Make cold brew the evening before you want to drink it. The work is mostly measuring, wetting the grounds and filtering the finished batch; the long steep happens in the fridge.
Below you'll find an immersion recipe, serving ratios and ways to reduce sediment. There's also a comparison with cold drip coffee, which uses a slow flow of water instead of soaking the grounds.
Quick answer: How do you make cold brew coffee?
Combine 100 grams of coarsely ground coffee with 800 grams of water in a vessel with enough room for both. Stir to wet the grounds, cover and steep in the refrigerator, following your brewer's recipe. Use 12–18 hours as an initial tasting window, then filter and dilute to taste.
For a lighter batch, try a 1:12 ratio: 60 grams of coffee and 720 grams of water. Taste it before adding ice or milk; you may want little or no extra water.
What you need
- Fresh beans, or coarse pre-ground coffee
- Filtered water
- A covered jar, pitcher, French press, or purpose-built cold brew maker
- A scale — one that reads to 0.1 g if you have it, a kitchen scale if you do not
- A fine-mesh strainer, plus a paper coffee filter for a second pass
- Ice, water, or milk for serving
Weigh coffee and water rather than measuring by scoop. Beans and grounds pack differently, so equal-looking scoops do not always give the same dose.
How to make cold brew coffee at home
1. Choose your coffee
Start with beans you already enjoy. Chocolatey medium roasts are a familiar choice, while a lighter roast can bring a brighter, fruitier cup. Buy an amount you'll use while it still smells and tastes fresh.
2. Grind the coffee coarse
Start with a coarse to medium-coarse grind. It is usually easier to filter than very fine coffee, which can clog mesh or leave sediment in the glass. Adjust from there to suit the beans and your filter.
Choose a grinder that produces a reasonably even coarse grind and lets you make small adjustments. The 40-setting electric burr grinder is one option. Record the setting, then adjust it to suit your coffee and filter.
3. Measure the coffee and water
Pick the ratio from how you plan to drink it:
- Ready-to-drink cold brew — 1:12: 60 g coffee, 720 g water. Straight over ice, or with a splash of milk.
- Cold brew concentrate — 1:8: 100 g coffee, 800 g water. Cut roughly 1:1 when serving.
- Strong concentrate — 1:4 to 1:5: 100 g coffee, 400–500 g water. Built for milk drinks and long dilutions.
Before changing the next batch, dilute a small glass of this one. An overly strong serving can be easy to fix.
4. Saturate all the grounds
Add the coffee and water, then stir gently until all the grounds are wet. Check for dry pockets, particularly if you are filling a narrow filter basket.
5. Steep for 12 to 18 hours
Steep the covered batch in the refrigerator and note when you started. If it tastes thin, try a longer steep or a slightly finer grind next time. If it tastes drying or harsh, try less time or a coarser setting.
Steeping time varies with ratio, grind and temperature. Use the recipe as a starting point and keep notes on when your batch tastes balanced.
6. Filter slowly
Let the brew drain through the filter without forcing it. A second pass through paper can reduce sediment, though it may take time. If the result still has bitter flavors, compare dilution, grind and steeping time on the next batch.
7. Dilute and serve
Taste the concentrate with water or milk before serving. Equal parts is a useful first test, then adjust the dilution to your preference. Remember that melting ice adds more water.
What is the best cold brew coffee ratio?
Choose 1:12 for a lighter batch or 1:8 for more room to add water or milk.
Write the brewing ratio on the container. It saves guessing at dilution when you pour a glass the next day.
Write down the ratio, grind setting and steeping time. A scale with a built-in timer helps with measuring the recipe; use a separate reminder for the long steep rather than relying on a brewing timer to run overnight.
Measure concentrate dilution separately from the brew ratio
A brewing ratio measures dry coffee against water added to the grounds. A serving ratio measures filtered coffee against water or milk added afterward. Label both when recording your recipe.
| Filtered concentrate | Water or milk added | Serving before ice | Dilution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 50 g | 150 g | 2:1 |
| 100 g | 100 g | 200 g | 1:1 |
| 100 g | 150 g | 250 g | 2:3 |
Try a small serving before diluting the whole batch. Start with less dilution if you prefer a concentrated drink, then add water in small increments. Ice contributes more water as it melts.
A concentrate brewed at 1:6 and diluted equally does not exactly reproduce coffee brewed directly at 1:12. Grounds retain liquid and extraction varies. Judge the filtered drink at its intended serving strength.
Leave room in the brewing vessel for both grounds and water. A 600 ml container may not fit 600 g of water plus coffee. Scale both ingredients down to respect its fill limit.
What grind size is best for cold brew?
Coarse or medium-coarse grounds are a convenient place to begin. Finer coffee can be harder to filter; very coarse coffee may need a longer steep. Choose the setting by flavor and how cleanly it drains through your filter.
Use the flavor and texture to narrow down the next adjustment:
- Weak or watery: more coffee, a longer steep, or one step finer.
- Bitter or harsh: one step coarser, a shorter steep, or more dilution in the glass.
- Muddy: coarser grind, and filter it twice.
- Too strong: dilute a small sample with water and taste it again.
Keep the next batch close to this recipe and change just one thing. You will be able to tell whether the new grind or steeping time helped.
Cold brew vs. iced coffee: What is the difference?
The difference starts with the water temperature during brewing.
- Brewing method: cold brew steeps in cold or room-temperature water; iced coffee is brewed hot and chilled over ice.
- Brew time: 12 to 24 hours against about three minutes.
- Flavor: cold brew often tastes rounded, while hot-brewed iced coffee can retain a brighter profile. Beans and recipe affect both.
- Best use: cold brew for a batch that lives in the fridge; iced coffee when you want a cup in the next five minutes.
Brew hot coffee over ice when you want it now. Choose cold brew when preparing a batch ahead fits your day.
What is cold drip coffee?
Cold drip passes water through a bed of grounds and collects the coffee below, rather than keeping the grounds immersed. It often produces a different balance of clarity and body, although coffee, recipe and filtration all affect the result.
The 400 ml manual ice drip coffee maker uses an adjustable flow valve and a reusable filter. Its suggested starting rate is roughly 7–8 drops every 10 seconds. Check the flow during brewing and record the actual finish time; drop size, water level and the coffee bed can all change it.
Immersion is convenient for a batch that needs little attention during steeping. Cold drip gives you more flow control but needs periodic checks.
Can you make cold brew without a coffee maker?
A clean jar with a lid and a suitable filter is enough to try immersion cold brew. A French press can handle the first filtration; a second pass through paper can reduce fine sediment.
A dedicated brewer can make filtration, pouring and storage easier. Compare those practical details with the jar or French press you already have before buying one.
Choosing a cold brew maker for home
Match the brewer to the batch size you actually drink:
- A 1.9 L glass pitcher with a filter core for immersion batches meant to last most of a week.
- The 600 ml slim infuser bottle for a one-person batch and a narrow fridge shelf; it handles tea and fruit infusions too.
- A cold drip tower when you want the flow valve and the visible process.
- An adjustable burr grinder, for adjusting particle size to the brewer you choose.
- A scale, so the ratio is a number instead of a guess.
Compare cold brew gear by capacity and cleaning access as well as filter design. The bottle and cold-drip buying guide explains which features suit different batch sizes and routines.
For smaller batches, the 450/600 ml cold brew infuser bottle provides another immersion option. Check the usable fill level and leave space for the grounds when scaling your recipe.
How long does cold brew last in the fridge?
After filtering, cover the coffee and keep it refrigerated. Make batches small enough to use promptly, and follow your brewer's storage guidance. Add milk when serving rather than storing it in the main batch; discard coffee if you are unsure how it has been stored.
Cold brew coffee FAQ
Is cold brew stronger than regular coffee?
Concentrate is brewed at a stronger ratio, then diluted for serving. A 1:8 recipe uses more coffee per unit of water than a typical filter recipe. The final strength depends on how much water, milk or ice you add.
Can I use pre-ground coffee for cold brew?
Yes. Ask for a coarse grind suited to immersion cold brew. Finer pre-ground coffee may still work, but can require more careful filtration and an adjusted steeping time.
Should I steep cold brew in the fridge or at room temperature?
The refrigerator makes it easier to keep steeping conditions consistent. Record the time and use the same location for your next batch.
Why does my cold brew taste bitter?
First dilute a small sample. If the flavor improves, adjust the serving strength. If it still tastes harsh, check the filter for residue and try a shorter steep or slightly coarser grind in the next batch.
Does cold brew have more caffeine?
There is no single caffeine level for cold brew. It depends on the beans, dose, extraction and serving dilution. A concentrated batch can be strong, so consider how much concentrate goes into the glass rather than comparing container sizes alone.
Final thoughts
For the next batch, record the dose, water and starting time on the container. Taste at your intended serving strength before deciding what to change.
A jar and filter are enough to get started. Once you know how much you drink, you can judge whether a dedicated brewer would make straining or storage easier.
