How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home: A Simple Guide
By Breville | Published: 2026-10-16
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to make cold brew coffee at home with the right ratio, grind, and steep time. This simple guide walks you through each step for smooth concentrate.
Quick Answer
To make cold brew coffee at home, combine coarsely ground coffee with cold water at a 1:8 ratio by weight, stir gently, and steep for 12 to 18 hours in the refrigerator. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or paper filter. This makes a DIY cold brew concentrate; dilute with water or milk to taste. The best coffee grind for cold brew is coarse, like sea salt, to avoid bitterness and clogged filters.
Why Cold Brew Is Different From Iced Coffee
Cold brew is never heated. Time and cold water do the extracting, which is why it tastes smoother and less acidic than hot-brewed coffee that is chilled. That long steep also means you can make a batch ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to a week. For a clean cup, use a coarse grind and a gentle stir. If you normally make hot pour-over, the same beans will taste sweeter and rounder here. The main tradeoff is planning: you cannot rush cold brew, but the hands-on time is only a few minutes.
Pick the Right Coffee and Grind
Use fresh, whole-bean coffee you enjoy drinking hot. Medium and medium-dark roasts work well because they stay balanced over a long steep. The best coffee grind for cold brew is coarse, about the texture of raw sugar or sea salt. If your grinder has settings, start at the coarsest and adjust finer only if the brew tastes weak after 18 hours. A burr grinder gives more even particles than a blade grinder. If you use pre-ground coffee, choose a coarse grind labeled for cold brew or French press.
Measure Your Cold Brew Ratio
A cold brew ratio of 1:8 (one part coffee to eight parts water by weight) makes a concentrate you dilute before drinking. For a smaller batch, use 100 grams of coffee to 800 grams of water. If you prefer ready-to-drink cold brew, use 1:12 to 1:15. A digital scale makes this repeatable; a measuring cup is less precise because coffee density varies. Weigh the water, not just the coffee, for the most consistent results. Write down your ratio so you can adjust next time.
Steep and Strain Without the Mess
Combine coffee and cold water in a large jar or pitcher. Stir gently to wet all the grounds, then cover and refrigerate. A cold brew steep time of 12 to 18 hours is the sweet spot. Taste at 12 hours; if it tastes weak, let it go longer. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper filter or a nut-milk bag. For espresso drinkers who also grind for cold brew, a dosing funnel can keep grounds from spilling over the portafilter and wasting coffee, which matters when you are measuring by weight.
Store and Serve Your DIY Cold Brew Concentrate
Pour the strained concentrate into a clean bottle or jar and refrigerate. It keeps for up to 7 days. To serve, dilute one part concentrate with one to two parts water or milk, depending on how strong you like it. Add ice and stir. For a flavored version, add a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean to the jar before steeping. If the concentrate tastes bitter, your grind was too fine or you steeped too long. If it tastes flat, try a slightly finer grind or a longer steep next time.
Step-by-Step Cold Brew Process
- Weigh and grind your coffee: For a 1:8 concentrate, weigh 100 g of coffee and grind it coarsely, like sea salt. If you do not have a scale, use about 1 cup of whole beans, but know that volume is less accurate. Checkpoint: the grounds should look like coarse sand, not powder.
- Combine coffee and water: Add the grounds to a large jar or pitcher. Pour in 800 g of cold water. Stir gently until all grounds are wet. Cover and refrigerate. Common mistake: using warm water, which speeds extraction and can make the brew bitter.
- Steep for 12 to 18 hours: Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator. Taste at 12 hours by spooning out a small amount and straining it. If it tastes weak, continue steeping up to 18 hours. Checkpoint: do not steep longer than 18 hours or it may turn bitter and woody.
- Strain the concentrate: Set a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl or pitcher. Line it with a paper filter or a nut-milk bag. Pour the cold brew through slowly. Do not press the grounds; let them drain. Common mistake: squeezing the grounds, which releases fine particles and makes the brew cloudy and harsh.
- Store and dilute: Transfer the strained concentrate to a clean bottle and refrigerate for up to 7 days. To serve, mix 1 part concentrate with 1 to 2 parts water or milk. Add ice. Next step: adjust the ratio next time. More water makes a lighter drink; less water makes it stronger.
Breville Products That Help With Cold Brew
- the Dosing Funnel™: The Dosing Funnel attachment for the portafilter prevents coffee grinds from overflowing, helping reduce mess and waste. It is compatible with Breville 54mm portafilters (BES870, BES878, BES880), BPA free, and dishwasher safe. If you grind your own coffee for cold brew, this funnel keeps grounds contained so you waste less and keep your counter cleaner.
- the Distribution Duo™ 54mm: The Distribution Duo 54mm is a 2-in-1 distribution tool that helps break up clumps and evenly distribute coffee grinds. It features three angled blades and is made from stainless steel and walnut. It is compatible with 54mm Breville portafilters. Even distribution matters for espresso, but it also helps when you are prepping coffee for other brewing methods. If you already own a 54mm Breville machine, this tool can improve consistency.
