• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hunger Thirst Play

Delicious Recipes for Every Season

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • eBooks
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • eBooks
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • eBooks
    • Work with Me
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Hunger » Breakfast

    Cold Brew Coffee

    By Lauren on June 14, 2021, Updated June 2, 2022 Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    overhead image of iced coffee mixed with milk
    collage of images of cold brew coffee
    milk pouring into glasses of cold brew coffee
    milk pouring into glasses of cold brew coffee

    Smooth rich flavor, the perfect balance of acidity and natural sweetness with that beautiful zip of caffeine, and all you need are two ingredients - water and coffee beans! Cold brew coffee is a super simple, easy, and delicious way to up your coffee game during the warmer months or even year-round!

    Hi, I'm addicted to cold brew coffee and I'd really love to share that passion with you.

    The second the weather starts to get warmer in April grab a container, coffee grinder, and favorite beans because it's time to start brewing that liquid gold.

    milk pouring into glasses of cold brew coffee

    It's so so so easy to make and the coffee is just chefs kiss.

    Best of all, what you're actually making is cold brew concentrate so you can adjust the caffeine/boldness of the coffee just by adding water.

    When you're running around after 2 small kids and juggling 2 restaurants and 1 food blog…that adjustable caffeine strength is a serious bonus.

    over head angle of iced coffee, milk, and sugar on a tray

    Also, coffee that's brewed cold is waaaaaaaaaay better than hot coffee turned cold.

    Are you the kind of person that loves a cup of hot coffee but the second it gets cold it's garbage? Trust me, I've tried microwaving my cuppa but it's just not the same after that. So if you're on that team you are absolutely going to love this method of brewing.

    What's the difference between iced coffee and cold brew?

    Iced coffee is hot brewed coffee that's then cooled off and poured over ice. Cold brew coffee is cold water, coffee beans, and time then strained and served over ice.

    pouring water over coffee grinds

    Why is cold brew coffee special?

    The number one reason is that the quality of the coffee is superb thanks to the gentle brewing of time and cold water.

    Because the beans aren't subjected to harsh boiling water, the coffee that's produced is less acidic and has a more natural sweetness.

    coffee grounds straining through cheesecloth

    
The number two reason you're going to love is that you just pour water over grinds and shove it in the fridge.

    The number three reason is that gives a little bit more boost in the caffeine department.

    Tips for brewing

    The grind of the beans matters.

    For cold brew coffee, you want a coarse grind on your beans.

    Too fine of a grind will lead to a bitter brew because the beans are over-extracted. The coarse grind also helps after straining so you don't end up with a ton of sediment on the bottom of your batch even after it's strained.

    overhead of coarse ground coffee beans

    Reach for the fresh beans!

    Pick up a bag at the store to brew rather than those old beans you found in the back of your cabinet that definitely belonged to the last person who lived there.

    Use the right ratio of beans to coffee - don't worry it's not rocket science! I've broken it all down in the recipe card below.

    Use room temp to cold water unless you're in a rush.

    You'll need 12 to 14 hours to steep the beans but if you don't have time for that you can kick start the process by using hot water then sticking the batch in the fridge for about 6 to 7 hours. I don't love this method because the hot water can bring a little acidity but it's a nice option if you got a late start on your brewing and need it for the morning.

    close up of coffee beans in a glass

    How to make cold brew coffee

    In a large container pour cold or room temp water over your grinds. Give them a mix and store in the fridge for 12 hours. Strain it and you’re done. You’ve got cold brew concentrate.

    From there, when you go to pour yourself a cup you can add water or add water to the concentrate batch. Then just make your coffee the way you normally do - I’m a little milk and a touch sweet kinda gal - drop in the ice and sip on your brewed beans.

    Once you have your cold brew concentrate you can make things like nitro cold brew or Vietnamese cold brew - they're both ridiculously tasty!

    And with it almost being cherry season, I would like to highly encourage you to make these chai cherry muffins to munch on with your morning coffee!

    overhead image of iced coffee mixed with milk

    What's your favorite way to drink your cold brew? What beans did you use?

    If you made this recipe I would love to hear about it in the comments below and don't forget to leave a star rating!

    cold brew coffee in short glasses with ice cubes

    Cold Brew Coffee

    Skip the coffee shop and make your cold brew coffee at home for a smoother, less acidic, and more flavorful iced coffee.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cold brew coffee, iced coffee
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Brew Time: 12 hours hrs
    Total Time: 12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 1kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • cheesecloth
    • container for brewing

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounce bag coffee beans (whole beans)
    • 12 cups water (96 ounces, cold or room temp)

    Instructions

    • Find your ratio. The amount of coffee beans you need varies depending on how much coffee you want to make in one batch. The general rule is 1 pound of coffee beans to 1 gallon of water, but most whole bean coffee comes in 12 ounce bags. A large batch is a great option if you have a container large enough and there are 2 to 4 people in the house drinking the coffee. Here is a list of ratios to follow. Just remember, you will need space for both the water AND the coffee beans.
      -16 ounces coffee beans (1 pound): 1 gallon water/128 ounce/16 cups
      -12 ounce coffee beans: 96 ounces water/12 cups
      -8 ounces coffee beans: 8 cups water/64 ounces
      -4 ounces coffee beans: 32 ounces/ 4 cups water
    • Grind the beans. Use a coarse grind for the beans. I set my grinder to the 'percolator' setting. The beans should resemble kosher salt after grinding.
    • Make the cold brew. Place your ground coffee in the bottom of a large container. Pour cold or room temp water (filtered is best!) over the grinds, give it a stir, cover it and place it in the fridge.
    • Let it steep. Your beans and water should steep for 12 to 14 hours. It doesn't have to be exact.
    • Strain and drink. Strain the cold brew concentrate through a fine cheesecloth strainer. You can add water to the concentrate batch or leave it as concentrate and add water when you make a glass. My recommended ratio is 2 parts cold brew concentrate, 1 part water, then add your preferred milk and sweetener if desired.
    • Store. Keep your cold brew concentrate in an air-tight container in the fridge for 7 to 10 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1kcal | Sodium: 14mg | Calcium: 9mg
    « Chipotle Cobb Salad with Avocado Green Goddess
    Nitro Cold Brew Coffee »
    8 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Lauren! This is my slice of the internet to share seasonally-inspired recipes. I live in the heart of New England with my two kiddos. Life is busy AND delicious!

    Trending Recipes

    • overhead photo of thai peanut dressing and a salad dressed
      Low-Calorie Spicy Thai Peanut Dressing
    • green kale gnocchi over spicy red tomato sauce
      Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi with Arrabbiata
    • overhead of pumpkin shaped sourdough bread
      Whole Wheat Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
    • Earthy green tea matcha whisked with sweet floral lavender and creamy milk. #greentea #matcha #matcharecipes #lavender #cookingwithlavender
      Iced Lavender Matcha Latte

    Get my Thanksgiving eCookbook!

    Footer

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Inquiries + Collabs
    • Subscribe for updates!

    Recipes

    • All Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes

    Our Restaurants

    • Bonefish Harrys
    • Portsmouth Feed Company
    • Thirsty Butcher Hospitality
    • Restaurant Photography

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hunger Thirst Play

    Copyright© 2025 Hunger Thirst Play · Privacy Policy ·

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.