Say yes to smooth, mellow cold brew! We’re sharing the ins and outs of how to make the best cup of cold brew coffee, how to serve it, and more.
How to Make Cold Brew
This post contains referral links for products we love for making cold brew. Pinch of Yum earns a small commission on these links at no cost to you, and the links will always be marked with an asterisk. We ♡ honesty!
Summer is here and honestly the thought of a hot cup of coffee in the morning or, dare we say it, as a late afternoon pick-me-up while the world around you positively swelters (seriously, are the windows melting?!) is just…not great. Like, is it possible to sweat on the inside of your body?…
So, no no hot coffee and yes yes smooth, subtle cold brew. If you’ve never made cold brew coffee before, fret not! We have all the tips and tricks for you. You don’t need any fancy gear (although if you already have it, fun!), a simple mason jar and some coarse grounds of your favorite bean will do. And then, kick your feet up and get ready for the cool mellow caffeine boost that awaits you!
How To Make Cold Brew Coffee
Click here to watch step-by-step stories of how to make cold brew!
1. Grind the beans on the coarsest setting on your coffee grinder. If you grind your beans at the grocery store, make sure to choose the French Press-style or coarse setting. We like this grinder* if you’re doing the grinding yourself.
2. Combine the coffee grounds and the water into a covered large jar or cold brew maker*. Make sure the grounds are completely saturated in the water.
3. Let the coffee steep for ideally 18 hours. Less than that and it might taste a bit too watered down. More than that and the beans could get bitter-tasting. Your cold brew can be steeped at room temp on the counter or you can toss it in the fridge.
4. Strain the beans. If you’re doing the jar method, put some cheesecloth over a fine-mesh strainer and strain the coffee into a clean jar. If you have a cold brew maker, things are super easy and you’ll just need to discard the soaked grounds.
5. Store your freshly made cold brew in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
How Should I Serve My Cold Brew?
Lots of different ways to shake things up! You can add ice to a glass with a splash of your favorite cream and a swizzle of honey, or for a completely undiluted version, make coffee ice cubes (!!) and toss those in your cup.
Whoa, Wait! How Do I Make Coffee Ice Cubes?
This might be the shortest and simplest recipe to ever exist on Pinch of Yum. Just pour coffee (hot or cold, whatever you have on hand) into ice cube trays* and freeze. Or, even better, make your ice cubes fancy*. That’s it – DONE! Level-up by making an iced latte with coffee ice cubes. Put a few coffee ice cubes in a glass and top with your favorite creamer – your forever warm-weather sippin’ bev.
How Much Coffee Should I Use?
We like using a ratio of 3/4 cup whole beans to 4 cups cold water.
Can I Make This Decaf?
Sure can! Just use decaf whole beans. These beans* are really good!
Can You Use Regular Ground Coffee To Make Cold Brew?
The best type of grind for making cold brew is a coarse grind (or French Press-style). Pre-ground coffee is usually a fine or espresso-style grind and doesn’t work super well.
Is Cold Brew Stronger Than Regular Coffee?
Cold brew actually has a smoother and more mellow flavor than regular hot coffee.
Is Cold Brew The Same As Iced Coffee?
It’s a little bit different actually. Iced coffee can literally be made by plopping ice cubes in a hot cup of coffee brewed at double strength and letting it chill (a good option in a pinch), but if you have the time, cold brew coffee is so much more. It’s a bit lower in acidity, it’s steeped cold rather than hot brewed, tastes a little sweet depending on the beans you pick, and has a smoother taste compared to iced coffee. Fair warning, there’s usually a bit more caffeine in cold brew, too (wheeeeee!!). The caffeine order from most caffeine to least caffeine here is hot coffee, cold brew, and then iced coffee.
Are There Other Products I Can Use To Make This?
Absolutely! Here are a few of our favorites.
- Cheesecloth* (makes it so easy to strain your grounds)
- Ice Cube Trays* (for making basic coffee ice cubes)
- Square Ice Cube Tray* (to level up your ice cube game)
- Coffee Grinder* (a coarse grind is key here)
- Quart-Size Mason Jar* (your basic use-what-you-have vessel)
- Bodum Cold Brew Coffee Maker* (the perfect maker for beginners)
- OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker* (if you want to feel very official)
- Caffeinated Coffee Beans* (for when you need a lil’ boost)
- Decaf Coffee Beans* (for when you want to keep things mellow)
- Reusable Straws* (you weren’t planning on going strawless, were you?!)
Favorite Products For Making Cold Brew
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Need Some Breakfast Inspo to Pair with Your Cup O’Joe? Check out our best life-changing healthy breakfasts!
Filed Under: How-Tos
July 6, 2021
Hi, I'm Eman!
Content and Growth Specialist at Pinch of Yum. Proud Minnesotan. Lover of big slices of cheesecake, petting cute animals, and the great outdoors. ♡
Add 2 T brown sugar and 1 t. cinnamon to your coffee grounds and it’s an even better treat!!
This sounds fun! I’m going to give it a try!
Love it that way!
Great idea, Joan!
Never heard about this. Don’t quite understand it
I usually go to Google or Facebook
Woot woot! Love this easy tutorial. Definitely trying the ice cubes. I can’t imagine a better way to beat the heat.
Well done, friends.
This post is perfect timing. I was just telling my husband how I want to premake some iced coffee for vacation. Question though…the beans I have are already grounded, how much do i use? I see in the instructions to use 3/4 cup whole beans.
Great question, Jennifer. I did a little googling, and according to this website, the ratio is 1:1.
Thank you so much Krista! Definitely making ahead for vacation
Thanks so much!
The link to the grinder did not work.
Thanks for letting us know! We’ll get that updated!
Hi PUM! Could you give us the name of the grinder you recommend…no page found on your link. I have been needing a coarse-grind coffee grinder but am uncertain which to get. If you fix the link, problem solved! JB
What is the amount of water and ground beans to use?
We like using a ratio of 3/4 cup whole beans to 4 cups cold water
I bought a cold brew pot from Primula that makes it so easy to make cold brew. It has a reusable mesh basket to put your grounds in and you can keep it in the fridge. When I make a glass, I add cold brew, ice, a splash of Italian Creme coffee creamer, and a few pumps of Salted Dark Chocolate Espresso from Skinny Syrups. Very good!!
That sounds like an amazing homemade latte!
This post is perfect timing. I was just telling my husband how I want to premake some iced coffee for vacation. Question though…the beans I have are already grounded, how much do i use? I see in the instructions to use 3/4 cup whole beans.
… none of your links to Amazon are working…
I just bought the OXO cold brew maker about a month ago and I love it!! I make it almost twice a week and its perfect at the 18 hour mark. If you want it to taste close to Starbucks cold brew try their Komodo dragon roasted coffee. A tip from my stepdaughter who works there.
Thanks for sharing, Courtney!
Could you give the amount to use in grams or ounces. I buy pre-ground and weighing is always more consistent. Thanks
I make 1 gallon of cold brew at a time for the whole family. I use a gallon container and add 6 ounces coffee grounds and then fill with filtered water. I let it sit for 24 hours then strain into several jugs and keep in the fridge. It only lasts about 3 days since several of us drink it. It is not concentrated but is used like regular coffee,
Why not use a french press to make cold brew? Use cold water instead of hot, and let it steep the same time and you have a built in strainer. Yes smaller amounts but should work. Or even use the french press as a strainer only, might have to do batches but hey that’s what it does well.
Hi there! This looks delicious. How much ground coffee and water do I use?
Hi Yesenia! We like using a ratio of 3/4 cup whole beans to 4 cups cold water. Enjoy!