Cold Brew Iced Coffee Recipe

Prepare equipment

Sanitize and dry a large jar or pitcher. Have a fine mesh sieve and cheesecloth or a paper filter ready for filtering.

Measure coffee and water

Add 1 cup coarsely ground Signature Blend coffee to the jar. Use a coarse grind (similar to raw sugar). Pour 4 cups cold filtered water over the grounds so all grounds are saturated.

Initial stirring

Gently stir the coffee and water for 10–15 seconds to make sure all grounds are wet and there are no dry pockets. This helps even extraction.

Steep

Cover the jar and steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 16 hours. Steep time: 16 hours for balanced extraction; up to 20 hours for a stronger, more chocolatey concentrate. Do not steep less than 12 hours to avoid under-extraction.

First filtration

After steeping, place the fine mesh sieve over a second large container. Line the sieve with cheesecloth or a folded paper filter. Pour the steeped coffee slowly through the sieve to separate the grounds from the liquid. Allow it to drain without pressing to avoid over-extraction of bitter oils.

Second filtration (optional for clarity)

For a clearer concentrate, filter the liquid a second time through a fresh paper filter or another layer of cheesecloth. This removes fine particulates and gives a smooth cup.

Yield and cool

You should have about 3.5–4 cups of cold brew concentrate. Cover and refrigerate the concentrate. Chill at least 1 hour before serving, or use immediately over ice. Properly stored, concentrate will keep in the refrigerator up to 10–14 days; best within 7 days.

Dilution ratio

Standard serving is 1:1 by volume (1 cup cold brew concentrate to 1 cup cold water or milk) for a finished beverage. Adjust to taste: stronger 2:1 concentrate-to-water for a bolder cup, or 1:2 for a lighter cup.

Assemble iced coffee

Fill a tall glass with 1 cup ice. Add 1 cup cold brew concentrate. Add 1 cup cold filtered water (or 1 cup milk/alternative if preferred). Stir gently to combine.

Sweeten and finish

If desired, add 1 tablespoon simple syrup or vanilla syrup per serving and stir to dissolve. For a richer finish, float 1 tablespoon heavy cream on top and stir lightly.

Taste and adjust

Taste and adjust strength, sweetness, or milk amount. Serve immediately over ice. If concentrate was refrigerated, allow a minute after pouring to reach serving temperature.

Adding milk

If using milk or milk alternative, replace the dilution water with 1/2 cup milk per serving for a creamier drink (reduce the water by the same amount).

Flavored syrups

Add 1 tablespoon flavored syrup (vanilla, caramel) per serving. Stir until fully incorporated. Adjust quantity to taste.

Iced latte variation

For an iced latte, use 1 part concentrate to 2 parts milk (e.g., 1 cup concentrate + 2 cups milk) and serve over ice. Optional: froth a small amount of milk and float it on top.

Clean up

Discard used grounds (compost if possible). Rinse sieve and filters immediately to remove oils before they dry. Wash jar, sieve, and utensils with warm soapy water.

Store concentrate

Store cold brew concentrate in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 10–14 days; flavor is best within 7 days. Keep dilute beverages on ice and consume immediately.