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Ingredients
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Cold Brew Concentrate
Assembly
Method
Cold Brew Concentrate
Combine coffee and water
In a large pitcher or jar, add 3.5 cups coarsely ground coffee. Pour 12 cups cold filtered water evenly over the grounds so they are fully saturated. Stir gently for 10–15 seconds to ensure all grounds are wet.
Steep
Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. Let the coffee steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 16–20 hours. Longer steeping (up to 20 hours) yields a stronger concentrate; 16 hours is a good balance.
Strain
After steeping, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter, double layer of cheesecloth, or nut milk bag into a clean container. Allow the liquid to drip through slowly—don’t press the grounds—to keep clarity. If clarity is important, strain a second time through a fresh filter.
Store concentrate
Transfer the cold brew concentrate to a sealed bottle or jar and refrigerate. The concentrate will keep well for up to 7 days. For this recipe measure out 6 fl oz of the cold brew concentrate when assembling the drink.
Assembly
Add tonic: Pour 10 fl oz chilled tonic water into the glass over the ice. Leave a little headspace for the cold brew to float when poured.
Float cold brew: Slowly pour 6 fl oz of cold brew concentrate over the back of a spoon or gently down the inside of the glass so it layers (or simply pour if you prefer it mixed). You should see a visible separation/float for an attractive presentation.
Sweeten (optional): If you prefer a sweeter drink, stir in 1/2 tablespoon simple syrup or Demerara syrup now. Stir gently once to combine without losing too much carbonation.