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    Milk and Pop » Recipes » Coffees and Lattes

    Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate (ratios, tips and methods)

    Published: Jun 2, 2020 · Modified: Sep 11, 2023 by Tatiana Kamakura · 21 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Stop buying and start making cold brew coffee concentrate at home! Get my tips and ground to water ratios, and never make a bitter or or watery cold brew again.

    cold brew coffee in a glass full with ice seen from above
    Jump to:
    • Why you should make cold brew
    • Cold brew versus iced coffee
    • Is it stronger than regular coffee?
    • Steps for making it
    • How to strain your cold brew
    • Ground to water ratio
    • How long you should brew it
    • Recipes were you can use cold brew
    • Tips for achieving the best result
    • Questions you've asked
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why you should make cold brew

    • Cold brew is great for hot summer mornings;
    • It will save you a lot of money brewing it at home instead of buying it;
    • You can brew it on Sunday and have it ready during all week;
    • It's the best coffee for busy mornings;
    • This method brews a coffee that's gentler on the stomach;
    • Cold brew coffee has a smoother and less bitter taste than coffee brew using hot water.

    This concentrate is not difficult to make, and if you follow my tips, you can get a cold brew as good as the one you’d buy at your favorite cafe.

    Cold brew versus iced coffee

    Iced coffee is coffee brewed with hot water but cold - usually chilled with ice.

    For those who don’t know, cold brew is a method that uses cold or room temperature water to brew coffee. It takes longer than using hot water: while iced coffee is ready within minutes, cold brew will take 12 to 20 hours to be ready, so you need to make this in advance.

    Also, iced coffee tastes like your regular coffee but chilled and more diluted because of the ice used to make it cold. Cold brew has a different, smoother taste, and is both less acidic and bitter.

    Is it stronger than regular coffee?

    The feeling that you have that cold brew has more caffeine than regular coffee comes from the fact that you're drinking a concentrate version.

    Cold brew generally uses a higher coffee to water ratio than other methods. So if you drink a cup of cold brew concentrate without dissolving it, you will be drinking more caffeine than you would if having a cup of coffee.

    If you dilute your cold brew, you may get even less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee.

    Steps for making it

    This is an easy recipe after you get the right ratios and time. You don't have to be a ninja in the kitchen for getting a good cold brew done.

    1. Grind your coffee. Coarse or medium-coarse ground coffee works best for this recipe.
    2. Steep coffee in cold water Use a water chlorine-free for the best taste.
    3. Store it in your fridge. I usually left mine brewing from 14 to 16 hours.
    4. Strain your cold brew. You can do it using a coffee filter, or you can do it with the help of a french press. More on that below.

    And enjoy! Easy, right? Now let's get some tips for you to get a cold brew better than the ones you buy.

    • two cups of cold brew, one with it pure, one with it mixed with ice, seen from above
    • milk pouring into a cup, with a cup and a bottle on the background

    How to strain your cold brew

    I strain my cold brew 2 ways:

    • Using a coffee filter;
    • Brewing directly in a french press.

    If I'm using a coffee filter to strain, I place it into a coffee dripper or small sieve. Then, I put it over a liquid measuring cup, and pour the concentrate through it. Simple, right?

    In case you notice your coffee filter is starting to tear or the cold brew started to strain too slowly, replace the coffee filter.

    If I'm using the french press, I mix water and coffee directly on it, cover and place in the fridge, only pressing it when the time is done. Just know that using a french press can give you a more cloudy cold brew coffee.

    You can also use a cheesecloth or nut milk bag to do it, if you're having problems straining your cold brew with a coffee filter.

    Ground to water ratio

    What I love about cold brew is that I can adjust the ratio for my taste.

    For a cold brew concentrate, 4:1 is perfect! That's 4 parts of water to 1 part of ground coffee. A cold brew concentrate is great for pouring over ice (like the one you get at Starbucks!) or milk.

    If you rather have it without any milk or ice, I would recommend making it with a higher water ratio. For having it pure, I would normally use 7 parts of water to 1 of coffee.

    To dilute after ready, I usually use 1 part of concentrate to 1 part water or milk. If I want a stronger version, I fill a cup with ice and pour cold brew over it without adding any water.

    How long you should brew it

    Although Starbucks claims they brew their cold brew for over 20 hours, I would not recommend more than 18 hours if you're doing it at home.

    I get the best outcome when brewing between 14 to 16 hours. More than 20 hours never worked for me, and sometimes over 18 hours lead my cold brew to an unpleasant whiskey taste.

    If it’s your first time doing it, I would recommend between 14 and 16 hours.

    If you're brewing on your counter instead than in your fridge, I would not go over 12 hours. Longer might give your cold brew some unpleasant off-tastes.

    Recipes were you can use cold brew

    • three glasses of coffee lemonade decorated with lemons and orange slices, filled with ice, coffee beans and ice on the background,
      Coffee Lemonade (Sweet and Refreshing)
    • Chocolate Cream Cold Brew with chocolates around the glass.
      Chocolate Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
    • a tall glass of vanilla sweet cream cold brew with cream, syrup and coffee in the back
      Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
    • a glass of matcha coffee
      Dirty Matcha Coffee Latte

    Tips for achieving the best result

    Grind matters!

    It’s best to use coarse or medium-coarse ground coffee when making cold brew to get the best outcome. Avoid medium-fine, fine or extra-fine: it will make your batch taste bitter, as your coffee will over-extract.

    Coarse has visible chunks of coffee beans (similar to sea salt), and medium-coarse is still chunky but less (like rough sand).

    If possible, grind the beans yourself.

    Grinding the beans only when using it can give you a better tasting coffee, as fresh coffee begins to lose its aroma as soon as you grind it.

    There are lots of grinder options nowadays, from super expensive to very cheap ones. If you're a perfectionist, you should consider investing in a good grinder.

    Burr grinders are usually the best (and more expensive) and will get all the beans crushed at the same size. Blade grinders are more inconsistent (and usually cheaper), and can grind your coffee unevenly.

    • coarse ground coffee
    • mixing the ingredients in a jar

    Choose the right coffee.

    I find cold brew more pleasant to drink when I choose a light or medium roast. They also taste more refreshing, having a fruity and floral flavor.

    Dark roasts are good if you want a cold brew with a stronger and slightly bitter taste.

    Brew it in the fridge for a better outcome.

    Place ground coffee and water in whatever you’re using to make your cold brew, close it and put it in your fridge.

    You can brew cold brew at room temperature, but I find the taste better when brewing in the fridge.

    Be aware if you brew it on room temperature, as the brewing time is significantly shorter when outside the fridge.

    Use water you would drink.

    If you live in a place you can’t drink tap water, don’t use it for brewing cold brew without filtering it before. This applies especially for water with high amounts of chlorine.

    Keep it stored tight.

    When keeping it in your fridge, you need to make sure the jar is shut tight, or your cold brew might get some off flavors from other foods stored close to it. Nobody wants to drink a coffee that tastes like onions, right?

    • pouring cold brew through paper filter
    • brewing the recipe with coffee dripper and filter

    Questions you've asked

    Can cold brew go bad?
    Cold brew coffee is usually good for 7 to 10 days if kept in your fridge.

    Can cold brew be left out of the fridge?
    It can, but it will spoil faster (3 to 4 days off the fridge before flavor changes).

    My cold brew tastes bitter!
    You may have left more hours than you should before straining it, or used coffee ground too fine. If you brew it with a dark roast, it may taste slightly bitter than with medium or light roast.

    My cold brew is sour!
    That can happen if you left your coffee brewing for too little time. Sourness can be a sign your cold brew is under-extracted.

    My cold brew tastes like whiskey!
    You probably let it brewing more hours than you should before straining the coffee beans. Brewing for over 20 hours may lead to over-extraction, giving your cold brew an unpleasant whiskey off flavor.

    My cold brew is cloudy!
    It can get cloudy if you have used fine ground coffee and strained it by only using a french press.

    Can I make it with instant coffee?
    It won't work. You can make iced coffee with instant coffee, but you can’t make cold brew with it.

    Can I drink it hot?
    Yes, you can! Just heat it until the desired temperature, microwaving a cup for 1 minute is usually enough for me.

    Is it worth the wait?
    Definitely.

    • cups and bottle of cold beverage
    • cold brew coffee being poured into a cup filled with ice

    📖 Recipe

    cold brew coffee in a glass full with ice seen from above

    Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

    Tatiana Kamakura
    Cold brew is not difficult to make, and by following some tips, you can get a cold brew coffee as good as the one you’d buy at your favorite cafe.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 1 minute min
    Cook Time 14 hours hrs
    Total Time 14 hours hrs 1 minute min
    Course Coffees and Lattes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 0.2 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cups water
    • 1 cup coarse or medium-coarse ground coffee

    Instructions
     

    • Grind your coffee beans. Fresh ground coffee makes a better tasting cold brew.
    • Make sure the water you’re using doesn’t have a high amount of chlorine if using tap water.
    • In a mason jar or any glass container with a lid, combine water and coffee. Stir, or close the lid and shake, to combine.
    • Place it in your fridge for 12 to 18 hours. I wouldn't recommend brewing for over 20 hours, as it may lead to over-extraction.
    • When ready to strain, use a coffee dripper with a coffee filter on it, or place a coffee filter over a fine-mesh sieve. Place the dripper/sieve over another recipient/jar and pour the cold brew through it.
    • Store it in your fridge in a glass jar or any glass container that can be shut tight, so your cold brew won’t get an off taste.
    • To serve, fill a glass with ice, then fill it with water until half (use less water or no water at all for a stronger coffee). Fill the rest of the glass with the cold brew concentrate. Stir to combine.

    Video

    Notes

    I always get great results with 14 hours. More than 20 hours never worked for me, and sometimes over 18 hours lead my cold brew to an unpleasant whiskey taste. If it’s your first time doing it, I would recommend between 14 and 16 hours.
    When serving, you can substitute water for your favorite milk or creamer, and even add some sugar or sweetener of choice to get a sweet cold brew.
    If you want to brew it at room temperature, the brewing time is cut by half. Brew it for about 7 to 8 hours if choosing to do it at room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 0.2kcalProtein: 0.03gFat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.004gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 12mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.002mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anna

      June 06, 2020 at 6:34 am

      This is such a great recipe, and your tips are very helpful! Iced coffee is just perfect for this time of the year and I will be remaking this recipe over and over again! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 07, 2020 at 1:38 pm

        Thank you, Anna! I'm glad I could help with the tips! 😀

        Reply
    2. Mama Maggie's Kitchen

      June 06, 2020 at 2:46 am

      I really love coffee but never really had it cold. This Cold Brew Coffee looks really tasty. I will definitely try this at home

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 07, 2020 at 1:42 pm

        It's delicious! If you like coffee, you should really give it a try, Maggie!

        Reply
    3. Dana

      June 05, 2020 at 6:22 am

      This is a perfect way to make prevent the watered-down flavor. Thank you for the tips, I can really use them!

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 07, 2020 at 1:41 pm

        Glad to help, Dana!

        Reply
    4. veenaazmanov

      June 05, 2020 at 4:13 am

      Easy and best Summer refresher option.

      Reply
    5. Marta

      June 04, 2020 at 7:54 am

      I HATE it when I get iced coffee and it's all watered down. With this the ice dilutes the concentrate just the right amount. Thanks for another hit!

      Reply
    6. Amanda

      June 03, 2020 at 2:54 pm

      Thanks for all these super helpful tips! I love cold brew, especially with the days warming up, and it was so delicious and refreshing.

      Reply
    Newer Comments »
    5 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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