Cold brew is just coarse-ground coffee steeped in cold water for 12 to 16 hours. No machine, no heat, no fuss — and the result is smoother and less acidic than anything that comes out of a drip maker.
Here's the whole method, the ratio that actually works, and the mistakes that ruin it.
What You Need
- Coarsely ground coffee (like rough breadcrumbs)
- Cold, filtered water
- A large jar or pitcher
- A fine-mesh strainer and a coffee filter or cheesecloth
That's it. People overcomplicate this. You don't need a dedicated cold brew tower or a $40 gadget. A mason jar works perfectly.
The Ratio That Works
Use a 1:4 coffee-to-water ratio by weight for concentrate, or 1:8 if you want it ready to drink straight.
In plain terms:
- Concentrate (recommended): 1 cup of ground coffee to 4 cups of water. Dilute it 1:1 with water or milk when you serve it.
- Ready-to-drink: 1 cup of ground coffee to 8 cups of water. Pour and drink.
The concentrate route is better. It keeps longer in the fridge (up to 2 weeks), and you can make it strong or mild depending on your mood.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Cold Brew
1. Grind it coarse. This matters more than anything else. Too fine and your cold brew turns bitter and muddy, and it's nearly impossible to strain. Coarse — like raw sugar or breadcrumbs.
2. Combine coffee and water. Put the grounds in your jar, pour the cold water over them, and stir gently so everything gets wet. No dry pockets.
3. Steep 12 to 16 hours at room temperature. Cover it and walk away. 12 hours gives you a lighter, sweeter cup. 16 hours gets bolder and more intense. Past 20 hours, it starts picking up woody, bitter notes — set a timer.
4. Strain twice. First through a fine-mesh strainer to catch the big grounds, then through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to get it clean. This is the slow part. Don't rush it.
5. Store and serve. Keep the concentrate in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve over ice, diluted about half and half with water or milk.
3 Mistakes That Ruin Cold Brew
Grinding too fine. The number one error. Fine grounds over-extract even in cold water, and they clog your filter. When in doubt, go coarser.
Steeping too long. More time doesn't mean better coffee. After about 16–18 hours you're not extracting more sweetness — you're extracting bitterness.
Using stale beans. Cold brew is forgiving, but it can't fix dead coffee. Stale beans make flat, lifeless cold brew no matter how perfect your ratio is.
Which Coffee to Use
You want something smooth and naturally sweet, since cold brewing mutes acidity and highlights chocolate and caramel notes. A medium roast is the sweet spot.
Our Breakfast Blend was basically built for this — smooth, balanced, and it comes out of a 16-hour steep tasting like it was designed for it. If you like things a little richer, the Medium Blend makes a cold brew with real backbone.
Ready to Brew It Fresh?
Raven Horse Co. roasts your coffee the moment you order — so your cold brew starts with beans at peak flavor, not beans that sat in a warehouse for three months. Free U.S. shipping on every order, and 10% off your first order with code WELCOME10.