Easily make iced coffee at home using this homemade coffee concentrate recipe. Customize to your liking with sweeteners, spices, or milks.
Without realizing it, I was spending close to $20 a week to fuel my coffee habit. During the hot summer months, I could easily spent double to cool with iced coffee every afternoon.
No need to spend frivolously on on my daily coffee now that I have this concentrate!
Homemade Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
Coffee concentrates seem to be popping up everywhere. From the rows of bottled concentrates I see at the market to the numerous cold brew concentrate kits I stumble upon online, it is definitely a hot commodity.
I’ve purchased my fair share of these products. I love the ease of being able to whip up a batch of iced coffee at a moment’s notice. Simply grab a glass, pour, and enjoy.
Obviously, buying these bottles and kits also adds up. This homemade cold brew coffee concentrate solves everything!
Easiest Way to Brew Coffee
I have found that using a French press is the easiest way brew coffee. It conveniently separates the coffee bean grounds from the liquids.
I’ve tried other methods (coffee filter, cheesecloth, etc) but they can get messy.
COFFEE 101: How to Prepare Beans for Brewing
- Add coffee grounds to French press container. Pour in water and stir vigorously to combine.
- Cover and allow mixture to steep overnight (8-12 hours) at room temperature.
The following morning, slowly press down on the French press plunger to filter out the coffee beans from the liquid. Pour the concentrate into a container and keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready for an iced coffee.
Why steep coffee beans at room temperature?
Yes, the beans are steeped at room temperature. It’s not literally “cold brewed.” You can brew it in the fridge but it’ll take longer than 8-12 hours to get the same product.
To me, “cold brew” simply encompasses everything that isn’t brewed with hot water.
NOTE: If you’re not interested in coffee concentrate, I also have a post for regular cold brew coffee.
How Customize Iced Coffee
The recipe for this coffee concentrate uses a 1:2 ratio of beans to water. This makes between 6-8 cups of iced coffee, depending on your desired strength.
Since I prefer strong coffee, I make my iced version using a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to water. The standard iced coffee ratio would be 1:2 meaning 1 part concentrate to 2 parts water.
Further customize your coffee by swapping milk in place of water. Any milk or non-dairy milk alternative works. Add a splash of cream or half and half to make the drink rich and creamy.
Add sweetness by mixing in sugar, simple syrup, or flavored syrups. Maple syrup and agave syrup are also great sweetener options.
More Coffee Drinks
Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
Ingredients
Coffee Concentrate:
- 1 ½ cups dark roast coffee beans,, roughly ground
- 3 cups filtered water
Iced Coffee:
- ½ cup coffee concentrate
- ½ cup milk, or water
Instructions
- Add coffee grounds to French press container. Pour in water and stir vigorously to combine. Cover and allow mixture to steep overnight (8-12 hours) at room temperature.
- Gently press down on French press plunger to separate grounds from liquid. Pour coffee concentrate into another container. Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to use.
Iced Coffee:
- For strong coffee (1:1 ratio), pour 1/2 cup coffee concentrate and 1/2 cup water in a serving glass filled with ice. For standard iced coffee (1:2 ratio), combine 1/2 cup coffee concentrate with 1 cup water. Customize with sweeteners, milk, or cream as desired.
Notes
- I use this French Press from Amazon
- Infuse additional flavors during brewing process. Add vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, and other spices along with ground coffee.
- Pre-ground coffee can be used in place of freshly ground coffee beans.
- estimated nutritional information refers to one prepared iced coffee.
- Coffee concentrate will keep in the fridge for one week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Thank you very much for this recipe. I really love coffee and live in the suburbs. I love experimenting with recipes. Looks very tasty!
I love my coffee hot; real hot. But then again come August, cold brew rules. It’s cold, refreshing, naturally sweet and smooth as silk. Nothing beats cold brew in August.
But when I’m looking out my kitchen window in January at a foot of snow, I start day dreaming about my cold brew. Then it hit me. I should make cold brew tonight, then in the morning just microwave it steaming hot.
Man was I surprised. That nuked cold brew coffee was every bit as naturally sweet and smooth as the August cold brew. I’m hooked!
its look so nice
Neat recipe! Also, thank you for sharing your discovery about using a French press to make the whole process of brewing coffee, a little bit convenient. Couldn’t wait to try and whip this recipe up!
I will admit that I still love going to get coffee in the morning with the hubbie. But this is so great to know when i need to make a nice cold brew for the crew.
I love this! Great way to enjoy coffee during the day!
You made a great recipe! i am going to have to share it with my friends who are coffee lovers!
I’m such a coffee addict… drinking coffee right now. Lol. Must try out your cold brew method.