Quick answer: the cold brew recipe
To make cold brew, stir coarsely ground coffee into room temperature or cooler water at 1 part coffee to 4 or 5 parts water by weight, steep it for about 12 hours, strain it, and dilute the concentrate with water or ice. Those numbers are the National Coffee Association's.
| Step | What to use | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ratio | 1 g coffee to 4 to 5 g water (1:4 to 1:5) | NCA |
| Grind | Coarse, like rock salt | NCA |
| Water | Room temperature or cooler | NCA |
| Steep | About 12 hours; the NCA's range runs to 12 to 18 hours or more overnight | NCA |
| Serve | A concentrate, diluted with water or poured over ice | NCA |
In practice, 100 g of coffee to 400 to 500 g of water fits that ratio. Wikipedia's cold brew article gives a wider steeping window, 12 to 24 hours.
Step by step
- Weigh the coffee. A kitchen scale is the one tool worth buying. Ratios by weight are what make a batch repeatable.
- Grind it coarse. Aim for the texture of rock salt, the NCA's description, which is the same grind size it gives for French press. Grind right before you brew; the NCA's storage advice is to grind only what you need immediately before brewing.
- Add the water and stir. Pour room temperature or cold water over the grounds and stir until no dry pockets are left.
- Cover and wait. Leave it about 12 hours, on the counter or in the fridge. A batch started at 8pm is ready at 8am.
- Strain it twice. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to catch the grounds, then through a paper filter to catch the silt.
- Dilute and serve. The result is a concentrate, which the NCA says is designed to be diluted with water or served over ice, even as the ice melts. Start with a little water and add more until it tastes right to you.
- Keep it cold. The NCA says cold brew is ready to serve right away or to chill in the refrigerator. Keep it covered.
There is no heat anywhere in this method. The cold brew entry in our glossary sums it up: coffee steeped cold for many hours, strained, and served over ice or diluted.
Troubleshooting a batch
| Problem | Likely cause | What to change next time |
|---|---|---|
| Weak or watery | Too little coffee or too short a steep | Move toward 1:4, or steep closer to 18 hours |
| Sour and thin | Under-extracted: short steep or very cold water | Steep longer, or start at room temperature before the fridge |
| Harsh or bitter | Grind too fine, or grounds left in too long | Grind coarser and strain on time |
| Muddy, with sludge at the bottom | Fine particles got through | Strain a second time through paper |
| Papery taste | An unrinsed paper filter, per the NCA | Rinse the filter with hot water before brewing |
| Too strong to drink | You drank the concentrate straight | Dilute it; that is how it is meant to be served |
Change one thing at a time, and write down the ratio and the hours. Two or three batches in, you will have your own house recipe.
Is cold brew stronger than hot coffee?
It depends on how much you dilute it. Wikipedia's cold brew article reports that brewing at a lower temperature for 24 hours gives higher caffeine content, in equal volume, than a 6 minute brew at 98 °C (208 °F). Cold brew is served as a concentrate, though, and once you add water or ice the cup in your hand is weaker than the jar in the fridge. The NCA describes the taste as smoother and less bitter than iced coffee, which is hot coffee poured over ice.
Nitro cold brew is a newer branch. Wikipedia dates it to the early 2010s: draft coffee at the Queens Kickshaw in New York in 2011, and nitrogen canned cold brew from Stumptown and Cuvee by 2015. Starbucks put it in 500 stores in summer 2016.
Oregon coffees made for cold brew
Any coffee will cold brew, and some Oregon roasters we list roast one for the job, as checked on 2026-09-27:
- Sisters Coffee sells Jack Creek Cold Brew, a roast made for cold brew, from its roastery in Sisters.
- Water Avenue in Portland sells an organic, medium roast Cold Brew Blend.
- Nossa Familia in Portland sells canned cold brew for the days you skip the jar.
Beans from a roaster in your own state reach you sooner after roasting, and a cold brew made from fresh beans tastes it. Buying them also keeps the roasting and packing jobs in Oregon towns like Sisters. More on why local roasters matter.
You can also let the club pick. We send a 12 oz bag from a different independent Oregon roaster every 2 or 4 weeks, whole bean or ground, $16.99 a bag, first bag free and you pay $7.99 shipping. For cold brew, choose whole bean and grind it coarse at home. Start on the Multnomah Coffee Club home page.
Cold brew questions
How long should cold brew steep?
About 12 hours, according to the National Coffee Association, which gives a range out to 12 to 18 hours or more overnight. Wikipedia's cold brew article puts it at 12 to 24 hours.
What is the best ratio for cold brew?
1 part coffee to 4 or 5 parts water by weight, per the NCA. That makes a concentrate you dilute before drinking.
What grind should I use for cold brew?
Coarse, like rock salt, the NCA says. A fine grind makes the concentrate muddy and harder to strain.
Is cold brew the same as iced coffee?
No. Cold brew never touches hot water; iced coffee is brewed hot and poured over ice. The NCA describes cold brew as smoother and less bitter than iced coffee.
Sources
- National Coffee Association, About Coffee: Cold brew coffee (ratio, grind, water, steep time, dilution, taste)
- National Coffee Association, About Coffee: Storage and shelf life (grinding before brewing, whole bean freshness)
- Wikipedia: Cold brew coffee (12 to 24 hours, caffeine comparison, nitro history)
- Oregon cold brew coffees: each roaster's own pages, checked 2026-09-27.