Cold Brew at Home: A Beginner's Guide

Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for an extended period — typically 12–16 hours — instead of extracted with hot water. The result is low in acidity, high in caffeine, and smooth enough to drink without milk if you prefer.

The equipment barrier is almost zero. You need coarsely ground coffee, a jar or pitcher, cold water, and a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. No paper filters required (though they improve clarity). A French press works perfectly as a cold brew maker — steep with the plunger up, then press slowly to filter.

The ratio: 1 part coffee to 8 parts water for a drinking-strength cold brew, or 1:4 for a concentrate you dilute to taste. Start with 50g of coarsely ground coffee (similar to French press grind) and 400ml of water for concentrate — yields about 300ml after filtering.

Process: combine, stir gently to ensure all grounds are wet, cover, and refrigerate (or leave at room temperature if your kitchen is cool). After 12 hours, filter. At 16 hours, flavour is slightly more intense. Beyond 20 hours, you may get bitter, over-extracted notes — especially from darker roasts.

Storage: cold brew concentrate keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Drinking-strength cold brew is best within one week.

For cold brew, we recommend our Natural Process Arabica or Peaberry — both have fruity sweetness that comes through beautifully when extracted cold. Our Cold Brew Blend is specifically formulated for this method if you want a ready-optimised option.