10 Ways to Achieve Cold Brew Coffee Greatness (2025)

FAQs

10 Ways to Achieve Cold Brew Coffee Greatness? ›

In a jar, stir together coffee and 1½ cups cold water. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or 12 hours. Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine-mesh sieve or a sieve lined with cheesecloth. In a tall glass filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee concentrate and water, or to taste.

In a jar, stir together coffee and 1½ cups cold water. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or 12 hours. Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine-mesh sieve or a sieve lined with cheesecloth. In a tall glass filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee concentrate and water, or to taste.

We love to add a cinnamon stick or two to the jar, then add the coffeesock and grounds. This imparts a subtle cinnamony flavor that really complements the chocolate notes of the coffee. We also like flavored sugars, though we add those when the brew is finished.

Grind 83g of coffee (for 1 litre) or 250g of coffee (for 3 litres). For cold brew, we always use a 1:12 ratio (coffee:water).

The beauty of Cold Brew is you really don't need anything fancy, just time. Stick with a coarse grind. Using a coarser grind will make the filtration process easier and your coffee taste far less bitter. Grinding too fine can heat up the grounds, which can negatively affect your cup.

Cold brewing extracts the delicious flavor compounds in coffee while it leaves behind the bitter oils and fatty acids (including some less desirable compounds such as ketones, esters, and amides) that get released during hot brewing. The result is a delicious tasting coffee.

How do you make a good iced coffee? The key is to brew a strong coffee concentrate: I let mine steep overnight, then I strain it, and chill it. I don't add ice until I'm ready to drink my iced coffee; I don't want the ice cubes to melt and dilute it!

Keeping the water cold during the whole process [of making cold brew] means that the coffee will take much longer to dissolve (or brew) but will produce a less acidic, sweeter, and richer coffee," she says.

24 hours: The rule for cold brew is the longer you steep, the stronger your brew. Maxing out the steep time on this coffee will yield a bold, caramel-forward brew. The cherry flavors will still be around, but it'll be a little trickier to find them.

Cold brew starts with coarse ground coffee that's cold-steeped in cool filtered water, usually anywhere from 12–24 hours. It's time rather than heat that extracts the flavor, caffeine and sugars from the coffee beans. This creates lower acidity and the naturally smooth, sweet taste it's known for.

How long should cold brew steep? ›

The best part about making cold brew at home is you can dial it in to your personal taste. Somewhere in the 16 to 20 hour range is the sweet spot for most coffees. We're willing to bet you'll find your favorite steep time right in there somewhere. Start with a 16-hour batch, taste, and go from there.

A coarse grind size is ideal for cold brew — similar what you'd use for a French press. The coarseness will allow water to evenly saturate the grounds for a nice even extraction. If the grounds are too fine, they tend to float together in a dense mass and won't be evenly saturated with water.

If you're making cold brew in bulk, you want to make sure you're storing it properly. Beckett recommends storing your cold brew (and/or concentrate) in a closed-top container (sealed glass or plastic) in the refrigerator (room temperature storage is more prone to bacterial growth).

Generally, darker roasts have a bolder and more intense flavor, while lighter roasts are milder and have a higher acidity level. For cold brew, it's recommended to go with medium or dark roast beans, as they have a more prosperous and smoother taste.

Dark Roast - Classic and Robust

The beans give off strong and smokey flavor profiles. Due to the extended roasting, the amount of caffeine in this is significantly reduced. Dark roasts are most commonly used for cold brew coffee because the roast profile offers a consistent flavor.

Put your coffee in a (preferably metal) mug. Place your cup of coffee in a large bowl filled with ice cubes. Cooling passes directly through the walls of the mug.

Roast profile

If you usually prepare lighter roasts for hot coffee, you might want to go a little darker and choose medium roasts for cold brew. Medium to dark roasts contain more fully developed sugars thanks to the longer roast times, meaning the cold brew will be sweeter.

Cold Brewing is a method of brewing iced coffee where our baristas combine cool water with coarse ground coffee and steep for 20 hours. Time replaces heat to extract the coffee, and the result is a cold coffee concentrate that when combined with water and ice creates a smooth cold brewed coffee.

If you soak the grinds for just 12 hours you'll find a cold brew that is weak and somewhat astringent, but after about 18 hours the brew is super smooth. Stick it in the fridge: Use cold water (filtered, if you want to really get specific) and let the brew sit in the fridge for 18 to 24 hours before straining.