How to Make Cold Brew Coffee (Beginners Guide)

Cold brew coffee is a smooth, low-acid alternative to traditional hot-brewed coffee, made by steeping coarse coffee grounds in cold water for an extended period. This slow extraction process brings out the natural sweetness of the beans while reducing bitterness, resulting in a rich, refreshing drink.

Making cold brew at home requires minimal effort but benefits from the right technique. Choosing the correct coffee-to-water ratio, steeping for the right amount of time, and using proper filtration all contribute to a well-balanced final product. In this guide, you’ll learn how to make smooth, flavorful cold brew, store it properly, and adjust the strength to match your preferences.

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee (Quick Steps)

Coarsely grind the coffee
Use a coarse grind to prevent bitterness and sediment.
Mix coffee and water
Combine coffee and cold or room-temperature water (about 1 cup coffee to 4 cups water).
Steep
Cover and let steep for 12–24 hours in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Strain
Filter the coffee through a fine mesh strainer or paper filter.
Serve or store
Serve over ice or dilute to taste, and refrigerate for up to one week.

What You’ll Need:

Filtered water
Coarsely ground coffee (think potting soil consistency, or slightly coarser than French press-ground coffee)
A large jar of your choice, depending how much you want to make at a time (or use a cold brew coffee maker)
Mesh sieve or cheesecloth, optional paper coffee filter
Food scale or tablespoon measurement

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee: Step by Step

Step 1: Weigh your ingredients

step 1 of making cold brew coffee; weigh your ingredients

Weigh your beans for the amount of coffee you’re brewing.

The traditional ratio for cold brew coffee is 1:8. In other words, for every gram of coffee, add 8 grams of water.
If you haven’t already, grind your beans to a coarse consistency.
If you’re using pre-ground coffee, you can still weigh the same ratio of coffee grounds to water.

coffee ground to a coarse consistency for cold brew coffee

Step 2: Pour coffee grounds into the container

step 2 of making cold brew coffee; transferring coffee grounds into a glass mason jar

Add these coffee grounds to a vessel of your choice. Common options include a French press, mason jar, or a large pitcher.

Step 3: Add water

step 3 of making cold brew coffee; adding water to coffee grounds using a funnel

Pour the appropriate amount of filtered water directly into the same vessel.
You can either pre-weigh your water in a separate container, or you can put the vessel onto your scale and tare it before adding water to weigh the correct amount.

Step 4: Mix together, cover, and place in the fridge

step 4 of making cold brew coffee; mix filtered water and coffee grounds together before covering and storing in the fridge

Give the coffee and water a stir to make sure everything is incorporated.
Then, loosely cover the top however you would like and place the vessel in the fridge for 14 hours.

Step 5: Filter the grounds

step 5 of making cold brew coffee; filter out the coffee grounds using a mesh sieve into a large bowl

After 14 hours, filter the grounds from your freshly brewed coffee with a mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
For an even smoother taste with no grounds whatsoever, you can filter the grounds through a paper coffee filter.

Step 6: Dilute the coffee concentrate

step 6 of making cold brew coffee; dilute the cold brew mix with water

You now have a strong coffee concentrate.

To dilute this, you can combine the concentrate with double the amount of water (1:2 ratio), or equal parts water (1:1 ratio) depending on your preference.

How Does Cold Brew Work?

cold brew coffee in a glass jar with ice

Hot water extracts coffee very quickly, pulling out a wide range of compounds at once, including some bitter and acidic flavors. This fast extraction is why most hot brewing methods finish in under 15 minutes, even when brewing large amounts.

Cold water slows extraction dramatically, which changes what ends up in your cup. Over many hours, cold brew gradually pulls out sweeter, smoother compounds, along with subtle floral or fruity notes in some coffees, while leaving harsher acids behind.

The result is a smoother, lower-acid coffee with a lighter, velvety body that tastes especially clean when made with filtered water. This selective extraction is what gives cold brew its signature flavor profile.

Cold brew should not be reheated, since adding heat reverses the effects of cold extraction. Warming it breaks down compounds that developed slowly over time, altering the coffee’s chemistry and causing it to taste bitter and unbalanced.

How to Make The Most of Your Cold Brew

Store cold brew properly: To prevent coffee from molding, store your cold brew concentrate in the fridge. With water, it will last four days. The concentrate alone will last up to two weeks at its freshest in the fridge.

Use filtered water: Filtered water has minerals that are better suited to coffee, and will also remove some of the chemicals that negatively affect coffee taste like chlorine and calcium carbonate. Remember, coffee is 98% water, so it’s just as important to have quality water as it is to have quality coffee.

Use paper filters: While a mesh sieve or cheesecloth will properly filter your cold brew, a paper filter will ensure that every sediment of your coffee grounds is removed from the coffee. This will prevent the coffee from being further extracted and potentially sour.
You can use old coffee beans: Unlike hot coffee brewing, cold brew coffee can still be made with beans older than a month. This is because the higher solubility during cold brewing can further extract flavors that hot coffee cannot within its shorter brewing period. However, avoid using any beans that may have mold on them.

Simple Cold Brew Coffee Recipes Others Love

Simple cold brew recipe

What You’ll Need:

197 grams coarsely ground coffee of your choice
Filtered water
Optional: milk and sugar

And here’s how to make it:

Step 1: Measure 1,572ml of filtered water (around 53oz water) and add to a jar that can hold as much.
Step 2: Add coffee grounds to this jar and give it a stir.
Step 3: Seal jar with a lid and store in the fridge for at least 14 hours.
Step 4: After 14 hours, give the coffee another stir, then filter the completed concentrate with a cheesecloth, sieve, or paper filter.
Step 5: To a glass of ice, add equal parts concentrate with water. Sweeten with cream and sugar to your preference.

Cold brew tonic

What You’ll Need:

150 ml tonic water
60 ml cold brew concentrate
Orange or lemon wheel

And here’s how to make a cold brew tonic:

Step 1: Fill a short glass with ice.
Step 2: Add 150ml of tonic water to the glass.
Step 3: Pour 60ml of cold brew concentrate over the ice and tonic water.
Step 4: Lightly tap the ice with a spoon to incorporate the concentrate and the tonic water. Stirring it with the spoon fully submerged will make the beverage overflow.
Step 5: Top the cold brew tonic with a lemon or orange wheel.

Cold brew lemonade

What You’ll Need:

6oz water
1.5oz simple syrup
Cold brew concentrate
1 lemon

And here’s how to make cold brew lemonade:

Step 1: Juice 1 lemon into a short glass.
Step 2: Add simple syrup.
Step 3: Add 6oz of water to the glass and stir all the contents together.
Step 4: Top with cold brew concentrate.

FAQ

How much coffee do you put in a cold brew?

The amount of coffee is flexible dependent on a 1:8 ratio of coffee to water. So, for every 1 gram of coffee, use 8ml of water. For a stronger concentrate, use a 1:5 ratio, and for something less strong, try 1:10.

What is the ratio of coffee to water for cold brew?

The standard ratio is 1:8 for cold brew.

Can you use regular ground coffee for cold brew?

You cannot use regular ground coffee. This will make your cold brew taste very bitter, and you may have a lot of sediment in the cup. You must use coarsely ground coffee to make cold brew.

Can you make cold brew from hot coffee?

You cannot make cold brew from hot coffee. You can make iced coffee by putting your hot coffee in the fridge, but it may not taste the same or as smooth as cold brew style coffee does.

Should you clean your cold brew maker regularly?

Whether you’re brewing with a simple jar or with a device, you should clean the cold brew maker after every use to prevent oil and sediment from accumulating on the inside of your vessel. This will ensure your coffee tastes fresh and clean every time.