How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home – Recipe and Instructions
No hot water, no pressure, and a brewing time of over 12 hours—that doesn't really sound like the coffee we know and love. Nevertheless, cold brew coffee, which is prepared exactly this way, is one of the trendiest drinks around. Cold brew coffee has become a staple in specialty coffee shops, on social media, and in more and more home kitchens. It’s easier to make than you might think, the result is surprisingly aromatic—and there’s hardly anything better in the summer. We’ll explain how you can make cold brew yourself, what to keep in mind, and which beans work best.
What is Cold Brew coffee – and where does it?
Cold Brew ist schlichtweg kalt gebrühter Kaffee: grob gemahlenes Kaffeemehl zieht über viele Stunden in kaltem Wasser, ohne jede Hitze. Das Ergebnis ist ein sanftes, aromenreiches Konzentrat mit natürlicher Süße und deutlich weniger Bitterstoffen als klassisch gebrühter Kaffee. In Japan war die Kaltextraktion bereits im 17. Jahrhundert als Kyoto-Style Cold Brew bekannt, eine aufwändige Brühmethode, bei der Wasser tropfenweise über Kaffeemehl läuft. Seinen weltweiten Durchbruch erlebte Cold Brew Kaffee erst mit dem Boom der Specialty-Coffee-Szene – und wächst seitdem kontinuierlich.
What makes cold brew so special?
The key difference between cold brew coffee and other coffee drinks lies in the temperature. Without heat, hardly any bitter compounds and less acidity are released from the ground coffee—cold brew coffee tastes milder, rounder, and naturally sweeter than hot-brewed varieties.
It also has a surprisingly high caffeine content: the long steeping time extracts more caffeine from the beans than a regular filter coffee. This makes it particularly well-suited for use as a concentrate.
Cold brew is also convenient: it keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and can be enjoyed in many different ways—straight, over ice, with milk, or as a cocktail base.
How to Make Your Own Cold Brew – Here's How
Cold brew is really easy to make at home. We'll explain what you need, what to keep in mind, and give you our step-by-step cold brew recipe.
What you need
- Coffee beans (medium to light roast; fruity flavors come through especially well)
- Cold or room-temperature water
- A large container (Mason jar, pitcher, or special cold brew maker)
- A fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter for straining
Cold Brew Coffee Recipe: The Right Ratio
The ratio of ground coffee to water determines how strong the cold brew coffee will be. With a ratio of about 2:10 (200 grams of coffee to 1 liter of water), you’ll get a cold brew concentrate that’s ideal as a base for cocktails, desserts, or iced lattes.
A 1:10 ratio works best for cold brew that's ready to drink right away. That way, you can enjoy it neat or over ice without diluting it.
Step by step
How to Make Cold Brew
Making cold brew coffee is incredibly simple. You'll have everything ready in just a few minutes; the fridge takes care of the rest:
- Coarsely grind the coffee beans just before brewing.
- Add coffee grounds and water to the container in the desired ratio and stir well
- Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
- After the brewing time, strain the coffee through a fine sieve or a coffee filter. Remove all the coffee grounds; any residue will cloud the flavor.
- Your cold brew coffee is ready! Enjoy it straight over ice, diluted with milk or plant-based milk, or as a base for other drinks.
The Right Steeping Time
The steeping time is crucial for the flavor and intensity of cold brew coffee. Too short results in a watery, flat taste; too long leads to bitterness and over-extraction.
- 12 hours: Mild and light, with distinct fruity notes—ideal for light roasts and beginners.
- 16–18 hours: The sweet spot for most cold brew fans. The flavors have fully developed and are well-balanced and full-bodied.
- 20–24 hours: intense and concentrated, ideal as a cold brew concentrate or for cocktails. Be sure to check the flavor periodically.
Common Mistakes When Making Cold Brew
The cold brew process is actually very simple. However, a few mistakes can easily creep in, especially during your first few attempts. Here are our tips:
- Make sure to use a coarse grind, similar to that used for a French press. Coffee grounds that are too fine will result in a cloudy, over-extracted brew with a bitter aftertaste.
- Hard tap water negatively affects the taste. Filtered or still mineral water yields significantly better results.
- Let the cold brew steep in the refrigerator from the very beginning. Room temperature speeds up the extraction process and promotes the development of undesirable flavors.
Cold Brew Coffee at Espresso Perfetto The Right Beans for Home
A good cold brew coffee depends on the right beans. Since no heat is involved, flavors that are often masked during hot brewing come to the fore. That’s why the choice of beans matters more than with other brewing methods.
Medium- to light-roast 100% Arabica beans or blends with a high Arabica content are best suited for this method: Cold extraction brings out their natural sweetness and delicate aromas, resulting in a balanced cold brew with minimal bitterness. Dark roasts and blends with a high Robusta content can quickly become bitter due to the long steeping time and should therefore be avoided.
In our Espresso Perfetto store you’ll find a carefully curated selection of beans in various roast levels and blends. Whether you’re looking for a classic espresso or a modern cold brew—you’ll find something to suit every taste here. Stop by our online shop and browse our wide selection!
