Cold Brewed Coffee

Making a big batch of cold brew coffee is easier than you think! No fancy equipment needed. Grab your favorite coffee beans and keep your fridge stocked with homemade cold brew coffee.

Save money and skip a trip to the coffee shop! Homemade cold brewed coffee is ridiculously simple to make.

I drink coffee like it is water. No, I’m not a morning coffee drinker. I am a mid-afternoon. If I don’t get caffeine in my system I’m going to be taking a nap at my desk.

I normally vary between espresso, coffee, and tea, during the colder months. However, if it’s sunny and warm… I only drink iced coffee variations like mint mojito coffee and sea salt coffee.

Overnight Cold Brew Coffee

Only two ingredients needed to make coffee: filtered water and ground coffee beans.

This large batch recipe makes about 3 quarts (12 cups) of cold brew coffee. Store this mixture in the fridge for up to a week. For best results, use cool or room temperature filtered water.

Too much coffee for you? Easily scale this recipe to fit your needs.

• 6 cups water + 3/4 cup coffee grounds
• 3 cups water + 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp coffee grounds

What kind of coffee to use for cold brew?

Any kind of coffee beans will work in this recipe.  Freshly ground coffee beans, ground coffee beans from the store, or flavored coffee grounds works just fine.

I prefer to buy whole coffee beans and grind them myself. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, use the fancy coffee grinder machine at the supermarket.

Recommended Coffee Bean Grinder

I highly recommend this Baratza Encore Conical Burr coffee grinder. We bought our back in 2018. Three years later and we still love the machine.

This coffee grinder has a very small footprint, taking up very little counter space. It has a variety of grinder options, allowing you to grind beans for espresso machine, Chemex (pour over), French Press, or automatic drip brewers.

Use coarse grind setting on your coffee grinder.

Why should I warm up my coffee beans?

Warm up ground coffee in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to get the oils warmed up and the flavors to release.

Cold Brew Instructions

1. Pour three quarts (12 cups) cool filtered water into a large container.
2. Stir in 1 1/2 cups ground coffee beans to water. Cover container. Steep mixture for at least 12 hours, up to 48 hours.
3. Line strainer with coffer filters. Slowly pour coffee mixture into prepared strainer-filter. Discard coffee grounds.
4. Transfer cold brew coffee to a pitcher. Keep chilled in the fridge for up to 5 days. Pour cold brew coffee over ice and enjoy!

NOTE: I recommend these 4 quart Cambro containers . I use them for coffee making as well as flour and sugar storage.

Tips for Straining Ground Coffee

Line strainer with coffee filters and place over large container.  I used three coffee filters to line my strainer.  I am really picky about coffee grounds in my drink, so sometimes I like to double the filters just to be safe.

Slowly pour coffee into prepared strainer-filter. The coffee will pass at a slow stream. If desired, change coffee filters as necessary. Discard coffee grounds. Transfer cold brewed coffee to a pitcher and keep chilled in the fridge until ready to use.  This coffee is a little concentrated, so I don’t suggest just drinking it pure.

Iced Coffee Components

• overnight cold brewed coffee
• simple syrup or sweetener of choice
• milk, cream, half-and-half, or water

To make homemade simple syrup: bring 1 part water and 1 part sugar to a boil. Cook until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Keep chilled in fridge for up to a month.

Use granulated sugar, raw sugar, or brown sugar to make simple syrup. For extra flavor, steep fresh herbs (such as mint, thyme, or rosemary), dried cinnamon sticks, or vanilla beans.

More Coffee Recipes

• Iced Ube Latte
• Classic Irish Coffee
• Horchata Latte
• Licor 43 Coconut Coffee Cocktail