Make your own cold brew: Simple recipe with dosage, steeping time, grind size, and bean selection. Find out which coffee is really best for cold brew.
Do you want to make cold brew yourself and are looking for a simple recipe that really works? Then you've come to the right place. Cold brew coffee is coffee brewed cold, steeped in cold water for several hours. This often makes it taste smoother, sweeter, and less bitter than hot-brewed coffee that is cooled down later.
Many people search for cold brew, cold brew recipe, cold brew coffee, how to make cold brew, or cold brew preparation and end up with three main questions: How much coffee do I need for 1 liter of water? How long does cold brew need to steep? And which coffee is suitable for cold brew?
In this article, you will get a clear cold brew recipe, simple instructions, tips on grind size and steeping time, as well as suitable coffee recommendations from Schön Kaffee. If you don't yet know whether you prefer your cold brew fruity or chocolatey, the Filter Trial Bundle from Schön Kaffee is a good place to start.
In short: For a simple cold brew recipe, use 100 g of coarsely ground coffee per 1 liter of cold water. Let the coffee steep for 12 to 16 hours, filter it clean, and enjoy it neat on ice, with milk, or as a cold brew tonic.
The following overview shows you the cold brew recipe at a glance. This way, you can see directly which dosage is right, how long the coffee should steep, and which beans are suitable for cold brew.
Table of Contents
- What is cold brew coffee?
- Cold brew recipe for 1 liter
- Cold brew dosage: How much coffee per 1 liter of water?
- Which coffee is suitable for cold brew?
- Cold brew with a French press, glass, or cold brew maker
- Grind size and steeping time for cold brew
- Why does my cold brew taste bitter, sour, or watery?
- Serving cold brew: neat, with milk, or as a cold brew tonic
- Buying cold brew coffee: Which beans are suitable?
- Frequently asked questions about cold brew
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold brew coffee is coffee prepared with cold water. The coffee grounds steep in the water for several hours instead of being extracted with hot water like filter coffee or espresso. This is why cold brew is also called cold-brewed coffee.
The taste is usually mild, smooth, and pleasantly sweet. Many people find cold brew less acidic and less bitter. However, this depends heavily on the beans, roast, grind size, dosage, and steeping time.
Cold brew is not the same as iced coffee. Iced coffee is brewed hot and then cooled down. Cold brew is prepared cold from the start. If you want to understand the difference in more detail, you can find our article on cold brew vs. iced coffee.
Cold brew recipe for 1 liter
This cold brew recipe is intentionally kept simple. It works without a special coffee machine, without complicated accessories, and without a cold brew maker. You only need coffee, cold water, a container, and a filter later on.
Cold brew recipe at a glance
- 100 g coarsely ground coffee
- 1 liter cold water
- 12 to 16 hours steeping time
- Grind coarsely to medium-coarsely
- Filter clean after steeping
- Enjoy on ice, neat, or with milk
Ingredients for your cold brew recipe
- 100 g filter coffee or specialty coffee
- 1 liter cold water
- 1 large glass, a carafe, or a French press
- 1 spoon for stirring
- 1 paper filter, metal filter, or fine sieve
- Ice cubes to taste
An aromatic filter coffee is particularly good for getting started. If you like your cold brew fruity and floral, a light Ethiopian filter coffee fits very well. If you prefer your cold brew round, sweet, and chocolatey, a Brazilian filter coffee is often more pleasant.
Making cold brew yourself, step by step
- Grind the coffee coarsely. The grind size should be more reminiscent of a French press than espresso.
- Place 100 g of coffee into a large glass, carafe, or French press.
- Add 1 liter of cold water.
- Stir briefly so that the coffee grounds become completely wet.
- Cover the container and let it steep for 12 to 16 hours.
- Drain the cold brew through a filter or a fine sieve.
- Serve on ice or dilute to taste with water, milk, or oat milk.
If you want to make cold brew coffee yourself, this recipe is a very good starting point. You can then adjust the dosage, steeping time, and bean selection to your taste.
Cold brew dosage: How much coffee per 1 liter of water?
The simplest cold brew dosage is 100 g of coffee per 1 liter of water. The ratio is easy to remember and yields a balanced cold brew that you can drink directly.
If you prefer your cold brew milder, you can start with 80 g of coffee per 1 liter of water. If you prefer it stronger, use 120 g of coffee per 1 liter of water. For a cold brew concentrate, you can use 150 to 200 g of coffee per 1 liter of water and dilute the finished coffee later with water, milk, or ice.
Cold brew ratio
- Mild: 80 g coffee per 1 liter water
- Balanced: 100 g coffee per 1 liter water
- Strong: 120 g coffee per 1 liter water
- Concentrate: 150 to 200 g coffee per 1 liter water
Ready to drink or cold brew concentrate?
A ready-to-drink cold brew is drinkable immediately. It is particularly suitable if you are making cold brew for the first time and don't feel like diluting or readjusting.
A cold brew concentrate is stronger. You can dilute it with water, milk, oat milk, tonic, or ice cubes. This is practical if you want to prepare several drinks or if you enjoy cold brew lattes, cold brew tonics, or cold coffee with milk.
Which coffee is suitable for cold brew?
The choice of beans has a major impact on how your cold brew tastes. In principle, you can make cold brew with many coffees. However, it usually turns out really good with freshly roasted filter coffee or specialty coffee.
If you are searching for "which coffee for cold brew" or "best coffee for cold brew," you shouldn't just look at the name. Roast level, taste, and freshness are more important. Cold brew works very well with light to medium roasts because these can show more fruit, sweetness, and fine aromas.
Fruity coffee for cold brew
Fruity coffee can make cold brew particularly exciting. Thanks to the cold preparation, berries, citrus, stone fruit, tea, and floral notes often feel soft and refreshing.
If you want a fruity cold brew, the SASABA Ethiopia Filter Coffee is a suitable choice. It brings aromas of blackberry, red grape, peach, bergamot, black tea, and floral notes. This fits particularly well with cold brew on ice or a cold brew tonic.
Chocolatey coffee for cold brew
If you like your cold brew mild, round, and soft, a chocolatey coffee fits very well. Such coffees often taste like chocolate, hazelnut, caramel, or honey and feel particularly accessible in cold brew.
The BRAZIL Brazil Filter Coffee fits well if you are looking for a sweet, nutty, and chocolatey cold brew with low acidity. This direction is particularly pleasant neat on ice, with milk, or with oat milk.
Can you make cold brew with regular coffee?
Yes, you can make cold brew with regular coffee. However, the result depends heavily on the quality. Very old, very dark roasted, or too finely ground coffee can quickly taste bitter, heavy, or flat when cold.
If you are making cold brew with regular coffee grounds, make sure it is not ground too finely. For a better result, whole beans and a coarse grind are usually the better choice.
Cold brew with a French press, glass, or cold brew maker
You don't need an expensive cold brew maker to make cold brew yourself. A French press, a large glass, a bottle, or a carafe is completely sufficient. The only important thing is that you can filter the coffee clean after the steeping time.
Cold brew with a French press
Cold brew with a French press is particularly simple. You put coarsely ground coffee and cold water directly into the French press, stir once, and let everything steep for 12 to 16 hours. Afterward, you slowly press the plunger down.
For a particularly clear cup, you can subsequently pour the cold brew through a paper filter as well. This way, you remove fine coffee particles and get a cleaner mouthfeel.
Cold brew without a cold brew maker
Cold brew without a cold brew maker works just as well. Use a large glass with a lid, a carafe, or a bottle. After the steeping time, you pour the coffee through a sieve and then, if necessary, through a paper filter.
This method is ideal if you want to test cold brew first before buying a cold brew set, a cold brew bottle, or a cold brew coffee maker.
When is a cold brew maker useful?
A cold brew maker is practical if you prepare cold brew coffee regularly. Many models have an integrated filter, are easy to clean, and fit well in the refrigerator.
However, a cold brew maker is not absolutely necessary for the taste. Much more important are good beans, a coarse grind, a suitable dosage, and clean filtering.
Grind size and steeping time for cold brew
Cold brew needs a coarse to medium-coarse grind. The coffee sits in the water for many hours. If you grind it too finely, the extraction quickly becomes too strong, and your cold brew can taste bitter or muddy.
As a guide, you can choose a grind size similar to that for a French press. If you want to know more about grind size and taste, our article on how to find the right grind size will help you.
Which grind size for cold brew?
The best grind size for cold brew is coarse to medium-coarse. Coffee that is ground too finely can become bitter. Coffee that is ground too coarsely can taste watery or flat.
If your cold brew seems too strong or bitter, grind coarser next time or shorten the steeping time. If it tastes too thin, use a bit more coffee or let it steep longer.
How long does cold brew need to steep?
A good standard is 12 to 16 hours of steeping time. At room temperature, 12 hours is often enough. In the refrigerator, you can let cold brew steep for 16 to 24 hours.
The longer cold brew steeps, the stronger it becomes. However, overly long steeping times can also increase heavy or bitter notes. That is why 12 to 16 hours is a good start for most recipes.
Why does my cold brew taste bitter, sour, or watery?
Cold brew is simple, but small details make a big difference. If your cold brew doesn't taste good, it is usually due to the grind size, dosage, steeping time, or choice of beans.
Cold brew tastes bitter
If your cold brew tastes bitter, the grind size might be too fine. A very dark roast, a steeping time that is too long, or too much coffee can also intensify bitterness.
The solution: Grind coarser, shorten the steeping time, or test a lighter to medium filter coffee. For a softer taste, a chocolatey filter coffee with low acidity is often suitable.
Cold brew tastes watery
If your cold brew tastes watery, the dosage was probably too weak or the steeping time too short. A grind size that is too coarse can also lead to too little aroma being released.
The solution: Use 100 g of coffee per 1 liter of water, extend the steeping time, or make a stronger concentrate and dilute it later to taste.
Cold brew tastes sour
If your cold brew tastes sour, the extraction might have been too short. Sometimes the coffee is also very lightly roasted or very acidity-focused.
The solution: Let the cold brew steep longer, grind a bit finer, or test a rounder coffee. If you want cold brew with little acidity, a chocolatey Brazil filter coffee is often a good direction.
Serving cold brew: neat, with milk, or as a cold brew tonic
Cold brew is a perfect summer coffee because you can drink it very flexibly. Neat on ice, with milk, with oat milk, as a cold brew latte, or with tonic and orange.
Cold brew neat on ice
Neat on ice, cold brew tastes particularly refreshing. This variant fits very well with fruity and floral coffees. If you like clear aromas and natural sweetness, an Ethiopian filter coffee is an exciting choice.
Cold brew with milk or oat milk
Cold brew with milk or oat milk feels creamy, round, and pleasantly soft. Chocolatey, nutty, and caramelly coffees are particularly suitable for this.
If you want to make a cold brew latte yourself, you can mix cold brew concentrate with milk or oat milk and serve it on ice.
Cold brew tonic or cold brew with orange
Cold brew tonic is particularly exciting with fruity coffees. Put ice cubes into a glass, fill it with tonic water, and pour the cold brew slowly over it. An orange zest or orange slice fits very well with this.
This variant is particularly suitable for people who like cold coffee, iced coffee, or summery coffee drinks but are looking for something less sweet.
Buying cold brew coffee: Which beans are suitable?
If you want to buy cold brew coffee, you should first consider which taste you are looking for. Fruity and floral? Mild and chocolatey? Or first a trial bundle for testing?
For fruity cold brew
SASABA Ethiopia Filter Coffee fits well if you are looking for a fruity, floral, and tea-like cold brew. Particularly beautiful neat on ice or as a cold brew tonic.
For mild and chocolatey cold brew
BRAZIL Brazil Filter Coffee fits well if you like your cold brew round, sweet, nutty, and chocolatey. Particularly pleasant with ice, milk, or oat milk.
For uncertain beginners
If you don't yet know whether you prefer to drink your cold brew fruity or chocolatey, start with the Filter Trial Bundle from Schön Kaffee. This way, you can test different coffees without buying large quantities right away.
If you are unsure which coffee best suits you for cold brew, you can always get advice via Schön Kaffee's contact page.
Frequently asked questions about cold brew
How do you make cold brew coffee?
For cold brew, you mix coarsely ground coffee with cold water, let it steep for 12 to 16 hours, and subsequently filter it. Afterward, you can drink it neat on ice, with milk, or diluted.
How much coffee do you need for cold brew?
A good starting value is 100 g of coffee per 1 liter of water. For a milder cold brew, you can use 80 g. For a concentrate, you can use 150 to 200 g of coffee per 1 liter of water.
Which coffee is the best for cold brew?
The best coffee for cold brew depends on your taste. Fruity filter coffees yield a lively cold brew. Chocolatey and nutty coffees yield a mild, round cold brew.
Can you make cold brew with regular coffee?
Yes, cold brew also works with regular coffee. It usually tastes better with freshly roasted filter coffee, a coarse grind, and a bean that matches your taste.
Can you make cold brew with a French press?
Yes, cold brew with a French press is very simple. Put coarsely ground coffee and cold water into the French press, let everything steep, and slowly press the plunger down after 12 to 16 hours.
How long does cold brew need to steep?
Usually, 12 to 16 hours are ideal. In the refrigerator, cold brew can also steep for up to 24 hours. The longer the steeping time, the stronger the taste.
Which grind size fits for cold brew?
A coarse to medium-coarse grind is suitable for cold brew. Coffee that is ground too fine can taste bitter and muddy.
Is cold brew less acidic?
Many people find cold brew to be smoother and less acidic than hot-brewed coffee. However, the exact taste depends on the bean, roast, dosage, grind size, and steeping time.
How long does cold brew last?
Cleanly filtered cold brew usually keeps for a few days in the refrigerator. Store it in a clean bottle and it is best to drink it fresh within a few days.
What is the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?
Cold brew is prepared with cold water and steeps for several hours. Iced coffee is brewed hot and then cooled down. That is why cold brew often tastes smoother and less bitter.
Cold brew is a success when the recipe and beans match
Cold brew is simple, but not random. You will get the best result when the dosage, grind size, steeping time, and beans work well together.
If you would like a fruity cold brew, try a light, aromatic filter coffee like SASABA Ethiopia Filter Coffee. If you prefer your cold brew to be mild, sweet, and chocolatey, BRAZIL Brazil Filter Coffee works very well.
And if you are still unsure, start with the Filter Coffee Sample Pack. This way, you can find out which cold brew coffee really suits your taste.
