Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for 12-24 hours. The long, gentle extraction produces a smooth, naturally sweet concentrate with very low acidity — making it popular both as an iced drink and as a concentrate you can dilute to taste. It's also the easiest method to batch-brew for a whole week.
Difficulty
beginner
Brew time
12-24 hours
Grind
Very coarse — like raw sugar or coarser
Ratio
1:5 for concentrate (dilute 1:1), or 1:12 for ready-to-drink
Grind 100g of coffee very coarsely. Finer grinds will over-extract during the long steep and produce a harsh, astringent brew.
Add grounds to your container and pour 500g of room-temperature filtered water over them (for concentrate). Stir gently to ensure all grounds are saturated.
Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. 16-18 hours is the sweet spot for most people. Under 12 hours will be weak; over 24 hours can get woody and bitter.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, then strain again through a cheesecloth or paper filter for a cleaner result. If using a French press, just press and pour.
If you made concentrate (1:5), dilute with equal parts water, milk, or your preferred liquid. Serve over ice. The concentrate keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Smooth, naturally sweet, and very low acid. Cold water extracts fewer of the compounds that cause bitterness and acidity, producing a mellow, chocolatey, almost dessert-like cup. It's a different drink from hot coffee — not better or worse, just different.
Hot days, people who find hot coffee too acidic, batch-brewing for the week ahead, and anyone who likes their coffee sweet without adding sugar