Cold brew coffee is a great way to brew coffee because the result is a smooth, sweet, and delicious cup of joe. It also is a great brew option for anyone who is sensitive to the acidity in coffee, it has half the acidity of a regular cup of coffee.
It’s a very simple and easy way to brew coffee and after you brew it once you’ll see why so many coffee lovers are raving about it! This is why we are excited to share our guide on how to make cold brew coffee, let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
The cold brew method is the brew method of slowly steeping coffee grounds that are sitting in water over an extended period of time typically around 12-24 hours. The coffee can be brewed at room temperature although some prefer to put it in the fridge. It can be served either hot or cold. Cold brew refers to the brew method and not the temperature of the coffee when it is being served.
How To Make Cold Brew Coffee
Step 1. Grind Your Coffee Beans
The first step is to coarsely grind your coffee beans. This is best for coffee extraction and ensures you won’t get very many coffee grounds into your coffee when it’s ready to drink it, if any.
You can also buy coarsely ground coffee or coffee grounds that are best for cold brew, check out our article here on the best coffee for cold brew.
The biggest takeaway here is that you want to use coarsely ground coffee!
Step 2. Combine Coffee and Water
Next you want to combine 1 cup of coffee for every 4 cups of room temperature water and place it in a pitcher or container. We recommend starting with this ratio and if adjusting it if you want your coffee stronger or weaker next time you make cold brew. To make it stronger add more coffee grounds, to make it weaker, use less coffee grounds.
Step 3. Steep
Next, you want to let the coffee steep for a minimum of 12 hours. The minimum is at least 12 hours so that it has enough time to extract the flavor, caffeine, oils, and sugars of what makes your coffee taste great.
You can let it steep as long as you want, however it is recommended you don’t let it steep longer than 24 hours. Most cold brew enthusiasts let it steep for about 16 hours or so.
You can put the container your brew is in on your counter or put it in your fridge, whichever you prefer.
Step 4. Strain
Once it’s done steeping, typically the next day, you want to strain the coffee grounds out of the coffee.
Use a coffee filter or a paper coffee filter (we recommend doubling it up if you are using paper) and hold it over the spout of your pitcher of cold brew you steeped overnight. Pour it into the cup or mug you wish to drink your coffee out of with the coffee filter in place to catch the coffee grounds.
Step 5. Enjoy
Fix your coffee up to your preference by adding cream, sugar, heating it up, putting ice in it, however you want to drink it, and then enjoy!
Benefits of Making Cold Brew
It’s Easy
It doesn’t take much effort to make cold brew. You just need to grind the coffee beans, put it in water, and leave it somewhere safe for at least 12 hours before it’s ready to serve. That’s it! It’s even easier if you buy pre-ground coffee.
Lower Acidity
Cold brew has about half the acidity of drip coffee. This brewing method makes it so there is not a lot of acidity present in your coffee, which can be beneficial if you are sensitive to the acidity in coffee. For more ways on how to brew coffee with lower acid, click here to read our article!
Delicious Coffee
Cold brew coffee is also delicious. Since it steeps for hours you get a full flavor profile that is smooth, sweet, full-bodied and all around, a really good cup of coffee.
Tips For Success
Making It Stronger or Weaker
If your cold brew comes out too strong or too weak, you can change up the water to coffee ratio. To make it stronger use more coffee and to make it weaker use less coffee and more water. It may take some experimenting, so make sure you write down the combinations you are trying so you remember which one is perfect for your taste!
Choosing The Right Roast
If you aren’t sure which roast you prefer, you can also experiment with trying out different roasts when you’re making cold brew. Light roasts have a more floral and light taste. Dark roasts are going to be bolder, bitter-tasting, and strong, and of course, medium roasts have a more balanced taste.
Use The Correct Grind
When you’re making cold brew coffee, always ensure you are using coarse grounds. It will be a thicker grind than what you would use for drip coffee and much thicker than espresso. Make sure you are grinding your beans coarse or buying coarsely ground coffee, this will ensure the coffee is properly extracted and will create a more flavorful cup of cold brew!
Try Using a French Press To Steep and Filter
There are also multiple ways you can steep and filter your cold brew. If you don’t want to use a pitcher and a strainer you can also follow these steps and use a french press and plunge it after it is done steeping about 16 hours later.
Refrigerate After Brewing
After you brew your cold brew, you need to keep it in a fridge to keep it fresh. It can last for 7-10 days in your fridge, however, if it starts tasting weird or different, it’s probably best to make a new batch.
Wrapping Up
Cold brew coffee is one of the easiest ways to make a delicious cup of coffee. It can be served hot or cold, and is an excellent option for anyone who wants to drink coffee with less acidity. We are big fans of cold brew and now that you learned how to make cold brew coffee, you will see why it is a brew method that is widely loved!