House Made Cold Brew Recipe

Combine

Measure 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee (medium-dark roast recommended) and place it in a clean 1‑quart (or larger) jar or pitcher. Pour 4 cups of cold, filtered water over the grounds to ensure all grounds are saturated. Stir gently for 10–20 seconds to evenly wet the grounds.

Steep

Cover the jar tightly with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent contamination and refrigerate or steep at room temperature for 16–20 hours. Steeping time of 16 hours yields a balanced concentrate; up to 20 hours will increase extraction and body. Do not exceed 24 hours to avoid over-extraction and bitterness.

Filter

After steeping, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a nut‑milk bag into a clean container. Pour slowly to avoid agitation. If using cheesecloth, filter twice for a clearer concentrate. The liquid collected is the cold brew concentrate.

Store

Transfer the filtered concentrate to a sealed bottle or jar and refrigerate. Concentrate will keep well for up to 10 days; best consumed within 7 days for optimal freshness.

For each 8 oz (about 1 cup) serving, use roughly 3 tablespoons cold brew concentrate and 3 tablespoons cold water or milk to make a 1:1 dilution (adjust to taste). Fill a serving glass with 1 cup of ice.

Pour the 3 tablespoons of cold brew concentrate over the ice, then add 3 tablespoons of cold water or milk to dilute. Stir gently to combine.

If you like your cold brew sweetened, add 1 teaspoon of simple syrup (or your preferred sweetener) and stir until incorporated. Simple syrup blends better than granulated sugar over ice.

Optional: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 tablespoons cold foam/heavy cream on top for a flavored or creamier profile. Serve immediately.