How To Make Cold Brew Coffee

Smooth cold brew coffee is easier to make than you think. You can make cold brew coffee in a mason jar overnight for a refreshing caffeine boost the next day. Less acidic, sweet and addicting….you’ll be sipping this long into the cooler fall months.

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Cold Brew Coffee

I’m sure you all have heard the cry from one of your friends……”Must.Have.Cold.Brew.” It’s amazingly refreshing the summertime and still gives you a healthy kick of caffeine to start your day. I used to run to my local Starbucks to satisfy my craving but the habit does get expensive.

Now, I don’t have to even leave my house to get my cold brew fix because I make it at home. And a big batch of it lasts me about a week….that’s even with two people tapping into it every single day.

It takes about 5 minutes to whip it up and then you have to wait…..a long time, like 12 hours….so planning your cold brew concentrate is crucial. You should get started today.

What is Cold Brew Coffee?

So, if you’ve been living under a rock these past five years and don’t know what Cold Brew Coffee is I’m here to help. Cold Brew is NOT Iced Coffee….iced coffee is simply coffee that’s been brewed in the normal fashion and then poured over ice.

Cold Brew Coffee is coffee that’s been “brewed” in the refrigerator overnight or for a period of time before the ground beans are strained and you’re left with a beautifully dark, homemade cold brew coffee concentrate that you can use whenever you get the craving.

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee is much less expensive than buying it at the coffee shop and it’s much less bitter than iced coffee.

My favorite things about cold brew are:

• It’s easy to make
• It’s super refreshing
• It’s ready to go when you are
• And you can heat it if you’re really in the mood for hot coffee

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

1. I begin by procuring a huge 10 cup mason jar so I can make a double batch in one session.
2. The magic formula for me was one cup of coarsely ground coffee beans to 4 cups of water. I felt this was best in achieving a strong cold brew concentrate without it tasting overly bitter. Mix it all together in your mason jar and then lid up.
3. Allow the mixture, which will look like mud, to steep on the counter overnight. The longer it steeps, the more flavorful the concentrate will be.
4. Line a fine mesh sieve with a paper towel and place the sieve over a large pot or bowl.
5. Strain the concentrate and the return the strained concentrate back to the mason jar.
6. Discard the grounds. Lid up the jar and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Basic Cold Brew Coffee Ratio

When making Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate you’ll need the perfect ratio of coffee ground to water to prevent bitterness and get the maximum amount of coffee flavor. If you feel the concentrate is too strong, you can dilute it when it’s finished brewing.

• Per one cup of water, you will need exactly 1 ounce (by weight) coursely ground coffee. I start with about 1 1/2 cup coffee beans which yields about 1 cup of ground coffee.
• When the coffee has brewed, there will be a little less concentrate left behind than the amount of water you started with because it gets absorbed into the coffee beans.
• If you have an extra large french press, you can start with 5 ounces of coffee grounds and 5 cups of coffee. You will end up with approximately 4 1/2 cups of concentrate.

When you’re ready to fix up a glass or mug of your homemade cold brew coffee, you’ll want to pour the perfect cold brew coffee ratio of concentrate and water. I like about one cup of concentrate to 1/2 cup of water but you can totally play with the ratio to make the perfect cup for yourself.

How to Strain Your Cold Brew

When your cold brew coffee concentrate is ready, you will need to strain it to remove the coffee grounds.

To do this you have a couple options:

• Mesh Sieve – My favorite way and the most practical in terms of tools needed, I line a fine mesh sieve with a paper towel and arrange over a glass jar or container. Pour the coffee concentrate through the sieve and discard the coffee grounds.
• Coffee Filters – Place the coffee filter in the mesh sieve and arrange over a glass jar or container. Pour the coffee concentrate through the filter and discard the coffee grounds. Depending on the thickness of the filter, this could take a little longer.

The Best Coffee Beans for Cold Brew Coffee

I like to buy whole beans and grind them myself so I can make the grind a bit more course than a regular coffee grounds. I also like to use a dark roast or other strong coffee bean to maximize the flavor.

Again, you can use whatever coffee beans you prefer or you can just add more water if you feel the flavor it too intense.

Sweeten with a little simple syrup and ice cold cream.

And you have one refreshing energy booster. It’s great for a crowd because you can make big batches and serve it with some pretty paper straws. It goes extremely well with these colorful canapés or this Pinterest favorite coffee cake!

More Easy Coffee Recipes

And if you’re looking for more cold brew coffee recipes to feed your addiction check out THIS Vanilla Coconut  Cold Brew, it’s quick and amazing….or this Coconut Mocha Iced Coffee….OR my new favorite, this one is drenched in Salted Caramel…check it out!

If you’re looking for a sweet treat, this Affogato will surely impress even the pickiest dessert lover.

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