Answer first
To make cold brew coffee, combine 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee with 4 cups of cold, filtered water in a jar, stir gently until all the grounds are wet, cover, and steep for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature or in the fridge. Strain it twice, first through a fine mesh strainer and then through a coffee filter or cheesecloth, and dilute the concentrate 1:1 or 1:2 with water, milk, or ice before serving. That is the whole method. The rest of this guide explains how to get the ratio, grind, steep time, and storage right for your taste.
What cold brew coffee is
Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold or room temperature water for many hours, instead of brewed with hot water in minutes. Because heat is not driving extraction, cold brew usually tastes smoother and less bitter than hot coffee poured over ice, although it is not automatically low in caffeine. In fact, a concentrate can be strong, which is why dilution matters.
Cold brew is not the same as iced coffee. Iced coffee is hot coffee cooled down or poured over ice. Cold brew is made cold from the start, and that slower extraction is what gives it its chocolatey, nutty, and sweet character when it is made well.
What you need
- Coarsely ground coffee, about 1 cup or 80 to 100 grams for a concentrate batch
- Cold, filtered water, about 4 cups or 1 litre
- A large jar, pitcher, or French press
- A fine mesh strainer and a coffee filter or cheesecloth
- A spoon, a lid or cover, and a clean jar for storage
- Ice, water, or milk for serving
You do not need a special cold brew maker for your first batch. A jar works perfectly, and a French press makes straining easier because you can press the plunger down first and then filter.
Step by step: how to make cold brew coffee
1. Grind coarse
Grind your beans coarse, about the texture of raw sugar or sea salt. A fine grind will over extract, taste bitter, and clog your filter. If you buy pre-ground coffee, look for a bag labelled coarse, French press, or cold brew.
2. Combine coffee and water
Add 1 cup of coarse coffee to your jar, then pour in 4 cups of cold, filtered water. Stir gently, just enough to wet all the grounds. Do not beat the mixture or shake it hard. Some grounds will float at first, and that is normal.
3. Cover and steep
Cover the jar and leave it at room temperature or in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. For a balanced concentrate, 16 hours is a good starting point. Shorter steeps taste lighter and brighter. Longer steeps taste stronger and more chocolatey, but going far past 24 hours can turn bitter.
4. Strain twice
First, pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container to remove most grounds. Then line the strainer with a coffee filter or cheesecloth and strain again for a clean cup with no sediment. Let the last drops drip through on their own, rather than squeezing the filter hard, which can push fine sediment through.
5. Store the concentrate
Pour the concentrate into a clean, sealed jar and keep it in the fridge. It will keep well for up to 1 week, and many people use it within 7 days for the best flavour. Taste it before serving, because a concentrate is meant to be diluted.
6. Dilute and serve
For a classic serving, pour the concentrate over ice and add an equal amount of cold water, or 2 parts water to 1 part concentrate if you like it lighter. For a latte style drink, use milk instead of water. Add sweetener, vanilla, or cinnamon only after you have tasted the plain version, so you know what the coffee itself tastes like.
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Grind coffee coarse, like sea salt.
- Add coffee to a large jar and pour in cold, filtered water. Stir gently until all grounds are wet.
- Cover and steep 12 to 24 hours at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer, then again through a coffee filter or cheesecloth.
- Store concentrate in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Serve over ice, diluted 1:1 or 1:2 with cold water or milk.
Cold brew coffee ratio guide
Ratios are the easiest way to control strength. Use the same ratio by weight or volume, but be consistent within one batch.
| Batch type | Coffee to water | Best for | How to serve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concentrate | 1:4 | Strong base for lattes and iced drinks | Dilute 1:1 or 1:2 with water or milk |
| Ready to drink | 1:8 | Drink straight over ice | Pour over ice, add a splash of milk if you like |
| Extra strong concentrate | 1:3 | Small, intense servings | Dilute 1:2 or 1:3 |
A simple way to scale: for every 100 grams of coffee, use 400 millilitres of water for concentrate, or 800 millilitres for ready to drink. If you do not have a scale, 1 cup of coarse coffee to 4 cups of water is a reliable starting point for concentrate.
For the full guide to concentrate and ready-to-drink ratios, scaling, and dilution, see Cold Brew Coffee Ratio Guide: Concentrate vs Ready-to-Drink.
Grind size and steep time
| Grind | Steep time | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Coarse, like sea salt | 12 to 24 hours | Clean, smooth, balanced |
| Medium coarse | 12 to 16 hours | Slightly stronger, watch for bitterness |
| Fine | Not recommended | Bitter, cloudy, hard to strain |
Temperature also matters. Room temperature steeping is usually a little faster and more flavourful than fridge steeping. If you steep in the fridge, lean toward the longer end of the range.
Jar vs French press vs cold brew maker
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Mason jar or pitcher | Cheap, easy, large batches | Straining takes two steps |
| French press | Easy first strain with the plunger | Smaller batches, still needs a second filter |
| Dedicated cold brew maker | Built in filter, clean pour | Costs more, fixed batch size |
Start with a jar. Move to a maker only if you are making cold brew every week and want a cleaner pour with less work.
How to store cold brew
Keep concentrate in a sealed glass jar in the fridge, away from strong smelling food, because cold brew absorbs flavours easily. Use it within 7 days for best taste, and within 2 weeks at most. Ready to drink cold brew, once diluted, is best within 2 to 3 days. If it smells sour, sharp, or stale, throw it out. Do not leave cold brew at room temperature for more than a couple of hours after it is made.
Troubleshooting: bitter, weak, or cloudy cold brew
Bitter: Your grind may be too fine, your steep may be too long, or your beans may be very dark roasted. Try a coarser grind, steep for 14 to 16 hours instead of 24, and dilute a little more.
Weak: You may have used too little coffee, too much water, or too short a steep. Try the 1:4 concentrate ratio, steep for 18 to 20 hours, and check that you are not diluting a ready to drink batch as if it were concentrate.
Cloudy or gritty: Strain twice, use a paper coffee filter for the second strain, and do not squeeze the grounds. A little sediment is normal in a jar method, but a second filter should remove most of it.
Sour or thin: Your beans may be very light roasted, or your steep may be too short. Try a medium or medium dark roast and a longer steep, and make sure all grounds were wet at the start.
Cold brew variations to try after the basic recipe
Once the basic recipe works, try one change at a time:
- Vanilla sweet cream cold brew: add vanilla syrup and a splash of sweet cream
- Chocolate cold brew: add a teaspoon of cocoa to the grounds, or chocolate syrup when serving
- Cinnamon cold brew: add a cinnamon stick to the jar while steeping, and remove it before straining
- Cold brew latte: use equal parts concentrate and cold milk over ice
- Orange cold brew: serve with a twist of orange peel, which pairs well with chocolatey beans
Best beans for cold brew
Medium and medium dark roasts are the safest starting point, because they give chocolate, nut, and caramel notes that suit slow extraction. Single origin beans from Brazil, Colombia, or Sumatra often work well. Light roasts can taste bright and fruity, but they can also taste thin if the steep is too short. Use fresh beans, ground just before brewing if you can, and filtered water, because tap water flavour shows up clearly in a long steep.
Frequently asked questions
How long does cold brew take?
12 to 24 hours for a concentrate batch, with about 5 minutes of hands on work. Make it the night before, and it is ready in the morning.
Do I need special equipment?
No. A jar, a strainer, and a coffee filter are enough. A French press or cold brew maker makes straining easier, but it is not required.
Is cold brew stronger than hot coffee?
Concentrate is stronger per serving before dilution, but a diluted serving is similar to a regular iced coffee. Strength depends on your ratio and how much you dilute, not on cold brew alone.
Can I heat cold brew?
Yes. Dilute concentrate with hot water instead of cold water for a smooth hot drink. Do not boil the concentrate itself.
How long does cold brew last in the fridge?
Concentrate lasts up to 7 days for best flavour, and up to 2 weeks at most in a sealed jar. Diluted cold brew is best within 2 to 3 days.