Learn how to make Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate that is strong, smooth, and works perfectly every time. This concentrated recipe uses a higher coffee-to-water ratio than regular cold brew, so you can easily store it in the fridge and dilute with water as needed for cafe-style drinks all week.
This recipe covers a simple cold brew concentrate recipe that you can make in a French Press or a jar, how to hot bloom (and why you might want to), and the perfect ratio to dilute the concentrate to a cafe-style cold brew coffee.
I spent months testing different brew times and coffee-to-water ratios to find the sweet spot, whether you're measuring in metric or with cups and spoons. So let's dive in!
Cold brew coffee concentrate is the perfect coffee beverage in the Summer, and whenever the weather is hot. It has a smooth robust flavor and is even easier to make than hot coffee or iced coffee (which is made a little differently, check out the section below to understand how).
It's also great to serve to guests and friends, because while it's very easy to make, cold brew coffee is very "high brow" giving it a luxurious and impressive vibe.
For more homemade coffee recipes, try my Starbucks Copycat Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso and Iced Mocha! Even without a coffee machine, you can make a decent espresso or espresso drink using my recipes for French Press Espresso or AeroPress Espresso.
For another cold coffee variation, try making an iced Americano by diluting hot espresso with ice and cold water. This method creates a coffee beverage that is very similar to an iced coffee.
For coffee-shop-inspired treats to serve alongside this cold brew concentrate, check out my Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Gluten-Free Brownies, Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls, Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins, Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins, Gluten-Free Apple Coffee Cake, or Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake.
So what's the difference between cold brew coffee and an iced coffee? Keep reading to find out!
What is the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?
The difference between cold brew coffee and iced coffee is the brewing method. Cold brew is brewed cold for a long period of time. Iced coffee is first brewed hot and concentrated and then cooled and diluted with ice.
How to make it (with photos)
Learn how to make cold brew coffee concentrate and how to turn it into full strength cold brew.
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
Ok so cold brew coffee concentrate is just water and coffee beans, but grind size, coffee brand, coffee type, and filtered water can all play a role in making a good cup!
The best coffee for Cold Brew
A medium or dark roast coffee is best for cold brew because it retains a strong coffee flavor even with the slow and cool brewing method.
My personal favorite everyday brand to use for cold brew coffee is Gevalia House Blend medium roast coffee because of its full bodied with balanced flavor.
The best grind size for cold brew
A medium coarse grind is best for cold brew coffee because it is easy to filter and releases caffeine and flavor more slowly than a fine grind. A medium grind will also work, but you will have a higher caffeine concentration.
Is filtered water better for making coffee?
Since our body registers taste more strongly for cold beverages over warm beverages, it's more important to use filtered water when making cold brew coffee. With unfiltered water, chlorine and other chemicals are more noticeable.
I recommend trying this recipe once with unfiltered water and then with filtered water to see if you can tell the difference. For me, using unfiltered water was the secret to unlocking that coffee shop taste!
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with quantities.
Variations
Make these popular cold brew coffee variations easily using the guidance below:
- Pumpkin Cold Brew - Adding pumpkin pie spice to the grounds while they brew will give you a pumpkin spice flavored coffee. However, if you're like me and prefer a stronger pumpkin flavor more like a pumpkin spice latte, try adding my Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer to your regular cold brew coffee.
- Cold Brew Espresso - This method can be used exactly as listed to make cold brew espresso! Using ground espresso beans will make it more authentic, but your regular coffee grind will be similar and makes a perfect substitute. Use ¼ cup of cold brew concentrate in place of 1 shot of espresso.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Learn how to make cold brew concentrate with these four extra easy steps!
Hint: The french press I used in the photos is the Bodum large 1 liter size, and is perfect for making cold brew concentrate!
- Combine: Add the coffee grounds and filtered water to a large jar or container. Use a whisk to mix them thoroughly together.
- Brew: Seal the jar with a lid and place in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 18 hours.
- Filter: Place a nut milk bag or cheese cloth in a sieve over a bowl. Slowly pour the cold brew mixture into the lined sieve to filter. Filter a second time if you like. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Serve: To serve, dilute with 1 part cold brew concentrate to 2 parts water, ice, or milk/creamer of choice.
French Press Cold Brew
You can make cold brew coffee concentrate in a french press, and it cuts down on some of the mess and trouble. Use a medium coarse grind and check the size of your french press to make sure you don't overfill it. Most standard french presses have a volume of 32 ounces (4 cups).
Because a nut milk bag or cheesecloth is a finer filter than the one built into a french press, I recommend filtering the cold brew concentrate a second time using one of these tools.
Hot Bloom Cold Brew
Hot blooming uses hot water to bloom the coffee grounds before finishing the cold brew at a cooler temperature. A hot bloom rapidly extracts the aromatic oil and releases carbon dioxide in the coffee grounds giving it a bolder and better flavor.
Because hot bloomed cold brew coffee is more acidic and has more caffeine, it's best to try this method when adding milk or cream to the finished drink to balance the acidity.
To hot bloom, first add just enough hot water to cover the coffee grinds and stir. Then wait 30 seconds before adding the remaining amount of ice water and brew as instructed above.
Expert Tips
Make the best cold brew coffee concentrate on the first try with these expert tips!
If you like creamer, try a hot bloom.
I LOVE a good hot bloomed cold brew and highly recommend you try it. However, if you drink your cold brew coffee black, it may be too acidic.
Check out the above "Hot Bloom Cold Brew" section to learn how I do it.
Mind your grind.
A too-fine-grind will give you one caffeinated cup! If using pre-ground coffee with a find grind, brew it for less than 18 hours unless you want a serious caffeine jolt.
A medium coarse grind (similar to what you would use for french press coffee) is my favorite and recommended grind size.
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
Store leftover cold brew coffee concentrate in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
The coffee grinds to water ratio for this cold brew coffee concentrate is 25 grams of ground coffee to 1 cup of filtered water. Or 75 grams of ground coffee for 3 cups of filtered water. This is roughly 1 cup of ground coffee in three cups of filtered water.
Cold brew coffee is different than iced coffee and other coffee brews because it has a much longer brewing time at a COLD temperature. This creates a smooth flavor that is less acidic than traditional coffee. Hot coffee and iced coffee are both brewed at a hot temperature.
Many people prefer cold brew coffee because it has a smooth, less acidic taste than iced coffee or hot coffee. This makes cold brew ideal for drinking black and during the daytime.
Related coffee recipes to consider...
Looking for more coffee recipes like this cold brew coffee concentrate recipe? Check these out:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the comment field below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
Ingredients
- 75 grams medium course ground coffee beans , this is about 1 cup of whole beans or a little less than one cup of medium coarse ground coffee beans
- 3 cups of filtered water (710 grams, 710 ml)
Instructions
- Combine: Add the coffee grounds and filtered water to a large jar or container. Use a whisk to mix them thoroughly together.
- Brew: Seal the jar with a lid and place in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 18 hours.
- Filter: Place a nut milk bag or cheese cloth in a sieve over a bowl. Slowly pour the cold brew mixture into the lined sieve to filter. Filter a second time if you like. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Serve: To serve, dilute with 1 part cold brew concentrate to 2 parts water, ice, or milk/creamer of choice.
Andie says
This is the best recipe for cold brew coffee concentrate! I’ve been making it every week after trying a few others, and this is the one I stuck with.
Landon says
Tried a few others, stuck with this recipe. It’s easy. Sometimes I measure it with a scale and sometimes I use cups. Turns out great every time.
Jamie says
Thank you for sharing 🙂 I'm so glad it worked for you.
Anna says
Love how detailed this post is! My boyfriend and I decided that we both like the hot bloom cold brew. I also make it in a large French press and filter with cheese cloth. simply the best!
Nick says
This is the recipe you’re looking for! Better than store-bought cold brew concentrate, with good instructions on how to use it. This is the one I’ll be sharing with my coffee club crew!
Ashlee says
This is a great recipe! I make it all the time since it’s so hot here in Texas. I rarely get cold brew coffee out anymore!
Shawnda Close says
This will be my 1st try at cold brew concentrate after SCOURING for recipes... yours wins. I know I want to hot bloom mine. You say enough hot water "just to cover"? How much is that? Is this boiled water? And lastly "X" amount of "ice cold water" is the remaining amount of this recipe total (I assume)... and is this fridge cold or actually iced water? I hope my points are coming across & Yes, I'm particular (PERFECTIONIST/ACCURATE) LOL. THANK YOU. 🙏
Jamie says
I'm happy to hear it Shawnda! I hope it delivers after all your hard work in finding it.
Hot water: For a single batch, I use 3/4 cups hot water at 200 degrees F (between 195 and 205 degrees F) to hot bloom. Make sure to stir it right after adding it to the coffee grounds so they are fully submerged in the hot water.
Cold water: Then, for the remaining amount of cold water, it's 2 1/4 cups. I like to use cold water mixed with ice. I don't measure the exact amount of ice, but you want to make sure that the cold water immediately stops the hot brewing process so it needs to be colder than tap cold and probably colder than fridge cold. I have a two cup measuring cup that I fill halfway with crushed ice and then top with filtered water (my filtered water is at room temperature) until it makes a total of 2 1/4 cups of ice water mixture.
Jeff says
Can I freeze this concentrate for later use?
Jamie says
Hi Jeff! I haven't tried freezing it myself but I think it would work just fine.
Marge says
I make coffee ice cubes for longer storage. When ready to have one, just put one in cup a few hours before drinking, add additional water & flavoring/sweetener and it’s ready.
Jamie says
That's such a good idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Kevin says
I am really enjoying, trying the different variations of cold brew. I found that I also really like the hot bloom method when using creamer. I actually have both in my refrigerator right now, so I can pick one depending on my mood.
Jamie says
I love this idea and feel so inspired to keep both on hand as well! Thanks Kevin!
Matthew says
I’m glad I found this recipe. It made the perfect cup of cold brew. I’m brewing my second batch right now.
Jamie says
I'm so glad to hear it Matthew. Thank you for sharing!
Venetta says
This cold brew coffee concentrate recipe works like a charm! The dilution information was accurate, 1/3 coffee concentrate to 2/3 of whatever else you add. This will be my go to recipe all summer!
Jamie says
Cheers Venetta! I'm so glad you're enjoying it.