Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate Recipe

Dana Whitfield

Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate Recipe

This cold brew coffee concentrate recipe uses just two ingredients — coarse ground coffee and filtered water — steeped for 18 hours to produce a smooth, low-acid coffee concentrate. Includes the perfect 1:5 coffee-to-water ratio, French press method, and hot bloom variation. Store in the fridge for up to a week and dilute before serving for café-style cold brew at home every day.

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Prep Time 5

Steep Time 18

Total Time 18 5

Servings: 9 Yield

Course: Cocktails, Drinks

Cuisine: American

Calories: 5

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Ingredient 1: Amount: 75 | Unit: grams about ¾ cup | Name: Medium-coarse ground coffee Notes: Medium or dark roast recommended — grind fresh from whole beans. Beans roasted within 4–6 weeks for best flavor. Gevalia House Blend or Stumptown Hair Bender recommended.
Ingredient 2: Amount: 3 | Unit: cups 710 ml | Name: Cold filtered water Notes: Filtered water is strongly recommended — chlorine and mineral flavors are more noticeable in cold beverages than hot
--- FOR SERVING not part of concentrate ---
Ingredient 3: Amount: | Unit: as needed | Name: Ice
Ingredient 4: Amount: | Unit: to taste | Name: Cold water milk, oat milk, or creamer for dilution Notes: Standard dilution: 1 part concentrate to 2 parts liquid

Equipment

Equipment 1: Name: Large Mason Jar (32 oz) or Airtight Container Notes: Must have a tight-fitting lid — the concentrate steeps for 18 hours and needs to be sealed
Equipment 2: Name: Kitchen Scale Notes: Weight measurements are significantly more accurate than volume for coffee — strongly recommended over measuring cups
Equipment 3: Name: Burr Grinder Notes: Produces consistent coarse grind — blade grinders create uneven particle sizes that cause muddy, unpredictable results
Equipment 4: Name: Fine-Mesh Sieve Notes: For supporting the cheesecloth or nut milk bag during filtering
Equipment 5: Name: Cheesecloth or Nut Milk Bag Notes: Essential for filtering — do not use paper coffee filter (clogs and takes too long)
Equipment 6: Name: Long Spoon or Whisk Notes: For thoroughly stirring grounds and water together to eliminate dry pockets
Equipment 7 (Optional): Name: French Press (32 oz / 1 liter) Notes: For the French press variation — eliminates separate filtration step

Method

Step 1: Grind and Measure Weigh 75 grams of whole coffee beans and grind to a medium-coarse consistency — similar to rough raw sugar or coarse sea salt. Each particle should be clearly visible and distinct. Add the ground coffee to your large mason jar or airtight container.
Step 2: Add Water and Stir Pour 3 cups (710 ml) of cold filtered water over the grounds. Stir thoroughly with a long spoon or whisk for 30 seconds to ensure all grounds are fully saturated and no dry pockets remain at the bottom of the jar.
Step 3: Seal and Steep Seal the jar tightly with a lid. Place in the refrigerator and steep for 18 hours. You can also steep at room temperature for 12 hours. Keep steep time between 12 and 24 hours total.
Step 4: Filter Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Line the sieve with a nut milk bag or two layers of cheesecloth. Slowly pour the cold brew mixture through the lined sieve. For cleaner concentrate, filter a second time. Do not squeeze the bag — let gravity do the filtering for clearest results.
Step 5: Store Transfer the filtered concentrate to a clean airtight jar or bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Step 6: Dilute and Serve To serve: fill a glass with ice. Pour ½ cup (roughly 1 part) concentrate over the ice. Add 1 cup (2 parts) cold water, milk, or oat milk. Stir and enjoy. Adjust ratio to taste — stronger: 1:1, lighter: 1:3.

Notes

RATIO: Use 25 grams of coffee per 1 cup (237 ml) of water for concentrate. Scale the ratio proportionally for larger batches.

GRIND SIZE: Use a medium-coarse grind, similar to rough raw sugar. Too fine can produce bitter, over-extracted coffee, while too coarse can result in weak, thin concentrate.

STEEP TIME: Steep for 12–24 hours. An 18-hour steep is recommended for a balanced, strong concentrate.

FILTERING: Use cheesecloth or a nut milk bag rather than a paper coffee filter, which can clog easily. Filter twice for a cleaner concentrate.

FRENCH PRESS METHOD: Combine 50 grams of coffee with 2 cups (470 ml) of water. Steep for 18 hours without pressing the plunger. Press slowly, transfer to a storage jar, then filter again through cheesecloth.

HOT BLOOM METHOD: Heat ¾ cup of water to 200°F. Pour it over the grounds, stir, and wait 30 seconds. Add 2¼ cups of ice-cold filtered water and steep for 18 hours. This produces a bolder, slightly more acidic concentrate that works especially well with milk or creamer.

STORAGE: Store the filtered concentrate in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Remove the grounds immediately after brewing rather than leaving them in the concentrate.

COFFEE ICE CUBES: Freeze leftover concentrate in ice cube trays. The coffee cubes keep your drink cold without watering it down.

CAFFEINE: Cold brew concentrate contains more caffeine per ounce than diluted cold brew. The actual caffeine level varies by coffee, ratio, and extraction. A 1:2 dilution can still produce a strong coffee drink, so caffeine content should be treated as an estimate rather than an exact 150–200 mg per serving.

NUTRITION TAB

(Per serving — 1 diluted serving, approximately 8 oz of cold brew coffee with water only, no milk/creamer)

Serving Size: 8 oz (1 diluted glass) Calories: 5 Total Fat: 0 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 0 g Sugar: 0 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 0.3 g Sodium: 4 mg Potassium: 116 mg Caffeine: ~150–200 mg (estimated) Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 4 mg Iron: 0 mg

Nutritional values are estimates for plain cold brew concentrate diluted with water only. Adding milk, oat milk, or creamer significantly changes calorie and macronutrient values. Adding sweetener adds sugar and calories accordingly.