Most of the time, cold brew coffee can be a hit-or-miss affair. It can either be refreshing, delicious, and just right, or it can be bitter in a cup. If you want to ensure your cold brew will always be good, you can make it at home instead of visiting Starbucks or your local cafe every day.

Here are detailed steps and tips on how to make cold brew coffee at home.

Coffee & Espresso Help with 1-on-1 Lessons 

Coffee &amp; Espresso Help with 1-on-1 Lessons

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You don’t need any special skills or experience to make a cold brew coffee at home. You only need some ingredients, equipment, and these steps.

When you have your grinder and whole coffee beans ready, grind them into a coarse grind. You may need to do it in batches, depending on your grinder’s capacity and the amount you need. What’s important is grinding it to a coarse size.

If you’re using an electric grinder, it should take around 8–10 seconds to get a coarse grind. On the other hand, if you’re using a manual grinder, make sure to rotate it counter-clockwise for a coarser grind.

For the next step, pour the water in your jar or pitcher, then add the ground coffee. Afterward, keep stirring the mixture gently until both combine together. You may see the coffee grounds floating on top of the water, but that’s completely fine because you’ll strain them later.

Make sure all the coffee grounds get wet and don’t stir too fast.

After you’re done, put the jar in the fridge and leave it overnight. Make sure to cover it beforehand and leave it for at least 18 hours.

On the next day, when the coffee blend has been stored long enough, it’s time to strain it. To do so, grab your mesh strainer and line it with the cheesecloth. Make sure the strainer of your choice has fine holes so you don’t ruin the blend.

After you line the mesh strainer, put it over a large cup or a bowl. Then, start pouring the coffee blend out of the jar and into the strainer. 

If the jar is too large or the strainer is small, you’ll have to do it in batches. 

It’s essential in this step not to squeeze the coffee grounds into the cheesecloth. Just let the coffee pass smoothly through the strainer without pressing on it.

After you’re done with the whole jar, gently remove the strainer and the cheesecloth from the cup. Again, try not to squeeze the remaining coffee grounds.

Next, move the coffee to an airtight jar or a pitcher with a lid, and put it in the fridge. You can store it for up to two weeks. However, its taste may change after one week or so, so it’s better to use it to make iced coffee before it’s too late.

To enjoy your cold brew, it’s time to make a cup of iced coffee and stick your tongue out at Starbucks’ barista!

All you have to do is pour some cold brew in a large cup, then add half a cup of cold water. Then, add some ice; one ice cube is enough., but you may add more if you want. 

Stir all the components well and add sweet cream if you'd prefer, then enjoy!

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home

Anyone can make cold brew coffee at home, but not all people will do it well enough. And, if the cold brew is bitter or generally not good, you’ll keep drinking bad iced coffee for a while, which isn’t ideal. 

To get the best results when making cold brew coffee at home, follow these tips.

The key to good cold brew coffee is letting it take its time to strain. You need to leave gravity to do all the work without interfering if you want your coffee to turn up well. That’s why you should use a cheesecloth.

If you press on the cheesecloth to get the coffee out, you’ll ruin the whole process because you’ll extract the bitter flavor. You want the straining to go as gently and slowly as possible.

You may use a coffee filter instead of a strainer, but it’ll take much more time, and you’ll need to replace the paper filters frequently.

The grinding level is essential for the taste of your cold brew coffee. The grounds need to be coarse to result in good taste. If you make your cold brew using fine grounds, the coffee won’t taste good.

Make sure the coffee is around the same texture as sugar, and try not to store it in the grinder overnight. Its taste may get bitter, so it’s better to grind in batches for better results.

You may change the coffee-to-water ratio as you prefer, but for the best results, keep it as 1 ounce of coffee for every cup of water. That’s why the recipe above has eight cups of water for eight ounces of coffee.

Messing with the ratio may cause your coffee to taste bitter or too strong for your liking. With cold brew, it’s better to keep it at the 1 ounce: 1 cup level.

Tips for a Better Cold Brew Coffee at Home

Making cold brew coffee at home is easier than ever if you have the right ingredients. All you have to do is make a blend of coffee and water, strain it, and store it in the fridge. After that, you can take it out and use it to make iced coffee as much as you want.

Just make sure not to leave it in the fridge for more than two weeks, and let it take its time to strain.

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How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home

Tips for a Better Cold Brew Coffee at Home

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