How to make Cold Brew Concentrate? The Cold Brew Concentrate ratio is the secret key to brewing incredibly smooth, low-acid iced coffee at home. Unlike regular iced coffee, which is brewed hot and cooled down (often tasting watery or bitter), cold brew is steeped in cold water over 12 to 24 hours.
By brewing a concentrated version, you save fridge space, extend the shelf life of your brew, and gain the flexibility to dilute it to your exact strength—whether you want a bold black iced coffee, a creamy latte, or a sweet blended drink. Let’s master the ratios and brewing process.
The Golden Cold Brew Concentrate Ratio
To make a true concentrate, you should use a 1:4 coffee-to-water ratio by weight. For example:
- 250 grams of coffee to 1000 grams (1 Liter) of water.
- This creates a strong, syrupy concentrate meant to be diluted before drinking.
If you prefer a ready-to-drink cold brew that requires no dilution, use a 1:8 or 1:10 ratio.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Coarsely Ground Coffee: The grind size must be very coarse, resembling sea salt. Fine grounds will over-extract, tasting bitter, and will clog your filter.
- Filtered Water: Cold or room temperature water. Using filtered water is crucial because the coffee steeps for a long time.
Essential Brewers
While you can make cold brew in a simple mason jar, a dedicated cold brew maker makes filtering out the grounds incredibly clean and easy.
Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker (2 Qt)
Features a fine-mesh infuser that keeps grounds out of your coffee, allowing you to brew and store concentrate easily.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Cold Brew Concentrate
1. Grind the Coffee
Grind your beans on the coarsest setting of your burr grinder. Weigh your coffee and water to ensure you maintain the 1:4 ratio.
2. Combine and Wet the Grounds
Add the coffee grounds to your brewing jar or cold brew maker. Pour the cold filtered water slowly over the grounds, ensuring all coffee is thoroughly saturated. Stir gently with a spoon.
3. Steep in the Fridge or Counter
Seal the container. Let it steep for 12 to 18 hours in the refrigerator or on the counter. Do not steep for more than 24 hours, or you will begin to extract bitter woody flavors from the beans.
4. Filter the Concentrate
If using a jar, pour the cold brew through a fine mesh strainer to remove large grounds, then filter it a second time through a paper coffee filter or nut milk bag to remove the fine sediment. If using a dedicated brewer, simply lift out the filter core.
5. Store and Dilute
Store the concentrate in a sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to two weeks!
How to Dilute Your Concentrate
Because this is a concentrate, do not drink it straight! To serve:
- Standard Iced Coffee: Mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part water (or milk) over ice (a 1:1 dilution ratio).
- Strong Iced Coffee: Mix 2 parts concentrate with 1 part water.
- Hot Cold Brew: Mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part boiling water for a smooth, low-acid hot cup.
