How to Make Cold Brew

July 6, 2021

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Summer is here and honestly the thought of a hot cup of coffee in the morning or, dare we say it, as a late afternoon pick-me-up while the world around you positively swelters (seriously, are the windows melting?!) is just…not great. Like, is it possible to sweat on the inside of your body?…

So, no no hot coffee and yes yes smooth, subtle cold brew. If you’ve never made cold brew coffee before, fret not! We have all the tips and tricks for you. You don’t need any fancy gear (although if you already have it, fun!), a simple mason jar and some coarse grounds of your favorite bean will do. And then, kick your feet up and get ready for the cool mellow caffeine boost that awaits you!

How To Make Cold Brew Coffee

1. Grind the beans on the coarsest setting on your coffee grinder. If you grind your beans at the grocery store, make sure to choose the French Press-style or coarse setting. We like this grinder* if you’re doing the grinding yourself.

Coffee grounds in a jar for cold brew coffee

2. Combine the coffee grounds and the water into a covered large jar or cold brew maker*. Make sure the grounds are completely saturated in the water.

Water being poured over coffee grounds in a mason jar for cold brew coffee

3. Let the coffee steep for ideally 18 hours. Less than that and it might taste a bit too watered down. More than that and the beans could get bitter-tasting. Your cold brew can be steeped at room temp on the counter or you can toss it in the fridge.

Ground steeping in water for cold brew coffee

4. Strain the beans. If you’re doing the jar method, put some cheesecloth over a fine-mesh strainer and strain the coffee into a clean jar. If you have a cold brew maker, things are super easy and you’ll just need to discard the soaked grounds.

5. Store your freshly made cold brew in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How Should I Serve My Cold Brew?

Cold brew coffee with coffee ice cubes in a glass

Lots of different ways to shake things up! You can add ice to a glass with a splash of your favorite cream and a swizzle of honey, or for a completely undiluted version, make coffee ice cubes (!!) and toss those in your cup.

Whoa, Wait! How Do I Make Coffee Ice Cubes?

This might be the shortest and simplest recipe to ever exist on Pinch of Yum. Just pour coffee (hot or cold, whatever you have on hand) into ice cube trays* and freeze. Or, even better, make your ice cubes fancy*. That’s it – DONE! Level-up by making an iced latte with coffee ice cubes. Put a few coffee ice cubes in a glass and top with your favorite creamer – your forever warm-weather sippin’ bev.

How Much Coffee Should I Use?

We like using a ratio of 3/4 cup whole beans to 4 cups cold water.

Can I Make This Decaf?

Sure can! Just use decaf whole beans. These beans* are really good!

Can You Use Regular Ground Coffee To Make Cold Brew?

Coarse grind coffee beans for cold brew coffee

The best type of grind for making cold brew is a coarse grind (or French Press-style). Pre-ground coffee is usually a fine or espresso-style grind and doesn’t work super well.

Is Cold Brew Stronger Than Regular Coffee?

Cold brew actually has a smoother and more mellow flavor than regular hot coffee.

Is Cold Brew The Same As Iced Coffee?

It’s a little bit different actually. Iced coffee can literally be made by plopping ice cubes in a hot cup of coffee brewed at double strength and letting it chill (a good option in a pinch), but if you have the time, cold brew coffee is so much more. It’s a bit lower in acidity, it’s steeped cold rather than hot brewed, tastes a little sweet depending on the beans you pick, and has a smoother taste compared to iced coffee. Fair warning, there’s usually a bit more caffeine in cold brew, too (wheeeeee!!). The caffeine order from most caffeine to least caffeine here is hot coffee, cold brew, and then iced coffee.