Guide · Manual brewers
How to make cold brew coffee at home
How to make cold brew coffee at home in a jar, a cafetière or a dedicated cold brew maker, with the ratio, grind and steeping times Starbucks, Toddy and Hario give, plus storage and dilution.
Knowing how to make cold brew coffee at home saves a lot of money on bottled cold brew, and it needs nothing more than coffee, water, a container and time. You steep coarse coffee in cold or room-temperature water for many hours, strain it, then dilute the concentrate to taste. This guide covers the ratio, grind and steeping time, three ways to brew it, and how to store and serve it. We haven’t tested this in person. The method is based on brewing guidance published by Starbucks at Home, Toddy and Hario. Read how we compare.
Cold brew vs iced coffee
They’re not the same drink.
- Iced coffee is hot-brewed coffee, such as espresso or filter, poured over ice. It’s ready in minutes. Our guide to iced coffee at home covers that.
- Cold brew never touches hot water. The coffee steeps cold for hours, which gives a different, rounder taste and a concentrate you can keep in the fridge.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a cold coffee right now. Cold brew needs planning the day before.
How to make cold brew coffee at home: ratio and grind
Starbucks at Home’s cold brew guides use 22g of coarse ground coffee for every 180ml of cold or room-temperature water. That’s about 4 tablespoons per 6 fl oz. For a litre of water, that scales up to roughly 120g of coffee.
Toddy’s home brewer instructions use 340g of coarse coffee to about 1.9 litres of water, for a stronger concentrate that’s diluted more.
Grind: most guides call for coarse coffee, like a cafetière grind, because the coffee sits in water for so long. Toddy suggests the coarsest setting or asking for a French press grind. Hario is the exception: its Mizudashi cold brew pot manual recommends a medium-fine grind, because the coffee sits in a fine mesh filter. Follow the instructions for your brewer. Our grind size for cold brew guide goes into more detail, and our coffee for cold brew guide picks ground coffees and beans.
Who it isn’t for: anyone using only espresso-ground coffee. It’s too fine for most cold brew methods and will be hard to strain.
Method 1: a jar
The simplest version needs a large jar, a spoon and a fine cloth or paper filter. Starbucks at Home’s mason jar guide goes like this:
- Add the ground coffee to the jar.
- Pour in cold or room-temperature water and stir so all the coffee is wet.
- Cover and leave for 12 hours.
- Strain through cheesecloth or a fine cloth into a jug.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who hates straining. Pouring through cloth is slow and a bit messy.
Method 2: a cafetière
A cafetière does the steeping and straining in one. Starbucks at Home’s cold brew press guide uses the same ratio:
- Add coarse coffee and cold or room-temperature water, then stir once or twice.
- Put the lid on without pressing, and leave for 12 hours.
- Press the plunger slowly.
- For a cleaner cup, pour it through a paper filter as well.
If you don’t yet have one, our guide to using a cafetière explains the parts.
Who it isn’t for: people who want to brew more than a cafetière holds. Most hold around a litre or less.
Method 3: a cold brew maker
Dedicated makers handle the filtering for you:
- Mesh-filter jugs such as the Hario Mizudashi hold the coffee in a fine mesh basket. Hario’s manual says to steep in the fridge for about 8 hours, then remove the filter so the coffee doesn’t turn bitter.
- Steeping systems such as the Toddy steep at room temperature, for 8 to 24 hours in Toddy’s instructions, then drain through a filter into a carafe.
Compare them in our guide to the best cold brew coffee maker.
Who it isn’t for: people who make cold brew only now and then. A jar or cafetière works fine.
Steeping time, storage and dilution
- Steeping time: Starbucks at Home suggests 12 hours. Toddy gives 8 to 24 hours at room temperature, and Hario about 8 hours in the fridge. Longer gives a stronger brew.
- Storage: keep the strained coffee covered in the fridge. Guidance varies by method: Toddy says its concentrate stays fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, while Hario’s manual says to drink its ready-to-drink brew within 2 to 3 days.
- Dilution: Starbucks at Home suggests 1 part concentrate to 1 part water over ice. Toddy suggests 1 part concentrate to 2 parts water or milk. Start there and adjust.
- Leftovers: Starbucks at Home suggests freezing spare cold brew into ice cubes so iced drinks don’t get watered down.
Who it isn’t for: anyone without fridge space. Plan room for a jug before you brew.
Downsides
- It takes 8 to 24 hours, so you have to think ahead.
- It uses more coffee per cup than hot brewing, especially as a concentrate.
- Straining through cloth or paper is slow and can be messy.
- A cold brew maker is another thing to store.
FAQ
Can cold brew be made with normal ground coffee? Yes, if it’s ground for cafetières or filter. Espresso-ground coffee is too fine for most methods.
Should cold brew steep in the fridge or on the counter? Either. Starbucks at Home and Toddy use cold or room-temperature water, while Hario’s pot steeps in the fridge.
Why is homemade cold brew weak? Usually too little coffee or too short a steep. Check the ratio, then steep longer.
Why is homemade cold brew bitter? Often the grind is too fine or the coffee steeped too long. Hario also warns that leaving its filter in after brewing can make the coffee bitter.
Can cold brew be served hot? Yes. Dilute the concentrate with hot water instead of cold.