Cold Brew Recipe

Combine grounds and water

In a clean 1‑liter (or 4‑cup) jar, pitcher, or French press, add 1 cup coarsely ground coffee. Pour 4 cups cold filtered water evenly over the grounds, wetting all of them. Use a spoon or spatula to gently stir for 10–20 seconds to ensure all grounds are saturated.

Steep

Cover the container with a lid, plastic wrap, or the French press plunger up. Let steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 16–20 hours. Room temperature steeps tend to extract slightly more quickly; refrigeration produces a cleaner, brighter flavor. Do not disturb during steeping.

Strain

After steeping, press the French press plunger down slowly if using one. Otherwise, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, a nut milk bag, or a coffee filter set in a sieve. Pour slowly to avoid disturbing the grounds and allow full filtration. This yields roughly 3–3.5 cups of concentrate.

Second filtration (optional)

For a clearer concentrate, strain again through a fine paper coffee filter or a fresh double-layer cheesecloth. This removes fine sediment and produces a smoother cup.

Store

Transfer the cold brew concentrate to a clean airtight bottle or jar and refrigerate. The concentrate will keep well for up to 10–14 days; flavor is best within the first 7 days.

Fill a glass with 1 cup ice.

Add 1 cup cold brew concentrate and 1 cup cold water or milk for a 1:1 dilution (adjust to taste). Stir gently to combine.

Sweeten: add 1 tablespoon simple syrup or to taste. Stir until incorporated. If using granulated sugar, dissolve it first with a small amount of warm water or use a syrup.

Finish: add a splash of vanilla or a pinch of salt if desired. Taste and adjust dilution or sweetener.

Serve immediately over ice. Store any unused diluted drink up to 24 hours refrigerated; keep concentrate refrigerated up to 10–14 days.