Cold Brew Coffee 101—Your Complete Guide to the Best Brew
From strong cold brew concentrate to smooth, flavored and ready to drink, we’ve compiled all the best tips for the perfect brew for you.
You don’t need a coffee maker or much in the way of special equipment to end up with several servings of a smooth brew that’s less acidic than hot brewed coffee.
There’s no one “right” way to brew cold brew coffee—no recipe to rule them all. But there are some standard methods you can riff on to find the right brew to suit your personal tastes and preferences.
In the simplest terms, cold brewing coffee means steeping coffee grounds in cold or room temperature water for 12-24 hours. You don’t need a coffee maker or much in the way of special equipment to end up with several servings of a smooth brew that’s less acidic than hot brewed coffee.
Best of all, it’s already ready in the morning. Just stumble to the fridge, pull out your premade brew, pour and enjoy!
Let’s start with the standard stuff.
What kind of coffee beans should I use for cold brew?
The short answer: This one’s easy—use your favorite medium or dark roast.
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You can use your favorite coffee bean for cold brew. It’s the size of the grind that matters more. (You’ll need coarse ground coffee. More on that below.)
Cold brewing brings out different flavor profiles from your bean. So you may find that you want a different roast for cold brew than you do for hot brewed coffee. Since lighter roasts tend to play up the acid qualities, cold brewing will mute that profile. You might love it, but most prefer darker roasts.
With a medium of dark roast, the cold brewing process will bring out the nutty and chocolatey flavors, resulting in a rich and smooth flavor.
Feel free to experiment, but we recommend a medium or dark roast coffee
Do I have to use coarsely ground coffee?
The short answer: Yes, you really should.
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To get the right grind, you’ll probably need to purchase whole beans and grind them yourself at home. No grinder? Many stores have one available to use on site, or you can purchase you beans at a coffee shop and ask the barista to grind for gold brew.
Why is course ground best? You want the water to easily penetrate the grounds and fully steep the grounds. The finer the grind, the more likely you’ll get dry clumps. Finer ground coffee may also “over extract” meaning the water has pulled out too much of the bean’s flavors, leading to a bitter brew.
If pre-ground coffee is all you can get your hands on, you can still make cold brew. Just experiment with small batches until you get a flavor that works for you.
What is the best ratio of coffee grounds to water?
The short answer: If you want a concentrate, use a 1:4 ratio, or lower. For drinkable straight from the jar, use 1:8.
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When we make cold brew, we use 3 ounces by weight (1 cup dry) for a 32 ounce container of cold brew. That’s about 24 ounces of water and a 1:8 ratio. This will leave you with a smooth, drinkable brew.
If you prefer to make a concentrate, increase the amount of ground coffee you use to make the brew stronger. So, 6 ounces of coffee for that same 24 ounces of water will get you a double strong batch at a 1:4 ratio.
A concentrate is just that, twice as strong and twice as caffeinated. So, you’ll definitely want to dilute your finished product with water, cream or milk.
How do I brew the grounds?
The short answer: Place the grounds in a cotton filter, pour enough water just to wet, let it sit for a minute, then pour the rest of the water slowly over the grounds. Close the filter bag and steep.
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If you don’t already have a cold brew kit, of course we recommend it. It’s the easiest and least messy way to make cold brew coffee. Because the filters are made from organic cotton, you’ll also note the difference in the taste.
After you add your grounds to the filter, pour just enough water over the grounds to wet them completely. Then let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute. This is called letting the coffee “bloom.” It allows the water to fully penetrate the grounds so you won’t have dry pockets of coffee that don’t get steeped.
You can also put grounds directly in a jar and pour water over it. Then you can filter the brew through a cotton filter at the end of the brewing cycle. And if you have a larger french press, you can use that too.
Brew perfect cold brew coffee with your CoffeeSock cold brew kit.
How long do I brew the grounds?
The short answer: 10-12 hours for a 32 ounce container. Scale up to 24 hours for a larger batch.
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The longer your brew steeps, the more it will extract. That’s great up until it isn’t. Just like when you use a too-fine grind, over extracted coffee tastes bitter.
On a warm, sunny day, you can also brew outdoors or in a sunny window. The warmer the temperature, the lower the brew time. Of course, this will also change up your flavor profile, since it’s not technically cold brew if you're brewing in the warm sun.
Here’s our general recommendations, though you can test your batches for shorter or longer to find your sweet spot.
Brew your cold brew coffee according to your tastes using this general guide.
When should I add flavorings to the brew?
The short answer: You can add fresh, whole spices while brewing (think cinnamon stick). For syrups or flavored sugars, add at the end.
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Here’s where things get fun. You can play it straight and drink your coffee cold and without added flavors. Or, you can add your favorite flavors to the brew for a tailored and tasty experience. We love to add a cinnamon stick or two to the jar, then add the coffeesock and grounds. This imparts a subtle cinnamony flavor that really complements the chocolate notes of the coffee.
We also like flavored sugars, though we add those when the brew is finished. Make sure to add some warm water to the sugar to melt the crystals first, the mix or shake to combine with your brew.
Experiment with vanilla bean, anise, or your favorite whole spices. Or add spiced sugars or simple syrup at the end.
How long will cold brewed coffee stay fresh?
The short answer: About a week in the fridge.
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We’ve never had a batch of cold brew go bad! That said, your brew will taste its freshest in the first few days. After a week, you can certainly still drink it, but if the flavor isn’t there anymore, consider using the leftovers in cooking. Cold brew cookies anyone?