Cold brew guide – how to make great cold brewed coffee

Cold brew is coffee that is brewed with cold or room-temperature water over several hours, rather than with hot water in a few minutes.

The method is simple and does not require advanced equipment. On the other hand, it requires a little planning, because the coffee needs time to steep.

The result is a cold coffee with a different flavor profile than regular hot coffee that has subsequently been cooled down. Cold brew can be drunk straight, served over ice, or used as a base in cold coffee drinks.

Here you get a concrete starting point for dosage, grind size, and brew time, as well as help to adjust your cold brew according to taste.

Quick recipe for cold brew

A good starting point for cold brew that can be drunk straight is:

• 75 g coffee beans

• 1 liter of water

• Medium to medium-coarse grind size

• Approx. 8 hours brewing time in the refrigerator

• Filter the coffee after brewing

• Serve cold or over ice

The recipe is a starting point. Brew time, grind size, and dosage can be adjusted according to the coffee and equipment you are using.

If you do not already have a brewer, you can see our selection of cold brew brewers.

How to make cold brew step by step

1. Weigh the coffee beans

Start with approximately 75 grams of coffee per liter of water.

A coffee scale makes it easier to repeat the same recipe and subsequently adjust it precisely.

2. Grind the coffee

Grind the coffee beans immediately before brewing.

Start with a medium to medium-coarse grind size.

The optimal grind size also depends on the filter in your cold brew brewer. A very fine permanent filter may work with a slightly finer grind size than, for example, a simple container where the coffee is subsequently filtered through paper.

If you have your own grinder, you can adjust the grind size from brew to brew. See our selection of coffee grinders.

3. Add water

Put the ground coffee in the brewer's filter or container and add water.

Make sure the entire coffee bed gets wet.

If your brewer has a built-in filter, you can optionally stir gently so that no dry coffee is left behind.

4. Place the coffee in the refrigerator

Place the brewer in the refrigerator.

Start with approximately 8 hours of extraction.

Cold brew is a slow brewing method, so the difference between, for example, 6, 8, and 12 hours can be felt in the cup.

Therefore, use the brew time as one of the variables you can adjust according to taste.

5. Remove the coffee grounds

When the brewing is finished, the coffee grounds must be removed.

If your cold brew brewer has a removable filter, take the filter out.

If you are brewing in a regular container, the coffee must be filtered before it is drunk.

If you let the coffee grounds remain in the coffee after the desired brew time, the extraction continues, and the taste can become stronger and more bitter.

6. Taste and adjust

Taste your cold brew without changing anything first.

If it is good, you have your basic recipe.

If it is not quite as you wish, you should only change one variable at a time.

This makes it easier to find out what actually improves the brew.

How much coffee should you use for cold brew?

A good starting point for ready-to-drink cold brew is about:

70–80 grams of coffee per liter of water.

We recommend starting at about 75 grams per liter.

This is significantly more coffee than in many regular recipes for filter coffee, but cold brew is brewed at a low temperature and over a much longer time.

If the result is too strong, you can use less coffee next time.

If it becomes too thin, you can either:

• use more coffee

• grind a little finer

• prolong the brewing time

Preferably avoid changing all three things at once.

What grind size should I use for cold brew?

There is no one grind size that fits all cold brew brewers perfectly.

A good general starting point is medium to medium-coarse.

If your brewer has a very fine permanent filter, a slightly finer grind size can work well.

If you use very coarsely ground coffee, the extraction will be slower. The result can therefore become thin if the brew time is also short.

If the coffee is very finely ground, more small coffee particles can get through the filter, and the result can be more murky.

Therefore, use the grind size actively when fine-tuning your recipe.

How long should cold brew steep?

Start with approximately 8 hours in the refrigerator.

It is a good and simple starting point, especially for cold brew brewers with a permanent filter.

Then taste the result.

If the coffee lacks intensity, you can try a slightly longer brew time next time.

If it seems very strong, dry, or bitter, you can try a shorter time.

Some cold brew systems are designed for significantly longer extraction, so the manufacturer's instructions for your specific brewer should always have top priority.

Cold brew or iced coffee – what is the difference?

Cold brew and iced coffee are not necessarily the same.

Cold brew

Cold brew is made by letting ground coffee and cold or room-temperature water be in contact with each other over several hours.

The coffee is therefore not heated during the brewing itself.

Iced coffee

Iced coffee primarily describes a cold coffee drink.

It can, for example, be made from:

• hot filter coffee that is cooled down

• espresso with ice

• coffee brewed directly over ice

• cold brew

Cold brew is therefore a brewing method, while iced coffee is a broader term for coffee served cold.

Cold brew or iced pour over?

Another way to make cold coffee is to brew hot coffee directly over ice.

Here, hot water is still used for the extraction, after which the coffee is cooled down quickly by the ice.

It provides a different flavor profile than cold brew.

If you want to highlight light, fruity, and aromatic notes, coffee brewed hot over ice can be interesting.

If you want a very simple method that can be prepared several hours in advance, cold brew is ideal.

Which coffee beans are best for cold brew?

You can make cold brew with both light-, medium-, and dark-roasted coffee beans.

There is no one right roast degree.

Light-roasted coffee

Light-roasted coffee can provide a more lively and fruity cold brew.

It is interesting if you want to experience more of the coffee's origin character.

Medium-roasted coffee

Medium-roasted coffee is a good place to begin.

Here, you often get a nice balance between sweetness, body, and the coffee's individual flavor notes.

Dark-roasted coffee

Dark-roasted coffee provides a stronger roast character and can be suitable if you prefer a more intense cold brew or want to combine the coffee with milk.

The most important thing is your own taste.

You can see our entire selection of freshly roasted coffee beans.

Can you make cold brew concentrate?

Yes.

Cold brew can both be brewed as a coffee that is ready to drink and as a stronger concentrate that is subsequently diluted.

For concentrate, a significantly higher ratio of coffee to water is used.

The precise recipe depends to a high degree on the brewer, and therefore we recommend that you follow the manufacturer's recipe if your cold brew system is intended for concentrate.

The concentrate can subsequently be diluted with, for example:

• cold water

• milk

• plant-based milk

• ice

The guide's basic recipe of approximately 75 grams of coffee per liter of water is, however, intended as ready-to-drink cold brew and should normally not be diluted.

Should cold brew be brewed in the refrigerator?

That is the method we recommend as a simple starting point.

Place the brewer directly in the refrigerator during extraction.

It makes the process easy to repeat, and the finished coffee is already cold when it is ready.

Some recipes work with extraction at room temperature, but time and dosage can be different.

Therefore, follow the manufacturer's instructions if you use a brewer with a specific recipe.

Why does my cold brew taste bitter?

If your cold brew is more bitter or harsh in taste than you wish, you can try to:

• shorten the brew time

• grind the coffee a little coarser

• use a little less coffee

• choose a lighter roast

• remove the filter immediately after the desired brew time

Change one thing at a time.

It makes it much easier to find the actual cause.

Why does my cold brew taste thin?

A thin cold brew can be due to too low extraction.

Try, for example, to:

• use a little more coffee

• grind the coffee a little finer

• prolong the brew time

• check that all coffee grounds get properly wet

If you use very coarse coffee and at the same time a short brew time, the result can easily become weak.

Why is my cold brew murky?

A bit of sediment can occur, especially when the brewer uses a permanent metal or plastic filter.

If the coffee is very murky, the grind size may be too fine for the filter.

Try a slightly coarser setting next time.

You can also post-filter the coffee through a paper filter if you prefer a cleaner cup.

Can cold brew be drunk with milk?

Yes.

Cold brew can be drunk:

• neat

• over ice

• with milk

• with plant-based milk

• as a base in different cold coffee drinks

If you often drink the coffee with milk, you can advantageously brew it a little stronger so that the coffee taste is still clear after dilution.

Should you use ice in cold brew?

No.

The coffee is already cold after the brewing in the refrigerator and can be drunk straight.

However, ice provides an extra cold and fresh serving.

Remember that the ice melts and dilutes the coffee.

If you know that you will always drink your cold brew with a lot of ice, you can therefore brew it a little stronger.

How long can cold brew keep?

Store the finished cold brew in the refrigerator in a clean, closed container.

We recommend brewing an amount you can drink within a few days.

The taste is best while the coffee is still fresh, and it changes gradually during storage.

That makes small batches interesting: You can have fresh cold brew ready without making much more than you actually manage to drink.

Hario Mizudashi – a concrete starting point

If you use a Hario Mizudashi, you should follow the recipe for the specific size.

Hario's own starting points are around:

600 ml model

• 50 g coffee

• approx. 650 ml water

• approx. 8 hours of extraction

1,000 ml model

• 80 g coffee

• approx. 1,150 ml water

• approx. 8 hours of extraction

Some of the water is absorbed by the coffee, so the finished amount will be less than the amount of water you add.

Hario recommends a medium-fine grind size specifically for the Mizudashi filter.

It underscores at the same time why grind size should not be considered a universal rule: the brewer's filter and construction matter.

How to get a more consistent cold brew

If you want to be able to repeat the same great brew, note down:

• coffee in grams

• water in grams or milliliters

• grinder setting

• brew time

• which coffee bean you used

Then change only one variable next time.

In that way, you go from guessing to actually being able to adjust the brew according to taste.

Frequently asked questions about cold brew

What is cold brew?

Cold brew is coffee that is extracted with cold or room-temperature water over several hours instead of with hot water over a short time.

How much coffee should I use for 1 liter of cold brew?

Start at about 75 grams of coffee to 1 liter of water if you want a ready-to-drink cold brew.

How long should cold brew steep?

About 8 hours in the refrigerator is a good starting point. Then adjust according to coffee, grind size, brewer, and taste.

How fine should coffee be ground for cold brew?

Start around medium to medium-coarse. The best grind size depends on the filter in your brewer. Hario recommends, for example, medium-fine coffee for the Mizudashi.

Should cold brew be diluted?

Not necessarily. A ready-to-drink recipe can be drunk straight. Cold brew concentrate is brewed stronger and is intended to be diluted.

Is cold brew the same as iced coffee?

No. Cold brew describes a brewing method with cold water and long extraction. Iced coffee is a broad term for coffee that is served cold.

Can you use regular coffee beans for cold brew?

Yes. You can use the same coffee beans that you use for other brewing methods. Roast degree and origin change the flavor profile.

Should cold brew stand in the refrigerator?

It is a simple and stable starting point, and it is the method we recommend in this guide.

Why does my cold brew become bitter?

Too long brew time, too fine grind size, high coffee dosage, or a darker roast can all affect the bitterness.

Why does my cold brew become thin?

Too little coffee, too coarse grinding, or too short brew time are good places to begin troubleshooting.

What do I need to make cold brew?

You basically need coffee beans, water, a container, and a way to filter out the coffee grounds. A dedicated cold brew brewer makes the process easier and more consistent.

Ready to try cold brew?

Cold brew is one of the easiest brewing methods to experiment with because you only need coffee, water, time, and a filter.

Start with 75 grams of coffee per liter of water and approximately 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Then taste the result and adjust one thing at a time.

You can find cold brew brewers and accessories, freshly roasted coffee, coffee grinders, and coffee scales at Brændeholm Risteri.

If you want to try another brewing method, you will find all our brewing guides gathered in one place.