Go Back
–+ servings

Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

Print Recipe
How to make cold brew concentrate at home, with ratio adjustments to customize based on your preference.
Course Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine American
Keyword cold brew, cold brew coffee concentrate, cold brew concentrate, cold brew concentrate ratio, homemade cold brew
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 5 servings
Author Alyssia Sheikh

Ingredients

DIY Cold Brew Concentrate

  • 3 cups water (24oz)
  • 1½ cups coarsely ground coffee (4.5oz)

Adjust recipe amounts based on a ratio of:

  • 1 cup water : ½ cup ground coffee
  • 8 oz water : 1.5oz ground coffee

For a stronger brew:

  • 1 cup water : ⅔ cup ground coffee
  • 8 oz water : 2oz ground coffee
  • i.e. 3 cups water + 2 cups coffee grounds
  • Measurements based on standard conversions for ground coffee as ~10g per 2 Tbsp, or 1.5oz per ½ cup.

Instructions

  • Add water to a large bowl. Pour in coffee grounds and stir to combine.
  • Cover and steep in the fridge for 12-24 hours*.
  • After steeping, strain through a fine mesh sieve, lined with a double layer of coffee filters (or a clean handkerchief, T-shirt, or nut milk bag). Pour in batches as needed, stirring gently to help the liquid strain.
  • Once strained, transfer DIY cold brew into a mason jar or airtight container and store in the fridge.
  • Best served diluted at a 1:1 ratio with water, depending on how strong you like it. (For example, mix ½ cup water with ½ cup concentrate.)
  • Yields 2½ cups (20 oz) cold brew concentrate.

Video

Notes

Note on steeping time:

The longer your cold brew steeps, the more bitter the flavor will be. Keep in mind, you’ll likely dilute it with water when serving because cold brew is stronger than regular brewed coffee! For reference, Starbucks steeps their cold brew for 20 hours.
 

Option for homemade iced coffee recipes:

If you’d rather not make your own cold brew concentrate, you can also just use regular, hot-brewed coffee to make homemade iced coffee! Simply brew coffee and allow to cool before storing in the fridge, or save any leftover coffee from the pot and refrigerate to use later.