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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Drinks / How to Make Cold Brew

    How to Make Cold Brew

    Posted: Oct 4, 2023 Last Modified: Sep 21, 2023 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    You won’t believe how easy it is to make cold brew coffee at home. It comes together with two ingredients and without any fancy equipment! This guide on how to make cold brew coffee will share all the best tips and tricks for the perfect cold brew at home every time!

    DIY cold brew comes together in literally minutes with two ingredients. You will be amazed at just how simple this recipe is. It’s refreshing and smooth, making for the perfect drink to kick off your day.

    A glass of cold brew with ice. Coffee beans scattered around.


     

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • The hardest part about making homemade cold brew is waiting for it to work its magic overnight!
    • It’s literally so easy that anyone can make it. Simply steep and filter! Plus, it lasts all week, so you can make a big batch to make mornings super easy.
    • You only need two ingredients to make cold brew at home. It’s so budget-friendly and much more cost-effective than buying one daily.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    A container of coffee beans.
    • coffee beans — the best coffee beans to use for cold brew are medium to dark roast. Cold brewing dark roast especially will create a more nutty and chocolatey flavor, resulting in a rich and smooth sip.
    • filtered water — my Brita filter and I are best friends.

    How to Make Cold Brew

    Set of two photos showing coffee beans added into a grinder and ground into a coarse texture.
    • Grind the coffee beans on the coarsest setting. I have this really basic grinder that I got in a box set. Do not over grind the coffee beans and grind them in batches if you have to.
    Set of two photos showing coffee and water added to a large mason jar.
    • To a quart-size mason jar, add the coarse ground coffee and the filtered water. I like to add the water in batches to make sure the coffee is fully soaked and doesn’t just float to the top. Use a spoon to gently mix everything together as needed.
    Set of two photos showing cold brew in a jar and strained through a cheese cloth.
    • Cover the cold brew and leave it on the countertop or in the fridge for 14-24 hours.
    • Strain the cold brew coffee through a fine mesh sieve that’s lined with cheesecloth over a large measuring cup or bowl.
    Set of two photos showing cold brew strained into a measuring cup.
    • Squeeze every last bit of liquid out of the coffee grounds.
    • Pour the strained cold brew concentrate back into a clean mason jar and store it in the refrigerator.
    • When ready to enjoy, pour the cold brew concentrate over ice with water or with your favorite milk/creamer.
    Milk poured into a glass of iced cold brew.

    Recipe Tips and Notes

    • It’s important that you don’t grind the coffee too finely. When you coarsely grind the coffee beans, the water will more easily penetrate the grounds and fully steep the grounds. If you grind the coffee too finely, the more likely you’ll get dry clumps, and you’ll over-extract, leading to a bitter brew.
    • Don’t have a grinder at home? No problem. A lot of stores have a machine! Costco specifically has a coffee grinder in their food court and I’ve seen machines at local stores. Alternatively, if you’re purchasing the coffee beans from a specialty shop, they should be able to do it for you. Just make sure to let them know to use the coarsest setting.
    • Alternative to the cheesecloth, you could use a nut milk bag or coffee filter on top of the sieve.
    • You’ll want to steep the cold brew for at least 12 hours. If you want a stronger flavor, brew it longer for up to 24 hours. But I find that 12 to 15 hours is the sweet spot.
    • While you can “brew” the coffee on the counter or in the fridge, you need to keep it in the fridge after straining.
    • Cold brew is strong. I don’t recommend drinking cold brew concentrate straight from the fridge, as it’s highly caffeinated! I usually dilute it with milk but you can use water or creamer.

    Storage Tips

    • Fridge: store the cold brew concentrate in an airtight bottle in the fridge for up to a week.
    • Freezer: you can freeze the cold brew concentrate in ice cube trays! This way, when you make iced cold brew, you can make sure the cold brew stays strong.
    How do I make cold brew in a French press?

    You can easily make cold brew in a French press! Instead of mixing the coffee grinds with water in a mason jar, do so in a French press. In the morning, you can press the plunger down to strain the cold brew.

    Is cold brew the same as iced coffee?

    Cold brew is made by steeping coffee grounds for at least 12 hours, whereas iced coffee is made by brewing regular hot coffee and serving it over ice.

    Is cold brew less acidic?

    When coffee grounds are mixed with hot water, an oil is released and that is what makes hot coffee taste acidic. There is no hot water used in cold brew coffee, so it is less acidic, sweeter, and more full-bodied in flavor.

    Can I double this recipe?

    You sure can! You’ll either need a larger container to steep the coffee in or use two jars. If you’re using one giant container, you will need to steep more than 12 hours.

    Can I use decaf beans?

    For sure! The process is exactly the same with decaf beans.

    A vanilla bean latte with a pink striped straw.

    Want another coffee recipe? Try my vanilla bean latte!

    Milk poured into a glass of iced cold brew

    How to Make Cold Brew

    You won’t believe how easy it is to make cold brew coffee at home. It comes together with two ingredients and without any fancy equipment! This guide on how to make cold brew coffee will share all the best tips and tricks for the perfect cold brew at home every time!
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Rest Time: 12 hours hrs
    Total Time: 12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup coffee beans
    • 4 cups filtered water

    Instructions

    • Grind the coffee beans on the coarsest setting. 
    • To a quart-size mason jar, add the coarse ground coffee and the filtered water. I like to add the water in batches to make sure the coffee is fully soaked and doesn’t just float to the top. Use a spoon to gently mix everything together as needed.
    • Cover the cold brew and leave it on the countertop or in the fridge for 14-24 hours.
    • Strain the cold brew coffee through a fine mesh sieve that’s lined with cheesecloth over a large measuring cup or bowl. Squeeze every last bit of liquid out of the coffee grounds.
    • Pour the strained cold brew concentrate back into a clean mason jar and store it in the refrigerator.
    • When ready to enjoy, pour the cold brew concentrate over ice with water or with your favorite milk/creamer.
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Calories: 1kcal | Sodium: 12mg | Calcium: 7mg
    Author: Carmy
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Nutrition Disclaimer

    More Drinks to Try

    • Oat Milk Matcha Latte
    • Iced Matcha Latte
    • Pumpkin Spice Latte
    • Brown Sugar Latte
    • London Fog

    Other places to connect with me
    @carmyshungry on Instagram
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    Email: [email protected]

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    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish recipes including meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, air fryer recipes, and lightened-up family favorites! Follow along for easy, straightforward recipes for any cooking level.

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