that point the brew pulls harsh, woody compounds from the grounds and turns bitter even if you dilute it.
- Filter twice if you want a crystal-clear concentrate: once through the sieve and filter, then once more through a clean paper filter. This removes fine silt that clouds the drink.
- Taste the concentrate before serving. If it feels weak, steep the next batch with 10 g more coffee; if it is harsh, dilute with more water rather than adding sugar.
Substitutions
- coffee beans→pre-ground coarse coffee
- simple syrup→honey or maple syrup
- milk→oat milk, almond milk or soy milk
Storage & reheating
Store the filtered cold brew concentrate in a sealed glass jar or bottle in the fridge for up to 7 days. Do not leave it at room temperature after filtering. For a single serving, mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part water or milk over ice. If the concentrate thickens or smells sour, discard it. Cold brew ice cubes can be frozen in a tray for up to 2 months and used to chill the drink without diluting it.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my cold brew bitter?
Bitter cold brew usually comes from grinding too fine or steeping too long. Coarse grounds and a 16 to 18 hour steep at room temperature give a smooth result. If it is already bitter, dilute the concentrate with more water or milk before drinking.
Can I use pre-ground coffee for cold brew?
Yes, but check the grind. Most pre-ground coffee is fine or medium, which can make the brew muddy and bitter. If that is all you have, steep it for only 12 hours and filter it twice through a paper filter.
How long does cold brew last in the fridge?
Filtered cold brew concentrate keeps for up to 7 days in a sealed jar in the fridge. After that it starts to taste flat and stale. Always filter out the grounds before storing, because leaving them in makes the brew bitter within a day.
Can I make cold brew without a filter?
Yes. A fine-mesh sieve lined with a clean cotton cloth or a nut milk bag works well. Pour slowly and let gravity do the work. Avoid squeezing the grounds, as that releases fine particles and bitterness into the brew.
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for cold brew?
A 1 to 8 ratio by weight, like 100 g coffee to 800 ml water, makes a strong concentrate that you dilute 1 to 1 with water or milk. For a ready-to-drink brew, use 1 to 15, about 60 g coffee to 900 ml water, and serve it straight over ice.
Can I steep cold brew in the fridge instead of on the counter?
Yes. Fridge steeping is slower but cleaner tasting. Use 18 to 24 hours in the fridge instead of 16 hours at room temperature. The cold slows extraction, so the brew tastes less acidic and keeps a bit longer.
How do I know when cold brew is done?
It is done when the liquid is dark, opaque and smells like coffee rather than wet grounds. Taste a small spoonful: it should be strong and smooth, not sharp or chalky. If it tastes weak, steep it 2 more hours and taste again.
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