Cold Brew: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Easiest Cold Brew at Home

Has anyone ever had this kind of iced coffee? I’m sure sometimes this is a solid go-to drink (or the only option). But no matter how busy you are this summer let me tell you that there is a way, with minimal effort, to make great cold brew at home. Let this easy cold brew recipe swoop in like a hero to help you beat the heat this summer and create a stellar coffee experience right in your own kitchen. This coffee practically brews itself while you are sleeping. Let’s get into the details on how to easily make this drink at home. This is the way.

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Easy Cold Brew Recipe

You really don’t need much to make a cold brew. A little bit of water and a little bit of coffee. If you prepare it the night before, you can leave it in your fridge overnight while you’re asleep! It’s that easy. Here’s what I use:

• Total prep time: 5 minutes
• Total brew time: 10 – 14 hours
• Coarsely ground coffee (coffee of your choice)
• 64oz Mason Jar
• Cold Brew Coffee Filter
• Mason Jar Lid with Flip Cap

Step 1 – Grind The Coffee

Pretty straightforward. I think every brew method we share will start with this step. Since the cold brew method requires a longer brew time for the cold water to extract the flavor from the coffee, you want to shoot for a coarse grind. You can compare with kosher salt flakes for size.

How much coffee should I use?

For this cold brew, we’re making a concentrate – which means once it’s done you can dilute with water to taste. For most cold brew methods we’ve come across, we typically see anything between 1:4 to a 1:8 ratio (this means for every one part coffee, you will use (x) parts water). In this post, I am showing you how I make a cold brew in a 64oz Mason Jar and I use a 1:4 ratio – about 2 cups of coffee to 8 cups of water. I am sharing this coffee with my wife, so we make it all in a really large jar for the two of us. If you are only brewing for one person, you can use a smaller Mason Jar instead (or any pitcher that works for you). This concentrate will be pretty strong, but remember you can dilute to taste once it is ready to drink.

Step 2 – Fill Coffee Filter with Grounds and Add Water

I like using a large 32oz Ball Jars for this. But you can use any kind of container or pitcher to store your cold brew concentrate. If you use something larger, you might need to adjust the coffee and use multiple bags if you are using a large pitcher. Pro Tip: we recommend a glass jar or pitcher if possible. The coffee will stain your plastic pitchers.

Step 3 – Place Jar in the Refrigerator and Wait

At this point, you are ready to get this guy in the fridge and let it do its thing! The total prep time should be under 5 minutes.

How long do I keep it in the fridge?

Honestly, a cold brew can be pretty forgiving. You have the ability to play around with the timing to reach your desired results. I like to shoot for sometime between 12 – 14 hours. This is by far the easiest step, because you can set it and forget it. Well, actually try not to forget it. But if you do, don’t worry! All is not lost. It might brew for a slightly longer duration but remember you can dilute it with water or cream when you are ready to serve it. I’ve accidentally left mine in there possibly a little over 24 hours…

Step 4 – Serve Over Ice and Enjoy!

Once it’s out of the fridge, you can see this dark, rich amber color beckoning you to drink up.

Drop a few ice cubes, and then play around with how much you dilute it with water. This is a great drink to keep on hand during the summer months. Once you get a good rhythm going you won’t have to think much about prepping this during the week. Also, it’s fun to play around with different coffees and see how that alters the flavor profile for each brew.

The Perfect Summer Drink

Cold Brew coffee is a great way to enjoy your coffee on a hot day. It’s also a nice fast option to pull out when you need that extra little “boost” to get you through your day. There are other ways you can enhance the flavors of your cold brew coffee, which we will share in upcoming posts. Hopefully you are ready to make this easy cold brew on your own! Happy brewing.