How to Make Cold Brew Coffee At Home in 7 Easy Steps

Both coffee connoisseurs and caffeine lovers can concur that cold brew is the way to go. It's less acidic than your traditional cup, thanks to the lack of heat exposure that extracts those bitter, naturally-occurring oils in the beans. However, grabbing your daily joe at Starbucks or stocking up on bottled cold brew at the store can quickly put a dent in your wallet. After all, anyone who's shelled out over five bucks for a cup of the stuff has probably entertained the idea of DIYing cold brew at home. (We sure have.) In fact, brewing a batch at home is easier than you think. Below, Claudia Sidoti, Head Chef and Recipe Developer at HelloFresh, shares how to make cold brew coffee that will last you for weeks!

Tips for making cold brew at home

To start, Sidoti tells us that cold brew requires a larger grind, which will keep the brew from getting bitter overnight. She suggests using a higher ratio of coffee to water and straining slowly.

How to make cold brew coffee

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1. Grind 8 ounces of whole coffee beans in a coffee grinder until they are coarsely ground. Depending on the size of the grinder, you may need to grind the coffee in groups. You want a coarse grind.
2. Pour the ground coffee into a pitcher. Add 8 cups of water.
3. Gently stir the coffee with the water until blended well. The coffee will float to the top, which you'll deal with in a later step. Just ensure all coffee is wet.
4. Cover and refrigerate the cold brew for a minimum of 18 hours, and up to a full 24 hours.
5. Line a small fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth, and place it over a larger sized measuring cup. Slowly pour the coffee through the strainer. You may need to strain the coffee in batches.
6. Once strained, transfer the coffee to a jar, preferably with an air-tight top. Cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
7. To serve, pour a half cup of the cold brew over ice, add a half cup of cold water, and stir to combine. Add creamer or milk as desired, and enjoy!

Now that you know how to craft a balanced, bitter-free cup, you can avoid tainting it with unhealthy coffee add-ins such as syrups and sweeteners.