How to Brew Cold Brew

Cold Brew, Start to Finish

Cold brew really brings out the flavors of specialty coffee, especially naturals, honeys, and varieties that lean toward citrus.

What you'll need

100 g of coffee per batch (about a cup of whole beans), a grinder, a jar or pitcher that holds at least a liter with a lid, filtered water, and room in the fridge.

1. Grind it coarse

Think sea salt, not sand. Coarse grounds give you that smooth cup. Go too fine and it turns muddy and bitter, and fine grounds can sneak through the bag.

2. Fill the bag and tie it off

Pour all 100 g in and tie a tight knot, a double knot if you're not sure. Leave a little room at the top, because the grounds swell once they're wet.

3. Drop it into a liter of filtered water

That's 1 liter, or 32 oz. Push the bag under and give it a gentle squeeze so every bit of coffee gets wet. Filtered water matters more than people expect. Whatever's in your tap shows up in the cup. We're a little extra, we use remineralized reverse osmosis water.

4. Let it sit in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours

Put the lid on and walk away. At 12 hours it's lighter and brighter. At 18 it's fuller and bolder. We usually start it before bed and pull it sometime the next afternoon.

5. Pull the bag

Lift it out and let it drip for a few seconds. Don't wring it out, squeezing hard pushes bitterness back into the water. Keep it cold and finish it within a week.

Getting it where you like it

Too bitter, pull it sooner. Too thin, let it steep longer. If it's still bitter at 12 hours, go coarser on the next batch. Want it even cleaner? Run it through a paper coffee filter after you pull the bag.

How to drink it

This isn't a concentrate, but it is meant to go over ice, so it lightens up as the ice melts. If you want it lighter still, add a splash of water. It also takes milk really well.