Cold brew coffee is among the hottest trends in the coffee industry. Nonetheless, many people aren’t quite sure how best to prepare it. The truth is that there are several ways to go about it. So, which method is best?
To make the best cup of cold brew, soak your choice of coarsely ground coffee in cold water and wait at least 12 hours. Pre-Ground or freshly ground will do. For optimum results, opt for a 1:4 coffee-to-water ratio. When the concentrate is ready, simply dilute with water in your preferred ratio.
As you can see, homemade cold brew can be made in four pretty easy steps. There are no hard and fast rules to follow, but a few key tips will make the difference between an average-tasting cup of cold brew and the rich and flavor-packed cold brewed coffee you deserve. Let’s take a look at how to brew the best cup you can.
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?

Cold brew coffee is made with a non-conventional brewing method where coffee grounds are steeped in cold water. Instead of heat, this brewing method relies on time to extract the necessary flavor and oils from the coffee grounds. For this method to be successful, the coffee grounds need to be steeped in water for at least 12 hours.
Although lengthy, the cold brewing process isn’t too complex. All that’s required is water, a jar, a filter, and the coffee grounds. Coarsely ground coffee beans will get the best results. From there, you’ll simply need to submerge the coffee grounds following the appropriate coffee-to-water ratio and give it some time.
Cold brewed coffee has been around for quite some time, but only gained traction in recent years. Its growing popularity is thanks to its smoother, gentler flavor profile. Cold brew is naturally less acidic than traditional coffee and, for many consumers, that fact alone seals the deal.
Cold brew is a great substitute for traditional hot coffee, especially in the summertime, but its most notable feature is its significantly lower acidity levels. As a result, it’s easier on the stomach and it doesn’t trigger the production of excessive stomach acid.
Another attractive feature of cold brew is that it’s usually stronger than traditionally-brewed jitter juice. It’s usually prepared with a higher coffee-to-water ratio. In essence, cold brew is like your everyday cup of joe — but cold and with significantly less acid. It offers all the benefits of coffee but cuts back on the downsides.
What’s the Difference Between Cold Brew and Iced Coffee?
Aside from the fact that they’re both served cold, cold brew and iced coffee don’t have much in common. Firstly, they’re made from two completely different brewing methods. Iced coffee is usually made from hot-brewed coffee grounds. Conversely, the coffee grounds are immersed in cold water to prepare cold brew.
The difference in brewing methods gives rise to other notable differences. Firstly, the actual coffee of iced coffee is the same as hot jitter juice. It has the same distinctive bitter taste. On the other hand, cold brew tastes sweeter and less acidic.
Secondly, cold brew is generally stronger than iced coffee. Even when watered down with either water or milk, cold brew will normally have a richer flavor. Lastly, iced coffee is often served with ice, milk and several other add-ons to personalize the drink to the consumer’s liking.
On the other hand, cold brew is usually diluted with water and then served over ice alone. The concentrate can also be sipped on like espresso.
How Do You Make Cold Brew?
While you can buy cold-brew coffee brewers like this one (on Amazon), here’s a fool-proof cold brew recipe that you can follow at home with tools you probably have laying around already:
- Gather the Ingredients and Equipment
You’ll need coarsely ground coffee. Fresh or pre-ground will work, it’s totally up to you. For equipment, you’ll need filtered water, two empty jars, a paper filter, and a measuring cup (on Amazon).
- Measure Coffee Into the Jar
This is the part where you’ll need to be mindful of the coffee-to-water ratio. Pour the coffee grounds and water into the jar in the appropriate ratio and give it a stir.
- Wait 12 to 24 hours
You’ll need to steep the mixture for up to 24 hours to allow time for the effective extraction of flavors and oils. You can let it steep on your counter or in the refrigerator; it doesn’t really make much of a difference.
- Strain the Concentrate
For this step, you’ll place a paper filter (on Amazon) over another empty jar, then slowly pour the concentrate over the filter and let it collect into the jar. This step is a lot easier if you used coarse grounds in the brewing process.
- Prepare Your Drink
You’ve got two options here; you can either sip on the concentrate as you would an espresso, or you can dilute it into a glass. For the second option, mix the concentrate with water in a 50/50 ratio, and your drink’s ready to be served. Adding ice and/or milk is optional.
What’s the Best Water-to-Coffee Ratio for Cold Brew?
In general, cold brewing yields a stronger concentrate than traditional brewing. This has to do with the high coffee-to-water ratio. The larger-than-normal amount of coffee grounds needed to make cold brew is what produces the flavor-packed concentrate.
The acceptable standard for cold brew is a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:4, which is far steeper than what is accepted for everyday coffee. For every cup of water, you’ll need an ounce of coffee grounds. Unfortunately, you can’t compromise on the ratio, because it’s essential to creating the full range of flavors.
Cold brew is prepared as a concentrate that’s meant to be diluted before it’s served. If you use fewer coffee grounds than what’s required to make the concentrate, you’ll end up with a watered-down cold brew and an even more diluted final drink.
Can You Use Pre-ground Coffee for Cold Brew?

There’s nothing wrong with using pre-ground coffee for cold brew. It may not taste as fresh, but only a seasoned coffee connoisseur is likely to pick up the difference in taste. Pre-ground is a more affordable and convenient alternative, and, for the most part, it gets the job done.
The only reason coffee drinkers frown upon pre-ground coffee is that it doesn’t afford the same freshness as freshly ground coffee. As a result, the coffee it produces isn’t as flavorful as many people would like it to be.
According to Forbes, coffee usually loses close to 60% of its freshness and aroma within a few minutes of being ground. That says a lot about pre-ground coffee that has been lying on the shelf for weeks.
Considering how the process of grinding coffee beans from home is time-consuming, pricey, and it requires some level of skillfulness with the grinder, using pre ground coffee often sounds like a better option.
Tips for a Successful First Cold Brew
There’s no one “right way” to brew cold coffee; the best method is whichever one works for you. There are, however, some pointers you can riff on to get the best results.
Adjust Each Cup of Coffee to Your Preference
Don’t be too concerned with getting the ratio right the first time around, because the good thing about cold brew is that it’s versatile. If the concentrate is too strong, you can simply adjust it by using a higher water-to-concentrate ratio to water it down to your liking.
Go With Freshly Ground Coffee
It only takes about 15 minutes for coffee beans to start losing their aroma, which is why it’s always better to opt for freshly ground if you’re given a choice.
Coarsely Ground Beans Are Ideal
When it comes to cold brewing your cup of joe, size matters. The water needs to be able to penetrate the coffee grounds easily to extract the flavors.
The Final Word
Preparing cold brew can easily be done from the comfort of your home and with everyday kitchen equipment. Once you’ve got the ratio down, everything else falls into place. One thing that you should be mindful of is the grind size — you always want to go for coarsely ground coffee beans.