Cold Brew Concentrate at Home (No Fancy Equipment Required)

For years, I spent way too much money buying cold brew from coffee shops. Every summer (and winter, if I'm honest), like clockwork. Standing in line, handing over five or six dollars for a cup full of ice with a bit of coffee in it. I eventually got frustrated enough with myself and started experimenting at home.

The thing that stopped me for so long was the assumption that I needed special equipment. A cold brew tower. A fancy filtration setup. Some kind of contraption that costs more than my espresso machine.

And I was so glad to discover I needed none of that! In fact, you probably have everything you need to make it at home right now.

I've been making cold brew in my French press for almost a decade and it comes out great every single time. And if you don't have a French press, that's fine too. Any container, a strainer, and a piece of cheesecloth (or those J-cloths from the dollar store) will get you there.

Let me walk you through it!

First, let's clear something up: cold brew is not iced coffee.

People use these terms interchangeably sometimes but they are technically different things, made differently, and they taste different.

Iced coffee is simple: brew your coffee hot and pour it over ice.

Cold brew is brewed cold or at room temperature. Room temp water, coffee grounds, and a lot of patience. No heat is involved at any stage. You let it steep for hours, usually overnight. The extraction process changes completely when you remove heat from the equation.

The result is a cup that tends to be noticeably smoother and rounder. I find it a little sweeter, with a nice balance of acidity and bitterness that isn't aggressive or overwhelming. It's just such an easy drink to make and drink.

That balance also makes cold brew an excellent base for other things. A splash of oat milk. Cold foam. A coffee tonic if you want something a bit more elevated. A simple syrup if you like a touch of sweetness. Cold brew plays well with others.

This recipe makes a concentrate. PLEASE READ THIS PART!!

I want to flag this before you dive in, because I've heard from more than a few people who made their first batch and thought it was too intense. That's on purpose.

This is a concentrated cold brew, which means you should dilute it before drinking. Think of it less like a ready-to-drink coffee and more like a base you build from. Add water, milk, or whatever you like. Use a smaller amount when mixing it into a drink. The ratio I use is around 125 to 150mL of cold brew concentrate to about 100mL of liquid, over ice.

You technically don't have to dilute it. But if you pour yourself a full cup of undiluted cold brew concentrate, you might start bouncing off the walls like a sugared-up toddler. Consider yourself warned.

Quality Matters

The coffee you use matters more in cold brew than you might expect. Because there's no heat to hide behind, you taste everything. Bright, acidic coffees are more temperamental with cold brew and might need multiple tweaks before perfecting. Dark roasts can get a little too bitter sometimes given the length of brewing. I like using an easy to drink, balanced coffee, something with a little body and sweetness already in it.

My personal favourite for this right now is the Colombia Washed from Marleyi Cordoba or the Proyecto EA Decaf from Francy Castillo. They both have a lovely natural sweetness and enough body to hold up beautifully through the steeping process. That said, any of the Mood coffees will work. Play around and see what you love.

And while we're talking about quality, water plays a huge role in the flavour of your cold brew since it's the main ingredient. Use filtered water if possible here (a Brita works just fine!).

Safety First

Some cold brew recipes will tell you to leave your brew on the counter at room temperature. I don't do this. Room temperature brewing for 12 hours can expose you to food safety risks I'm not comfortable with, and I suspect most of you aren't either once you think about it. I brew mine in the fridge, start to finish. It takes the same amount of time and the flavour is excellent. Slightly different from a room temperature steep but I prefer it. It's cleaner and crisper in my opinion.

Here's the recipe.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

Ingredients:

• 125g of medium-coarse grind coffee (around French press size)
• 500mL of filtered water, room temperature

Instructions:

1. Add your ground coffee to the bottom of your French press or container.
2. Add room temperature filtered water and stir slowly for a full two minutes. You need to stir constantly to start releasing the flavours evenly. Two minutes feels like a long time when you're standing there stirring but you'll thank yourself later.
3. Cover and place in the fridge for 12 hours. If using a French press, do not plunge yet.
4. After 12 hours, remove from the fridge. If using a French press, press the plunger down slowly and gently. Do not force it. If using a container, strain through a cheesecloth set over a fine mesh strainer. Let gravity do the work. Don't push down on the grounds or squeeze the cloth. Patience here = a cleaner, clearer brew.
5. Transfer to a mason jar or other airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to one week.
6. To serve: pour 125 to 150mL of cold brew concentrate over a glass of ice. Dilute with 100mL of water or milk or both. Add sweetener if you like, though I'd encourage you to try it without first.

That's it. Twelve hours of patience and a few minutes of actual effort, and you've got something delicious and refreshing waiting for you in the fridge all week.

If you try this, I'd love to know how it goes. Let me know what coffee you used and how you served it. I love hearing from you all!