Home › Home & Kitchen › Kitchen & Dining › Coffee, Tea & Espresso › Cold Brew Makers How to Make Cold Brew Coffee Published: July 8, 2026 · Updated: July 8, 2026
Photo: Roland Tanglao CC0 1.0 Source
Stir coarse-ground coffee into cold water at about 1:8 for a concentrate (or 1:15 to drink straight), steep it in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours, then strain out the grounds. Dilute concentrate over ice with water or milk — it keeps for about a week.
Recommended Coarse grind, ~1:8 for concentrate, steep 12-18 hours cold, strain — then dilute over ice — Cold brew is just coffee steeped slowly in cold water, which pulls out flavor without the bitterness and acidity that hot water extracts, so grind and time are everything. Use a coarse grind — finer grounds clog the filter and turn it muddy — and combine it with cold or room-temperature water at about 1 part coffee to 8 for a concentrate you'll dilute, or 1:15 to drink as is. Stir to wet all the grounds, cover, and steep in the fridge (or on the counter) for 12 to 18 hours; longer gets stronger, but past about 24 hours it turns woody. Strain through the maker's filter, a fine mesh, or a paper filter for the cleanest cup, and discard the grounds. Serve concentrate over ice cut with an equal part water or milk. It keeps in the fridge up to a week, and a French press, or just a jar and a strainer, makes it with no special gear.
