Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold water for 12–24 hours instead of brewed with hot water. The result is a smooth, naturally sweet concentrate with about 67% less acidity than hot-brewed coffee. Make a batch on Sunday, drink it all week.
Yield: ~4 cups concentrate (makes 8+ servings when diluted)
Steep time: 12–24 hours
Ingredients
1 cup coarsely ground coffee (~85g)
4 cups cold filtered water (~680g)
That's a 1:8 ratio by weight (coffee to water), which produces a solid concentrate. For a stronger concentrate, go 1:4.5. For a lighter, ready-to-drink brew, use 1:11 and skip diluting.
Equipment
Large mason jar, pitcher, or any sealable container
Fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth (or a nut milk bag)
Paper coffee filter (optional — for extra clarity)
Instructions
Grind the coffee coarsely — about the texture of raw sugar or coarse sea salt. Think slightly coarser than a standard pour-over grind. Too fine and you'll get a bitter, silty brew.
Combine coffee and water in your container. Stir gently to make sure all the grounds are wet — dry pockets form easily on the inside even when the surface looks saturated.
Seal and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. 14–16 hours is the sweet spot. Under 12 hours tastes thin and sour; over 24 can get bitter. Always brew in the fridge (not on the counter) to prevent bacteria growth.
Strain out the grounds. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, or use a nut milk bag. For a cleaner, less oily result, do a second pass through a paper coffee filter.
Store the concentrate in a sealed jar or bottle in the fridge. Keeps well for 1–2 weeks.
Serving
What you have now is concentrate — don't drink it straight unless you enjoy rocket fuel. Dilute to taste:
1:1 (concentrate to water/milk) — standard, balanced strength
2:1 (concentrate to water/milk) — stronger, bolder
Over ice — pour concentrate over a full glass of ice, top with water or milk
Hot — mix concentrate with hot water for a smooth hot coffee (no bitterness)
Tips
Roast: Medium to dark roasts work best — they produce a richer, chocolatey concentrate. Light roasts can taste flat or sour in cold brew.
Grind matters: Coarse is key. Pre-ground (drip) coffee is too fine and will over-extract, leaving you with a bitter, muddy result.
Filtering: Cheesecloth alone = more body and oils (heavier mouthfeel). Paper filter = cleaner, brighter taste. Try both and see what you prefer.
Scale up: This scales linearly. For a full week's supply, double or triple the batch — just keep the 1:8 ratio.
Sanitize your gear: Coffee is sugar-dense and bacteria love it. Wash your container and filter thoroughly between batches.
