Cold Brew Recipe

Measure and grind

Measure 1 cup of coffee beans (about 85–90 g) and grind coarsely — similar to raw sugar or coarse sea salt. A coarse grind reduces sediment and over-extraction during the long steep.

Place the coarsely ground coffee into a clean large jar or pitcher. Add 4 cups (about 960 ml) of cold filtered water, pouring evenly to fully saturate the grounds.

Gently stir once or twice to ensure all grounds are wet and no dry pockets remain. Do not agitate vigorously — just enough to combine.

Cover the jar or pitcher with a lid or plastic wrap. Steep in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 16–20 hours. For a milder brew, steep 12–14 hours; for a stronger concentrate, 18–20 hours.

After steeping, strain the coffee: place a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a nut milk bag or paper coffee filter) over a clean pitcher or bowl. Pour the steeped coffee through the filter slowly to separate grounds from liquid. If using cheesecloth, you may need to strain twice to remove finer particles.

If you prefer an extra-clear concentrate, pour the strained liquid through a paper coffee filter set in a sieve and let drip 30–60 minutes.

Transfer cold brew concentrate to a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate. Concentrate keeps well for up to 10–14 days, best within the first week for peak freshness.

For an 8 oz (about 240 ml) serving, fill a glass with ice as desired.

Pour 3 oz (about 90 ml) cold brew concentrate into the glass, then add 5 oz (about 150 ml) cold water or milk to taste to dilute. Adjust the concentrate-to-water ratio: 1:1 for a stronger beverage, 1:3 for a lighter drink.

Add sweetener if desired. Simple syrup dissolves most easily; start with 1 tsp and adjust to taste. Stir to combine.

Top with 1 tbsp milk or cream for a creamier texture and swirl gently. For iced lattes, substitute more milk and less water or skip water entirely.

Serve immediately. Keep remaining concentrate refrigerated and dilute individual servings when ready.

Ratio note: The recipe above makes a concentrate roughly 1:4 coffee to water by volume. If you want a stronger concentrate for longer dilution (e.g., for cocktails or sweeter milk drinks), increase coffee to 1.25–1.5 cups per 4 cups water and adjust steep time as desired.

Flavor variations: add a cinnamon stick or a few whole cardamom pods to the steep for subtle spice; remove before straining. For a chocolate note, stir in 1–2 tsp cocoa powder when serving with milk.

Cold brew vs iced coffee: cold brew is brewed with cold water over many hours; to make iced coffee (hot-brewed then cooled), use a different method.