The Only Cold Brew Coffee Recipe You Need (Step-by-Step)

You set out for an iced coffee and end up with a glass of disappointment—watery, bitter, or both. Or maybe you’re tired of paying café prices for cold brew that you can’t quite recreate at home. Between conflicting ratios, muddy cups, and guesswork on steep times, it’s easy to spin your wheels and never land on a method you trust.

Here’s the fix: a simple, repeatable cold brew process that delivers a smooth, naturally sweet concentrate you can keep in the fridge all week. With a coarse grind, a clear coffee-to-water ratio, and a little patience, you’ll get café-level results without special equipment—just a jar, a filter, and a scale. Prefer it bold? Mellow? Dairy-forward? This method lets you dial it in exactly to your taste.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll gather the right gear, choose fresh beans and roast level, pick a brew method (Mason jar, French press, or brewer), set your ratio and batch size, grind properly, saturate evenly, and steep with confidence—on the counter or in the fridge. We’ll show you how to strain for a clean cup, dilute for iced or hot service, customize with milks and syrups, store safely, make coffee ice cubes, troubleshoot off-flavors, and put spent grounds to good use. Let’s get you brewing a better cold brew—consistently.

Step 1. Gather your gear: jar or French press, filter, scale, and grinder

Before you brew, line up a few basics. You don’t need a fancy setup—just clean tools that keep your ratio tight and your cup clean. Grab the essentials below and you’re ready for café‑level cold brew at home.

• Jar or French press (1‑quart/1‑liter): Both work perfectly for steeping.
• Filter: Fine‑mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper; or press first, then “polish” through a filter.
• Scale: Measure in grams for consistent, repeatable ratios.
• Grinder: Burr grinder set to coarse (think coarse cornmeal).
• Water & storage: Filtered water for better flavor, plus a lidded bottle/carafe for the fridge.

Step 2. Pick your beans and roast level (freshly roasted matters)

Cold brew rewards freshness. Grinding right before brewing preserves the aromatic oils that make your cup taste sweet and complex—exactly what you want from a smooth cold brew concentrate. Choose beans you already enjoy; this method mutes sharp bitterness and highlights chocolatey, nutty, and fruity notes, depending on roast. Freshly roasted beans (not stale, not pre-ground) are your biggest flavor upgrade—then you can tune the profile to taste.

• Light roast: Brighter, fruit-forward, more “tea-like” clarity.
• Medium roast: Balanced, rounded sweetness with cocoa/caramel notes.
• Dark/“espresso” roast: Bolder, lower acidity, chocolate-heavy and rich.
• Flavored coffees: Fun for lattes—vanilla, cinnamon, or pecan shine in cold brew.

Tip: Beans labeled “espresso” are just a roast style—you can absolutely use them for cold brew.

Step 3. Choose your brew method: mason jar, French press, or dedicated cold brew maker

Your method affects setup, cleanup, and clarity more than flavor. With the same coarse grind, ratio, and steep time, you’ll get similarly smooth results. Pick the path that matches your routine and batch size, then keep it consistent for repeatable cold brew.

• Mason jar (most flexible): No special gear, scales to big batches, and great for meal prep. You’ll just strain slowly through cheesecloth or a paper-lined fine strainer after 12–24 hours.
• French press (tidy and fast): Built-in plunger makes the first separation easy. Most home presses hold about 1 liter/3 cups of water. For extra clarity, “polish” the pressed coffee through a paper or cloth filter.
• Dedicated cold brew maker (convenience): Integrated filter baskets make pouring and cleanup simple. Handy if you brew often, but not required—properly filtered jar or French press cold brew tastes just as smooth.

Step 4. Decide your ratio and batch size (concentrate vs ready-to-drink)

Start with ratio, and everything else falls into place. A reliable, barista-tested baseline for cold brew is 1:8 by weight (1 part coffee to 8 parts water). It makes a smooth concentrate that you can enjoy over ice as-is, or dilute after brewing for your perfect strength. If you prefer a milk-forward drink or want to pour over lots of ice, brew strong and dilute later—ice melt is part of the plan.

• Concentrate (recommended): Brew 1:8, then dilute in the cup 1:1 for standard strength or 1:2 for lighter. Adjust to taste with water or milk.
• Ultra-strong styles exist: Some home methods use tighter coffee-to-water by volume; still, measuring by weight keeps results consistent.

Quick batch sizes (1:8 by weight)

Final water	Coffee (g)	Water (g/ml)
500 ml	62 g	500 g
1 liter	125 g	1000 g
2 liters	250 g	2000 g

Use this simple math to scale any batch: coffee_grams = water_grams / 8 and water_grams = coffee_grams * 8.

Step 5. Grind coarsely and measure precisely for repeatable results

Grind size is the biggest flavor lever in a cold brew coffee recipe. Go coarse—think coarse cornmeal—to extract slowly and avoid grit. Too fine (like drip or espresso) over-extracts and turns your concentrate bitter and muddy; too coarse and your brew can taste thin. Grind right before brewing so those fresh aromatics make it into the jar, not into the air.

Measure by weight for consistency. Weigh your beans before grinding and your water in grams to lock in your 1:8 baseline. A burr grinder makes dialing in easy. No burr grinder? Use a spice/blade grinder with 1‑second pulses, shaking between bursts, to keep particles chunky, not powdery.

• Grind size target: Coarse, resembling coarse cornmeal or rough sea salt—no sandy dust.
• Taste check: If the cup is bitter/silty, go coarser next time; if weak, go slightly finer.
• Be precise: Tare the scale, note grams and grinder setting, and repeat what tastes best.

Step 6. Combine coffee and water to fully saturate the grounds

Even extraction starts the moment water hits the coffee. Your goal is simple: every particle gets wet, with no dry pockets clinging to the sides. Use filtered water, cold or room temperature—both work for a cold brew coffee recipe—and keep agitation gentle so your cup stays clean and smooth.

1. Add the coarsely ground coffee to your jar or French press.
2. Pour in about half the water, stir gently to wet all grounds, then add the rest and stir again. Scrape down any dry grounds on the walls.
3. French press option: skip stirring and gently press the plunger just enough to submerge the grounds.
4. Make sure no “islands” of coffee are floating dry on top. Top off if needed, then lid to keep out dust.

Step 7. Steep 12–24 hours: fridge vs counter, timing, and when to stop

Now let time do the work. After you’ve mixed and lidded, let your cold brew steep undisturbed. You can brew on the counter or in the fridge—both deliver smooth results, and the steep time is effectively the same. The longer you go, the stronger the concentrate; push too far and you’ll start extracting bitter notes.

• Counter or fridge: Both work. Keep it covered; counter steeping is fine, and many home brewers refrigerate for convenience.
• Timing baseline: Start with 12 hours for a balanced, smooth cup. Extending toward 18–24 hours builds strength but can pull more bitterness—taste to decide.
• Taste test: Begin tasting at 12 hours. When a spoonful over ice tastes flavorful and sweet (not hollow or harsh), you’re done.
• If it’s weak at 12 hours: Let it go a few more hours or grind slightly finer next time.
• If it’s edging bitter: Strain immediately; next batch, shorten the steep or grind coarser.

Once it hits your sweet spot, move straight to straining—extraction continues until the grounds are out.

Step 8. Strain and filter for a clean, smooth concentrate

Clarity is the difference between “good” and “whoa, that’s smooth.” Once your steep hits the sweet spot, separate the liquid from the grounds gently. A fine‑mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a paper filter produces a clean, sweet concentrate; a French press makes the first separation easy, then you can “polish” by pouring through a lined strainer for café‑level clarity.

1. Set a fine strainer over a bowl or pitcher and line it with cheesecloth or a paper filter. Double up if your paper tears easily.
2. If you brewed in a French press, press slowly, then pour the coffee through the lined strainer. If you brewed in a jar, pour directly through the lined strainer.
3. Let gravity do the work—avoid squeezing or forcing the grounds, which can push fines into the cup and make it muddy.
4. If you see sediment, strain a second time with a fresh liner.
5. Transfer the filtered concentrate to a clean, lidded bottle.

• For fewer fines: Use a paper or cloth liner rather than mesh alone.
• If the filter clogs: Pause, swirl the slurry gently, or replace the liner.
• Compost: Toss spent grounds in the compost or garden beds.

Step 9. Dilute to taste and serve over ice—or heat for a hot cup

You’ve got a smooth concentrate—now turn it into the glass you want. Because ice melts, build your drink a touch stronger so the last sip stays sweet. For milk‑forward drinks, keep concentrate higher; for long sippers, add more water. With this cold brew coffee recipe brewed at 1:8, a 1:1 mix is classic café strength; 1:2 leans lighter and extra refreshing. Always stir before sipping; layers shift as the ice works its magic.

• Classic iced: 1:1 concentrate to cold water (about 4 oz + 4 oz) over ice.
• Long & light: 1:2 (3 oz concentrate + 6 oz water), easy‑drinking and smooth.
• Latte‑style: 2:1 concentrate:milk for bold, or 1:1 for balanced creaminess.
• Hot cup: Dilute 1:1–1:2, then warm gently (microwave 60–90 sec or stovetop). Don’t boil.
• Pro tip: Too strong? Add water or milk. Too weak? Add a splash of concentrate.

Step 10. Customize with milk, syrups, spices, and cold foam

Once your cold brew concentrate is dialed, make it yours. Keep it clean and black, or lean creamy and dessert‑level. Plant milks like almond, oat, or cashew play especially well with cold brew’s smooth profile, and a touch of sweetener balances any extra bite from ice melt.

• Milk choices: Whole milk for body; almond, oat, or cashew for silky, dairy‑free creaminess. Start with a splash or go 1:1 for latte vibes.
• Sweeteners & syrups: Use 1:1 simple syrup or maple for easy dissolving in cold drinks. Vanilla or caramel syrups add café-style sweetness.
• Spices & extracts: Stir in vanilla extract or a tiny splash of almond extract. For gentle spice, briefly steep a cinnamon stick in the concentrate, then remove.
• Cold foam topper: Froth chilled milk (jar shake or handheld frother) and spoon over your drink. Sweeten the foam lightly with simple syrup and a drop of vanilla for a soft, café‑style finish.

Step 11. Store safely, meal-prep for the week, and make coffee ice cubes

As soon as you’ve strained, chill it. Transfer your cold brew concentrate to a clean, lidded glass bottle and refrigerate. It keeps best for up to a week—label it Cold Brew – 10/01 and give the bottle a gentle swirl before pouring; a little sediment is normal. Storing as concentrate gives you maximum flexibility for ice, water, or milk day by day.

• Best practices: Keep it sealed, use filtered water, and store away from pungent fridge odors.
• Meal‑prep move: Portion into small jars for grab‑and‑go; build each cup 1:1 (stronger) or 1:2 (lighter) right over ice.
• Heat only what you drink: Warm your diluted portion gently; keep the rest cold.
• Coffee ice cubes: Pour leftover concentrate (or strong brewed coffee) into an ice tray, freeze, then bag the cubes. Use to chill without dilution, or drop a couple in to rescue a weak glass.
• When in doubt: If it smells off or tastes sour/bready, toss and brew a fresh batch.

Step 12. Troubleshoot common issues (weak, bitter, muddy, or sour)

If your first batch isn’t exactly how you like it, don’t toss the whole method—tweak the variables. Cold brew is highly forgiving, and small changes in grind, time, ratio, or filtration will move your cup from “meh” to sweet, smooth, and satisfying.

• Weak/thin: Grind slightly finer, steep longer (toward 14–18 hours), or increase dose by 10–20%. Confirm all grounds were fully saturated.
• Bitter/astringent: Grind coarser, shorten the steep (closer to 12–14 hours), and strain promptly at your target time. Dilute more in the glass.
• Muddy/gritty: Go coarser and “polish” through paper or cheesecloth after pressing/straining. Pour gently and don’t squeeze the grounds.
• Sour/tangy/hollow: Under-extracted. Extend steep past 12 hours and/or grind a touch finer. Make sure no dry “islands” of grounds remained on top.
• Flat/stale flavor: Use freshly roasted beans and grind right before brewing; pre‑ground or old coffee tastes dull cold.
• Too strong: Add water or milk (try 1:2 concentrate to diluent) and build over more ice; next batch, dilute in the pitcher.

Step 13. Reduce waste and put spent grounds to good use

Your cold brew doesn’t end at the strain. Those damp grounds still have value—at home and in the garden. Repurpose them and you’ll keep waste down while squeezing a little extra joy from your weekly batch. Start with these simple, low-effort ideas that many home brewers swear by.

• Compost booster: Toss spent grounds into your compost or mix lightly into garden beds to add organic matter.
• Mulch/top-dress beds: Sprinkle a thin layer over flower-bed mulch. It smells great when warmed by the sun and can help retain moisture. Use sparingly and avoid piling; some plants prefer less acidity.
• Pest deterrent (gardener tip): Many report fewer slugs/snails—and even moles/voles—when grounds are sprinkled around vulnerable plants. Results vary, so test small areas first.
• DIY body scrub/mask: Mix used grounds with coconut or almond oil to a spreadable paste. Store in a glass jar and use as a gentle exfoliant. Patch-test if you have sensitive skin.
• Household freshener for a day: Set a small open dish of moist grounds near the trash while you cook, then compost afterward.

You’re ready to cold brew

You’ve got the playbook: pick fresh beans, grind coarse, stick to a 1:8 ratio by weight, saturate evenly, steep 12–24 hours, strain clean, then dilute to taste. Store your concentrate cold for up to a week and build each glass for the moment—over ice, with milk, or warmed gently. Take quick notes on grams, grinder setting, and steep time; repeat the winners and your cold brew stays café‑level, every time.

Ready to put it into practice? Brew a batch tonight and wake up to smooth, sweet coffee tomorrow. For the best flavor, start with freshly roasted beans—grab your favorites (or try something new) from Fat Frank Coffee. One jar, one ratio, endless great mornings.