Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for many hours instead of minutes. Without heat, fewer of the harsh, bitter compounds dissolve, so you get a smooth, chocolatey and naturally sweet drink that tastes lower in acidity than hot coffee poured over ice. It is also one of the easiest brews there is: no special gear, no timing pours — just patience.
What you need
Equipment
A large jar or jug (1 litre+), a scale, a grinder (or ask your roaster for a coarse grind), a spoon, and a paper coffee filter or fine sieve for straining.
Ratio
Concentrate: 100 g coffee to 700 g water (about 1:7). Dilute 1:1 with water or milk when serving. Ready-to-drink: 70 g coffee per litre of water (about 1:14) — no dilution needed.
Step-by-step cold brew recipe
Grind 100 g of coffee coarse — like coarse sea salt. Too fine and the brew turns muddy and bitter and is hard to filter.
Put the grounds in the jar and pour in 700 g of cold, filtered water.
Stir gently until every bit of coffee is wet. Dry clumps floating on top won't extract.
Cover and steep in the fridge for 12–18 hours (or 10–12 hours at room temperature). Longer isn't better — after about 20 hours it turns woody.
Strain through a sieve to remove most grounds, then pour through a paper filter for a clean, sediment-free concentrate.
Serve over ice, diluted 1:1 with water or milk. Taste and adjust — some like it stronger.
Tips for better cold brew
Use beans you like hot
Cold brew mutes acidity, so chocolatey Brazilians and Colombians shine, but a fruity natural Ethiopian makes a wonderfully berry-like version.
Filter twice
A sieve alone leaves fine sediment that keeps extracting and makes the brew bitter over the next days. A paper filter fixes that.
Keep it cold and sealed
Store the filtered concentrate in a closed bottle in the fridge and drink it within about a week for the best flavour.
Try it hot
Cold brew concentrate topped up with hot water makes a very smooth, low-bitterness hot cup in seconds.
Cold brew FAQ
What is the best ratio for cold brew?
For a concentrate, 1:5 to 1:8 (coffee to water by weight) — 1:7 is a good start. For ready-to-drink cold brew, use about 1:14 to 1:16.
How long should cold brew steep?
12–18 hours in the fridge or 10–12 hours at room temperature. Under 10 hours tastes thin; beyond 20 hours tends to taste woody and flat.
Is cold brew stronger than regular coffee?
The concentrate is, because it uses much more coffee per litre. Once diluted to drinking strength it is roughly comparable to a regular cup — strength depends on your ratio, not the method.
What's the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?
Cold brew is never heated, so it's smooth and mellow. Iced coffee is brewed hot and chilled — Japanese-style iced coffee brewed straight onto ice keeps more bright, fruity flavours.