Homemade Cold Brew Coffee

This easy method for Homemade Cold Brew Coffee shows you exactly how to make cold brew at home in a few easy steps. All you’ll need is ground coffee, water, and a jar to make the perfect cup right at home.

Cold brew coffee has made quite the explosion over the last few years. This method for coffee takes coarse coffee grounds and steeps them in water for a long period of time to extract as much coffee flavor and caffeine as possible.

You can use cold brew coffee as a base to make your favorite coffee drinks, or drink it plain for an ultra caffeine boost!

What’s the difference between cold brew and regular coffee?

• Iced coffee is regular brewed coffee served over ice whereas cold brew is coffee steeped in water for a long period of time.
• Since cold brew isn’t subject to any heat, it tends to be less acidic than regular brewed coffee. This makes it much easier on the stomach.
• Cold brew coffee has more caffeine than iced coffee with an average of 180mg of caffeine per 16oz serving.
• Cold brew coffee is a bit more labor-intensive to make in the beginning but lasts all week.

☕Ingredients & Equipment

• Coarse Coffee Grounds – You can use your favorite coffee to make cold brew, but darker roast coffee has a more intense taste that holds up well.
• Filtered Water – A quality filtered water is best for making any coffee.

Equipment

• French Press, Large Jar, or Pitcher
• Strainer
• Soft Cheese Cloth or Nut Milk Bag

Finding The Best Coffee For Cold Brew

When choosing coffee for cold brew, you want to make sure you get quality coffee beans and choose organic when possible. The beauty of cold brew is that you can use your favorite type of bean though most choose a dark roast to intensify the flavor. Equally important to the type of coffee is the grind of the coffee beans. Pre-ground coffee does not usually work well for cold brew unless it is coarse. This is to make sure the grinds are not able to strain through so that it stays smooth without any grinds on the bottom.

Cold Brew Concentrate Ratio

There are many different schools of thought on what the best ratio of coffee grinds to water is. I find that one cup of coffee to 3 cups of water is a great place to start and makes an evenly balanced cup of coffee that’s not too strong or intense.

Cold Brew Steeping Time

The majority of the coffee elements tend to extract between the 4-8 hour mark. With that said, you’ll want your cold brew to steep for at least 12-16 hours to extract the right amount of flavor. The longer you steep, the more intense the coffee flavor will be. Ultimately, you can steep cold brew for up to 24 maximum, but the sweet spot is somewhere between 12-16 hours. Experiment to see what works best for you!

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee At Home

There are 3 simple ways to make cold brew coffee from scratch using a French Press, Mason Jar, or by using a cold brew coffee pitcher.

1️⃣ French Press Cold Brew: Pour the coffee grinds into the bottom of the French press, then slowly pour in the water. Give it a gentle stir with a spoon, then let it sit inside or outside of the refrigerator for 12-16 hours. Once ready to serve, plunge the coffee grinds into the bottom of the French press. This leaves you with a pourable coffee concentrate.

2️⃣ Mason Jar, or Pitcher Cold Brew: If you’re making cold brew with a jar or pitcher, simply add the coffee grinds to the bottom, then slowly add the water. Give it one gentle stir and let steep for 12-16 hours.

3️⃣ Cold Brew & Iced Coffee Maker: You can easily make cold brew coffee using an iced coffee or cold brew maker. This is a specific pitcher that has a space to pour in your coffee grounds so they stay separate from the water and are able to soak properly. No straining is needed!

Straining cold brew coffee: When you’re ready to strain your cold brew, you’ll need a metal strainer and a piece of cheesecloth. Wet the cheesecloth and wring it out until it’s damp. Then place over the strainer and slowly strain your coffee into another pitcher or jar until all of the coffee concentrate is filtered through. If you’re using a French press, all you’ll need to do is plunge the coffee grinds to the bottom and you’ll have a rich cold brew concentrate at the top.

Diluting Cold Brew Concentrate: Since this concentrate is very strong, you’ll need to dilute with cold water. The amount of water you add is based on your personal preference and how strong you like your coffee. You can add equal parts water to concentrate, or experiment with your own ratio to see what tastes best.

How To Make Starbucks Style Cold Brew

Many people love the bold flavor of Starbucks cold brew coffee. If you’d like to make a cold brew that’s similar, follow these steps:

1. Purchase your favorite Starbucks coffee in whole bean form, then process it to a coarse grind.
2. Add one ounce of ground coffee per one cup of water to a pitcher or large jar, and scale to how many cups you’d like to make.
3. Once coffee and water are combined, give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 24 hours before straining. You can drink as-is for a strong coffee, or dilute with water.

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