How To Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home

This Cold Brew Coffee Recipe is so simple to make at home - 2 ingredients plus 5 minutes to make and 24 hours to steep. You don't need any complicated equipment either. You'll LOVE cold brew - let's get brewing!

DIY Cold Brew Coffee is where it's at

What is cold brew coffee?

Cold brew is made with coarse ground coffee beans that have been steeped in cold filtered water for 12 to 24 hours. Steeping the grounds results in a smooth and refreshing coffee with very little acidic taste and a subtle coffee bean flavor. It can actually be served hot or cold.

Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee

Cold brew coffee Is steeped in cold water, while ice coffee is brewed in hot water then chilled. Both are served over ice.

Watch how to make Cold Brew Coffee

Why you'll love this Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

"Making cold brew coffee recipe is SUPER SIMPLE - 2 ingredients, 5 minutes + 24 hour steep time is all it takes."

Cheap

Making your own cold brew concentrate is much cheaper than buying it. Even if you invest in a cold brew coffee maker or french press, and grinder, in long term it is still less expensive.

Easy

Making cold brew is SUPER easy - grind the beans (or buy them pre-ground) and add to water. Cover and let sit for about 24 hours. Strain and serve. Voila! So simple.

Delicious

Cold brew coffee is bold, smooth, refreshing, with no bitterness. Making your own cold brew means you can easily customize it to my taste. It's always fresh and delicious!

What you'll need for making Cold Brew Coffee

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:

• Coffee Beans - Use whole coffee beans and grind them yourself, OR you can use pre-ground coffee. Coarsely ground coffee is preferable in cold brew, so I typically grind my own beans. I use a strong bold coffee for cold brew like French roast or another rich coffee but you can use any kind you like.
• Cold Filtered Water
• Ice
• Optional - flavored syrups, cream, oat milk, or cold foam

Best Coffee for Cold Brew

You can purchase coffee already ground specifically for making cold brew coffee, or you can grind your own. I have found stronger roasts just as French Roast, Italian, any bold roast work the best. The beans should be coarsely ground.

What type of coffee beans do I need for cold brew coffee?

You can use any favorite coffee bean for cold brew. It is recommended that you use coarse ground coffee beans, but I can tell you I have made cold brew with regular grind beans before and it still tasted good.

Equipment

Equipment and tools needed to make this cold brew coffee recipe:

Methods for Cold Brewing Your Coffee

• Cold Brew Coffee Maker - this version is like a pitcher but with an insert to place the grinds (like a giant tea bag).
• French Press Coffee Maker - with this method you place the grinds in the bottom of the press, add water then use the plunger to strain the coffee.
• Mason Jar or Pitcher - the lowest cost method but you will need a way to strain your grinds - I have found a cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer work best.

Other Equipment

• Fine mesh strainer or sieve - if you need a method for straining the grinds.
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Coffee Bean Grinder - this is optional - you can also buy pre-ground coarse ground coffee beans.

How To Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home

How to grind beans for Cold Brew

Place whole coffee beans in a grinder and pulse until coarsely ground.

Alternatively, you can buy cold brew coffee already ground, or you can have them ground at your local store.

Make The Concentrate

To make the cold brew concentrate add the ground coffee beans to your cold brew coffee maker, french press, or pitcher.

Refrigerate

Cover and refrigerate the coffee for 12 to 24 hours in a cool dry place or a refrigerator.

Strain The Grinds

Strain the coffee grinds.

Serve

Serve the coffee over ice and add water or milk to dilute as needed. Sweeten with sugar, honey, or flavored syrup, and top with cream or cold foam if desired.

Transfer to an air-tight pitcher and store in the refrigerator.

Cold Brew Coffee Ratio

The most common ratio is 1 part coffee to 4 parts water but this ratio can be adjusted according to your personal preferences. Remember that this makes a concentrate which will then be diluted with water or milk at about a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio.

Tips for making Cold Brew Coffee

For the best tasting cold brew coffee I recommend the following:

• Use filtered cold or room temperature water.
• Use coarse ground beans. Grinding your own beans results in the best taste, but it is not required.
• Don't have a coffee bean grinder? You can purchase beans already ground or you can grind them at the store where you purchase the beans.
• If this recipe is too strong for you, adjust by adding more ice, water, or milk to dilute.
• Adjust the coffee bean, grind, quantity, and brew time to customize to your tastes.
• For best taste use fresh beans that are freshly ground.
• The method you use for making the coffee (maker, press, pitcher or jar) doesn't matter.

How To Serve Cold Brew Coffee

• Serve the cold brew iced.
• Drink cold brew as it is or add water, milk, oat milk, or other nut milk to dilute to your taste preference.
• Sweeten with sugar, honey, flavored syrup
• Top with cream or Sweet Cream Cold Foam

Cold Brew Coffee Recipe variations

Here are a few ways you can vary or make substitutions to this recipe:

• Make adjustments to the strength of the cold brew with the type of coffee bean roast - light roast, medium roast, medium-dark roast, and dark roast. Each one has a different characteristic.
• You can also make adjustments with how coarse or fine your grind the coffee.
• The longer you let the grinds steep in the water the stronger the coffee will be

DIY Cold Brew Coffee storage

Store cold brew in an airtight pitcher in the refrigerator up to 4 weeks.

How long will cold brew coffee keep?

Cold-brew coffee will keep up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator with no change in flavor.

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee FAQs

More Cold Brew Coffee Recipes

If you are looking for more delicious cold brew recipes, check these out:

• Salted Caramel Cold Brew
• French Press Cold Brew
• Honey Almond Cold Brew
• Sweet Cream Cold Foam
• Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
• Chocolate Cream Cold Brew Recipe