Cold brew is one of my favourite ways to enjoy coffee, especially on warm days. It’s incredibly forgiving, doesn’t require fancy equipment, and with a little patience, produces a smooth, naturally sweet cup with very little bitterness.
After experimenting with different beans, ratios and brewing times over the years, this is the recipe I keep coming back to. I normally brew a concentrate and dilute it later depending on whether I’m drinking it black or with milk.
What do you need to get started
- Grinder
- Brewer
- Filtered Water
- Coffee
- Espresso blend if you plan to add milk.
- Light roast such as filter or light espresso roast for serving straight up.
Cold Brew Ratio
Cold Brew Concentrate
1:5
- 1 part coffee to 5 parts filtered water
Ready to drink Cold Brew
1:15
- 1 part coffee to 15 parts filtered water
My Cold Brew Recipe
Ingredients : Cold Brew Concentrate
- Coffee – 50 G
- Water – 250 ML
Method
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Wet the filter and insert it into the groove inside the brewer. Don’t forget to insert the plug in the bottom.
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Add the paper filter bag to the brewer. The brewer will work without this, but it helps to extract more from the coffee, and makes clean up a whole lot easier.
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Grind the coffee coarse (between filter & french press / plunger) and add to the brewer. For Baratza Encore owners, I’ve put together a detailed Baratza Encore Grind Settings guide with the grind setting I use for cold brew.
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Pour filtered water over the grounds, try to wet them as evenly as possible. If you’re using the paper filter bag stir the coffee to make sure the grounds are completely wet. If you’re not using the bag, don’t stir the coffee as the fine grinds can block the smaller filter – just pat any dry grounds you can see with the back of a spoon.
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Cover the brewer and leave to brew at room temperature for 20-24 hours.
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The next day, remove the plug and place on the decanter to drain. Add the airtight lid and store in the fridge for up to 14 days.
Serving
I usually dilute the concentrate depending on how I’m serving it.
- Black: Approximately 1:15 with filtered water over ice.
- With milk: I generally use an espresso blend as it stands up much better to milk.
Like most coffee recipes, this is simply a starting point. Feel free to experiment with different beans, brewing times and dilution ratios until you find the cup that suits your taste.