The Right Way to Make Cold Brew Coffee, According to the Pros

When the temperatures soar, we turn to cold brew coffee. It hits the spot in a way that our usual hot cup of joe doesn’t. The chilly beverage is more refreshing and appropriate for steamy summer days, and its flavor is milder and more nuanced than plain old iced coffee. To perfect cold brew at home, we spoke to coffee experts who explain it all, including the best coffee beans to use and how to store your brew once it's made.

What Is Cold Brew Coffee? 

Cold brew coffee is a variation on iced coffee. Iced coffee is essentially regular brewed coffee that has been chilled; as it cools, the bitter, acidic flavors of the coffee become more pronounced. By contrast, cold brew is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for up to one day and has a sweeter, milder flavor due to the low and slow extraction process. The cold water is gentler on the grounds and helps develop the flavor of the beans more slowly.

How Cold Brew Is Made

To make cold brew coffee, coarsely ground coffee is immersed in water for at least eight—and up to 24—hours. It's different from the process of making drip coffee where hot water passes through the coffee grounds, dissolving the coffee and water together as it falls into a carafe, says Samantha Rounds of Dillanos Coffee Roaster. Hot water tends to pull more of the acidity out of coffee, while cold water does not. Keeping the water cold during the whole process means that cold brew coffee will take much longer to make but will produce a less acidic and richer coffee, she explains.

What You Need to Make Cold Brew Coffee

It's simple: the main ingredients are (a lot of) coffee, water, and time.

The Equipment

You don't need special equipment to make cold brew coffee. It can be made in a mason jar or using a French press. If you want to invest in a specific cold brew system, Jessica Easto, author of How to Taste Coffee, and Rounds like the Toddy Home Model: "Their equipment is easy to use, clean, and incredibly affordable," says Rounds.

The Water

Tap water generally works well for cold brew. Experts say the best kind of water to use is one that has plenty of minerals in it in order to help the coffee extract. "Don't use distilled water, which contains no minerals," says Easto.

The Coffee Beans

While a French press or pour-over method may shine a spotlight on high-quality, single-origin blends, cold brew does not. This method of making coffee requires a large amount of grounds (far more than a regular cup of hot coffee). "I recommend choosing a less expensive blend with dark, warm, or earthy notes, such as chocolate, warming spices, or nuts," says Easto.

If you're in a pinch and don't have enough coffee to make cold brew, she suggests combining leftover beans or beans past their prime in terms of freshness. "One of the great things about cold brew is that it's very forgiving. It's probably one of the best ways to optimize less-than-stellar beans," she says.

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee

Ingredients

To make 1 1/2 quarts of cold brew coffee you'll need:

• 1 pound coffee beans ground for French press or coarser
• A large pitcher or glass jar (to hold 1 1/2 quarts), plus a lid or cover

The Method

1. Combine 1/2 pound ground coffee with 6 cups cold water in a large pitcher or glass jar. Let stand 5 minutes.

2. Add remaining coffee grounds and 3 cups cold water, making sure all the grounds are wet. 

3. Cover, and let steep, at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Using Cold Brew Concentrate

There's a big difference between cold brew coffee and cold brew concentrate. "[Cold brew concentrate] is simply a very strong solution of coffee solubles (the stuff that imparts flavor and texture) and water. It's too strong to enjoy as is, so when it's time to drink it, you dilute the concentrate with fresh water to taste," says Easto. Most of the cold brew options that you'll find in the grocery store are concentrate, such as Grady's New Orleans-Style.

If you want to make cold brew concentrate at home, Easto recommends using a ratio of one part coffee to six parts water.

Storing Cold Brew

Once you've made your cold brew coffee, it should be stored in an airtight container—such as a sealed mason jar—in the refrigerator and consumed within three days for optimal flavor.

If you purchased cold brew concentrate from the store, read the label to see the manufacturer's recommendation for storage and use.