How to Brew Cold Brew: Methods and Vessels for the Perfect Coffee
- Learn four ways to make cold brew coffee at home using different tools, methods, and techniques.
- Find the perfect coffee-to-water ratio and steeping time to make a smooth, bold cup of cold brew.
- Figure out which method works best for you and learn ways to adjust the flavor, strength, and brew time of your recipe .
Cold Brew–What’s the Hype?
If you haven’t already jumped on the cold brew trend, now is your chance. Not only is it convenient and refreshing, but it’s also uniquely brewed by slow infusion over several hours or even days creating a smoother, bolder, and more concentrated coffee flavor compared to hot brewed coffee. Not to mention, the brewing process is effortless since you make it ahead of time and just leave it in the fridge to steep.
There are so many ways to brew cold brew including methods using everyday kitchen items, so no fancy equipment is necessary to get started.
Experiment with some of the methods listed below and learn how to alter the recipe for your own personal taste by adjusting brew times and ratios, different vessels, and filtering methods.
Learning How to Batch Brew Classic Cold Brew
One of the easiest ways to make cold brew is making a large batch at once in a large pitcher or a jar and allowing it to steep overnight in the fridge. Because of the gentle temperatures and long steeping process, the coffee is incredibly smooth and slightly sweet.
We find that the best ratio for a classic cup of cold brew coffee is an 8:1 water to coffee ratio left for 12-24 hours in the fridge, filtered, and then consumed within 2-3 days.
No need to dilute it as this recipe is intended to be ready-to-drink, but the longer you allow it to sit, the stronger it will get, so adjust as you please.
Classic Cold Brew Recipe
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Bulletproof Cold Brew Grounds
- 8 cups water
Instructions:
- Mix the coffee ground and water together in a large pitcher and stir.
- Store in the fridge for 16-24 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Strain and serve! Consume within 2-3 days for ample freshness.
Using a Cheesecloth or Nut Milk Bag in a Mason Jar
For beginners, start with the simple, equipment-free method of making cold brew by using a Mason jar and some cheese cloth.
Add the coffee grinds and water to the jar and give a strong shake to combine. Letting them steep freely in a smaller amount of water allows for maximum extraction and an intense concentrated flavor. Steep this in the fridge for 24 hours, remembering to give an occasional shake or two to disrupt the coffee grinds and reintroduce them to the water.
When you’re ready to consume, remove the lid and replace it with a small square of cheese cloth secured with a rubber band to use as a strainer. Carefully pour out the concentrate into another jar leaving the coffee grinds behind. This recipe uses a 4:1 ratio to fit the smaller vessel and the end result is a concentrate that can be diluted with water or milk, but don’t worry, it still packs a punch!
More From Bulletproof
Mason Jar Cold Brew
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Bulletproof Cold Brew Grounds
- 4 cups water
Instructions:
- Mix the coffee ground and water together in a large pitcher and stir.
- Store in the fridge for 24 hours, shaking occasionally.
- Strain and serve over ice. Dilute the cold brew concentrate to your liking. For a nice strong 8 oz serving, we recommend using 5 oz concentrate to 3 oz water of milk. Consume within 3-5 days for ample freshness.
Cold Brew with a French Press
Another easy way to brew cold brew is by using your French Press coffee maker.
Pour the grinds and water in just as you would normally but add room temperature water instead. Cover, but do not allow the plunger to sink down.
After about 12-24 hours in the fridge, strain the grounds and pour into another container. Use the same 4:1 water to coffee ratio and dilute the concentrate as needed.
If you’re grinding whole beans, make sure to stick with a coarse grind so no gritty particles sneak through the stainer.
Brewing Cold Brew in a Cold Brew Maker
There are specific coffee makers designed for brewing cold brew coffee that make it easy and even more hassle-free than the above methods. Most of them look like large pitchers with a filter tube that runs through the middle. This allows the coffee to sit and steep within the filter tube that can be easily removed so no straining is necessary.
When using this style, just make sure you agitate the water and ground frequently as it is brewing in the fridge. Since the grounds are not floating freely, they can clump and even dry out if a bit if they are not saturated properly.
Our favorite for beginner or average coffee consumers is the Takeya Tritan Cold Brew Coffee Maker because it’s simple, straightforward, and affordable. For expert or large batch makers, this Kitchen Aid Cold Brew Maker steals the show and is perfectly designed with a spout so you can access a glass at any time from your fridge with the push of a button.
Iced Coffee-Style Cold Brew in a Pitcher or Drip Cup
If you’re in a pinch and really want a nice refreshing glass of cold brew, but don’t want to wait a whole day for it to steep, you can use this quick shortcut method to achieve a similar taste. Simply fill your regular drip cup or pour-over pitcher with ice and increase the amount of coffee grounds by about 30-40% more than usual.
This will brew a stronger cup of regular coffee directly over ice, which will make up for the diluted coffee flavor you would otherwise get once the ice melts.
Which Method is Best for You?
With all of these options, you might wonder which one is best for you. If you’re interested in ease and convenience, investing in a cold brew coffee maker is absolutely the way to go since there is minimal clean up and no need to strain the mixture.
If you like a super strong cup, the mason jar or French press method gets the best extraction because the grounds are free floating in a smaller amount of water resulting in a stronger concentrate.
And if you wake up one morning and you’ve run out of cold brew, the iced coffee method can help provide you with a quick alternative, so you won’t have to wait a whole 24 hours for your morning fix.
Overall, you can’t really go wrong when making cold brew, and this tasty refreshing beverage can be easily integrated into your routine with any of these methods.
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