How to Make Cold Brew Coffee?

By
Samanta Fryer
Samanta Fryer
Writer
Samanta Fryer is our senior editor and content writer, at CoffeeVibe. Apart from writing and reading, she’s fond of the coffee brewing process and enjoys tasting new coffe read more
reviewed
Reviewed By
Ryan Hendricks
Ryan Hendricks
Expert
Ryan Hendricks is our tester, who puts products through their paces. He used to be a barista and is now a full-time coffee enthusiast. He’s always testing out new gadgets, read more
Last updated: August 25, 2023
CoffeeVibe is reader-supported. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Learn more about our process here

It’s often the time of the year when it gets warmer out that people begin to crave those iced and cold brew coffees, over the regular piping hot cups of coffee that can be just as desirable. A cold cup of coffee can give you just as much satisfaction as a hot cup of a coffee can, and believe it or not; many people prefer their cold brew coffee all year round.

Unfortunately, cold and iced coffees at your local coffee shop are more than likely a bit more expensive than a traditional hot cup of coffee. Considering this, it’s likely that you’ve wondered how to make cold brew coffee at home. If you’re able to make it at home, then you can start saving yourself money and all those trips to the coffee shop!

Cold brew coffee is a pretty simple drink to make. Regardless, there are some different ingredients that you’ll need, and there are also a few different ways that you can make it. Cold brew is a simple drink, but it can certainly raise some questions.

What is cold brew coffee?

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee?

The biggest difference between cold brew coffee and iced coffee is that cold brew coffee takes a bit more time to create than iced coffee. Whereas iced coffee is initially brewed hot, then served cold, cold brew coffee is essentially made with coffee beans that are steeped in room temperature water for around 6-12 hours. The time that is required to care for and create proper cold brew coffee can explain its higher price at coffee shops compared to hot coffee.

Once the coffee beans have been steeped for long enough, they are cut with water or milk products, normally at a 50/50 mixture. There are multiple recipes and different ways of creating various types of cold brew coffee. Since cold brew is never exposed to heat and isn’t quickly transferred from one temperature to another, you can expect a flavorful and concentrated taste with each sip.

Benefits of cold brew coffee

Every coffee drinker out there has heard it before: “You know coffee is bad for you, right?”; “All of that caffeine and sugar is going to hurt”; “That coffee is going to stain your teeth.” Whatever it may be, it’s likely you’ve heard some sort of remark from a non-coffee drinker.

Well, they would certainly be surprised to hear that there are actually some benefits that could come with drinking cold brew coffee. Some of these benefits can include;

  • Boosted metabolism: Even though caffeine can have adverse effects when consumed in abundance, it has actually been proved that it can enhance your resting metabolic rate. Skip the extra sugar in your coffee, and the caffeine should be all you need!
  • Lower risk of heart disease: Included in cold brew coffee are multiple compounds that have the ability to reduce your risk of attaining various diseases that fall under the umbrella of ‘heart disease.’ These compounds include magnesium, trigonelline, phenolic compounds, caffeine, etc. In conjunction, these compounds can lower your blood pressure and stabilize blood sugars.
  • It can be easier to consume than hot coffee: Acid reflux can often arise for people when they drink a hot cup of coffee. Acid reflux happens when stomach acid keeps flowing from your stomach up into the esophagus and back down again. Cold brew, in many cases, has been found to be a little less acidic than hot coffee.


To say the least, cold brew coffee is quite an impressive drink. It packs a ton of flavor and has some healthy ingredients and substances within it. Next time, tell some of those coffee-haters these benefits before they try trashing it again!

Ingredients and tools needed

One of the best things about making cold brew coffee is that it really does not require many ingredients and tools to get the job done. To get started with your home-made cold brew, you’ll need:

  • Mason jar/glass container
  • Coffee beans/grind (medium-coarse grind recommended)
  • Water
  • Milk
  • Tool/device to grind coffee with


That’s it! When you have all of the necessary tools and ingredients, you’ll be able to get started right away. It’s likely that you already have a mason jar somewhere in your home, so hopefully, all you’ll need is the ingredients. There are certainly more than a few different ways to make a cold brew coffee (which mostly relies on how long the beans are steeped for), so be sure to try out as many as possible!

How to make cold brew coffee with the French press?

Since cups of cold brew are typically less acidic than hot cups of coffee, you should be able to taste even more of the flavor included. Making a batch of cold brew with a French press is a rather easy process and can be done in just a few simple steps. These include:

  • Add around 4 oz. of ground coffee to the French press.
  • Pour around 3 cups of room temperature water over the coffee grounds.
  • Stir the contents around
  • Let it sit for around 12-16 hours, always at room temperature
  • When it’s ready, press and strain it into a jar for storage in your refrigerator
  • When it’s cold, mix with a 1:1 ratio with coffee and your preference of water or milk

Making some cold brew coffee with a French press is perhaps one of the easiest ways to do it. You only need a few ingredients and items, and it’s done in about the same amount of time as most other cold brews.

Other forms of cold brew coffee

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee?

The easiest and most simple way to make a batch of cold brew coffee consists of the steps listed above, where you steep the coffee ground for a certain number of hours, and let the liquid chill in your refrigerator before mixing. You are able to make different types of cold brew coffee in a few different ways, which can include how long you steep the grounds for, which type of concentrate you use, if you cut it with water or milk, etc.

Making hot coffee out of a cold brew

This type of ‘cold brew’ isn’t actually cold, but it is made with cold brew concentrate. After your cold brew is done chilling in the refrigerator, you can mix it with hot water in order to create a hot coffee with it. This is far from the most common type of cold brew made by people. But surprisingly, it does have some benefits.

As discussed, cold brew coffee can be considered less acidic than traditional hot coffee. Since it is less acidic, a person that deals with stomach acid issues can enjoy a hot cup of coffee, without dealing with any stomach acid issues, when it is made from cold brew concentrate.

New Orleans style cold brew

This style of cold brew takes on its own flavor in the creation process. During the steeping process, which can last anywhere from around 6 – 24 hours, you’ll be adding chicory into the mixture. Whenever the concentrate is ready, it is then mixed with sweetener and milk, which gives it that famous thick and tasty flavor.

Which coffee drinks can you make with cold brew?

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee?

With cold brew coffee, there’s a ton of exciting coffee drinks that you can get to try out for yourself. All you’ll need is a few different ingredients depending on which type of coffee drink you will be making. Some coffee drinks that you can make with cold brew include:

  • Honey Cinnamon Iced Latte: This is a sweet-tasting drink that will leave you wanting more after every time you finish a cup. To create it, you’ll use some cold brew concentrate, some cream, some honey cinnamon simple syrup, some cinnamon, and you’re good to go.
  • Starbucks Inspired Cold Brew: Starbucks has undoubtedly created a famous taste in their cold brew coffee that many of its customers now desire. What’s great is that you can create your own DIY version of their cold brew. You’ll need some cream, coffee grounds, 4 cups of water, a jar, a funnel, and a coffee filter.
  • Toasted Coconut Cold Brew: If you consider yourself a fan of coconut-flavored items, then there is no doubt that you’ll get a huge kick out of this coffee drink. In addition to the water and coffee grounds, you’ll need 1 cup of shredded coconut.

How to make nitro cold brew coffee?

Nitro cold brew coffee has a sweet and creamy taste that many people have come to love. Luckily, making it isn’t that hard of a process and doesn’t require many ingredients or tools. To make nitro cold brew, you’ll need:

  • Coarse ground coffee
  • Filter paper
  • Whipped cream dispenser + N2O container
  • Mixing spoon
  • Jar
  • Water pitcher

Whenever you have these ingredients and tools, all you’ll need to do is follow these three simple steps:

  • Make the cold brew by steeping the coffee grounds and letting the concentrate chill in the refrigerator
  • Filter the cold brew with filter paper then pour it into the whipped cream dispenser
  • Attach the N2O container than shake it a bit


After this, you can enjoy your fresh-made cup of nitro cold brew coffee!

Best ways to drink cold brew coffee

Cold brew coffee can be enjoyed in many ways. These ways can include differences in flavor, temperature, steep timing, ingredients, etc. Some of the best ways to enjoy your cold brew coffee can include:

  • Adding milk / dairy-free alternatives
  • Heating it up to enjoy a less acidic cup of coffee
  • Using certain sweeteners that fit your own taste
  • Use different variations of spices, creams, syrups, and sugars
  • Add alcohol, such as Bailey’s or Kahlua

In conclusion

Cold brew coffee has become very popular in recent years, and it’s for a good reason. The consumption of cold brew coffee has many benefits, which include reduced acidity, lowering your risk of heart disease, boosting your metabolism, and much more. Due to its wonderful taste and range of benefits, many people have tried to figure out how to make a cold brew coffee at home. Luckily, making a cold brew coffee at home can be quite simple, so gather some of your favorite ingredients, and begin creating!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *