It's July in Georgia, which means the walk from your front door to your car counts as cardio and hot coffee sounds like a dare. This is cold brew's moment. The good news: learning how to make cold brew at home takes about five minutes of actual work, no special equipment, and one ingredient decision that matters more than all the others. Let's make a batch.
What Cold Brew Is (and Isn't)
Cold brew isn't hot coffee poured over ice. That's iced coffee, and it's fine, but it's a different drink. Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee in cool water for 12 to 18 hours. Without heat, the water never extracts the harsher acids and bitter compounds that hot brewing pulls out, so you end up with something smooth, naturally sweet, and dangerously easy to drink. It's also stronger than it tastes, so pace yourself.
BEAN FACT: Cold brew typically has less acidity than hot-brewed coffee because many of the acidic compounds in coffee only extract at high temperatures. That's why it's the go-to for sensitive stomachs.
The Cold Brew Coffee Ratio That Actually Works
Ratios are where most homemade cold brew goes wrong, usually in the weak direction. Use a kitchen scale if you have one; coffee-scoop math is how sad, watery cold brew happens.
For concentrate (our recommendation): 1 part coffee to 4 parts water by weight. That's 200 grams of coffee (about two and a half cups of whole beans) to 800 grams of water. Dilute the finished concentrate 1:1 with water or milk when you serve it.
For ready-to-drink: 1 part coffee to 8 parts water. No diluting needed, but you give up flexibility. Concentrate lets one jar make everything from a strong morning glass to an afternoon coffee-with-milk.
ROASTER'S NOTE: Grind matters as much as ratio. Go coarse, like breadcrumbs or raw sugar, not powder. A fine grind over-extracts during a long steep and turns your batch muddy and bitter. If we're grinding for you, just ask for a cold brew grind at checkout.
Step by Step: How to Make Cold Brew
1. Grind coarse.
200 grams of coffee, ground coarse, for a concentrate batch.
2. Combine and stir.
Add the grounds to a large jar or pitcher, pour in 800 grams of cool, filtered water, and stir until every ground is wet. Dry pockets of coffee are wasted coffee.
3. Steep 12 to 18 hours.
Cover it and leave it on the counter for 12 to 14 hours, or in the fridge for 16 to 18 (cold slows extraction). Good things come to those who wait, and in this case waiting is the entire recipe.
4. Strain.
Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a paper filter or cheesecloth. Don't press or squeeze the grounds; let gravity do it, or you'll push bitterness into the batch.
5. Store and serve.
Concentrate keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. Pour over ice, dilute to taste, and add milk or one of your favorite syrups if that's your thing.
The Best Beans for Cold Brew
Here's the ingredient decision we mentioned: cold brew is unforgiving of stale coffee. The long steep extracts everything, including the flat, papery flavors of old beans. Start with freshly roasted coffee and the difference shows up in the glass immediately.
For a classic, rich cold brew (think chocolate, body, and a natural pairing with milk), our Hot Shot Espresso Blend is the one we reach for behind the counter. Medium-dark, sweet, and built to stay bold even over melting ice.
Want something more adventurous? A naturally processed light roast like our Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Chelchele makes a wildly refreshing cold brew: the blueberry and vanilla notes come through almost like a fruit tea. Serve that one black over ice and thank us later.
FROM THE ROASTERY
Our baristas at the Dawsonville shop brew both styles all summer. Ask for a taste next time you're in, then grab a bag of whichever one wins.
Make It a Summer Habit
One batch of concentrate covers about a week of drinks, which works out cheaper (and better) than a week of drive-thru cold brews. Keep the rotation going all summer with fresh roasted coffee delivered to your door, or put it on autopilot with a coffee subscription timed to your brewing pace. Free shipping on orders over $50.
FAQs
What's the best way to make cold brew stronger or weaker?
Adjust at serving time, not steeping time. Brew a 1:4 concentrate, then change your dilution: 1:1 with water for a standard glass, less water for stronger, more for lighter. Steeping longer than 18 to 20 hours adds bitterness, not strength.
Can I reuse the grounds for a second batch?
You can, but you shouldn't. The first steep extracts most of the flavor, so a second batch comes out thin and woody. Spent grounds are better off in the compost or garden.