Make Perfect Cold Brew at Home

Cold Coffee Corner

Save Money By Making your Cold Brew at Home

Cold brew has exploded in popularity in the past decade. I have been making it at home for at least that long. Here’s what you need to know to make it at home

Two main methods:

Immersion
Cold Drip

Making Cold Brew by Immersion

Equipment Needed

*Container with a lid, glass preferred. A mason jar works great.
*A way to filter your coffee: paper filter cone, cheesecloth, nut milk bag, etc.

Ingredients:

1 cup coarsely ground coffee
3 cups water

Add coffee to jar. Wet it with about 1 c. of water and swirl to make sure all the grounds are wet.
Add the rest of the water and put the lid on. Swirl again so the grounds are blended with the water and freely moving.
Let it steep 12-20 hours on the counter top or in the fridge. If you use brew at room temperature aim for 12-16 hours, and 16-20 if using the fridge.
Strain the coffee through your filter. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

Pros	Cons
Easy; you probably already have what you need in your home	Long brew times (12-24 hours)
Can adjust ratio of coffee to water to make your brew weaker or stronger to suit your taste	Less room for adjusting strength, need to follow manufacturer’s proportions
How much you can make is only limited by the size of your container and how much you can drink in one week!	Works best with coarse ground coffee, so you may need to purchase a grinder

Making Cold Brew by Cold Drip

Equipment Needed

*A cold drip brewer
*Filter paper (as required by the brewing system you choose)

Ingredients:

Medium to coarsely ground coffee
Water

Note: Amounts needed will vary by the brewing system you choose, follow manufacturers recommended amounts

Add coffee to the brewer. Depending on the system, you may need to add a small piece of filter paper on top of the grounds.
Add water (and a little ice, if desired) to the water chamber.
Assemble the dripper and allow to brew. Typical brew times for home brewing systems are 2-3 hours.
Remove the coffee chamber and transfer to a storage container. Store for up to one week.

Pros	Cons
Smooth and bold coffee result	Requires a cold drip brewer, can be expensive
Faster brew times, often just a few hours	Less room for adjusting strength, need to follow manufacturer’s proportions
	Batch size is limited by size of brewing device

Quick Cold Brew Facts

Brewing Methods

Techniques
- Immersion: Loose coffee grounds are soaked directly in water for 12-20 hours
- Cold Drip: Water slowly drips through a bed of coffee grounds
Water Temperature
- Use room temperature or cooler water.
Brewing Time
- Immersion: 12-20 hours
- Cold Drip: 2-3 hours (depends on size of brewer)

Coffee Selection

Bean Type
- Use Arabica beans from Central or South America.
- Medium roast is recommended.
Grind Size
- Medium to coarsely ground coffee is preferred.
- Avoid fine grind to prevent over-extraction and bitterness.

Coffee to Water Ratio

Concentrate: 1 part coffee to 3 parts water.
Ready-to-drink: 1 part coffee to 5 parts water.
Measuring ratios by weight is the most accurate, however cold brew is very forgiving. You can measure in volume too and just be prepared to dilute the strength of your finished coffee with a little water to taste.
Important: if you use volume, be sure to err on the side of making it too strong. You can always dilute a batch that turned out potent, but the only remedy for a too weak brew is to add more coffee and brew longer.

Water Quality

Use filtered water for best results. Your water should have little to no taste on its own.
Avoid distilled water, as cold brew requires some mineral content for best extraction results

Brewing Duration

Aim for 14-20 hours for optimal flavor.
Do not exceed 24 hours to avoid bitterness.
Time and temperature are related:
- If brewing in the fridge, allow more time (about 16-20 hours)
- If brewing at room temperature, less time is needed (12-16 hours)

Brewing Environment

I prefer to brew in the fridge to limit microbial growth. Water at room temperature is the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms, this is especially true if your room is on the warm side such as in summer or warm climates.
Use impeccably clean brewing containers and equipment to limit microbes. Use hot soapy water for hand wash items, and use the dishwasher when possible.

Filtering Methods

Paper coffee filter in a pour over cone (creates a clear cup of coffee with minimal silt)
Mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth
Coffee bag or sock, or nut milk bag
Stainless steel re-usable coffee filter

Filtering Options

Filter after brewing: Allows for maximum contact of water to grounds
- Using paper filters makes for easy cleanup, just toss in the compost
- Adds an extra straining step at the end of the process
Brew in the filter: coffee or nut milk bags, or stainless steel filters made for brewing coffee in a mason jar. Can put the coffee in the filter and brew with the filter or bag immersed in water.
- Easier for straining as you just remove the filter
- Filters can be difficult to clean and also don’t allow for as much movement of the water around the coffee grounds.

Other Equipment Options

Use a French Press for immersion and filtration.
Various cold brew coffee makers available on the market.
Rapid cold brew makers work by agitating the grounds in the water. Personally, I have not had good tasting results with this method (weak, cloudy)

Storage and Preservation

Store cold brew in the fridge for up to a week.
Best taste usually within the first 2-3 days.
Cold brew can be frozen as coffee ice cubes.

Heating Cold Brew

Can be gently heated or dilute a concentrate with hot water.

Difference from Iced Coffee

Cold brew uses cold or room temperature water, while iced coffee is brewed hot and then cooled.

Cold Coffee Corner