Cold brew is one of the easiest things you can make at home, and one of the most rewarding. Get it right once and you'll have smooth, naturally sweet coffee ready in the fridge all week. Here's exactly how to do it.
What You Need
- Café Kubal Cold Brew Blend (whole beans)
- A burr grinder
- A mason jar, French press, or pitcher
- A fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or paper filter
- Filtered water
- A little patience
No fancy equipment required. A mason jar and a strainer work just fine.
The Method
Step 1: Grind Coarse
Grind your Cold Brew Blend to a coarse setting, similar to raw sugar or coarse sea salt. This is the most important step. Too fine and your cold brew will taste bitter and muddy. Too coarse and it'll taste weak. Coarse is the sweet spot.
If you have a burr grinder, set it to the coarsest setting. If you don't have one, ask your local roaster to grind it for you on a cold brew setting and use it within a day or two.
Step 2: Combine Coffee and Water
Add your coarsely ground coffee to your container, then pour cold filtered water over it slowly. Use a 1:8 ratio by weight, one part coffee to eight parts water. For a simple starting point, that's about 1 cup of ground coffee to 8 cups of water.
Give it a gentle stir to make sure all the grounds are fully saturated. No dry pockets sitting at the top.
Step 3: Steep in the Fridge
Cover your container and place it in the fridge. Let it steep for 12 to 24 hours. The sweet spot is around 14 to 16 hours for a smooth, balanced result. The longer you go, the bolder and more concentrated it gets.
Do not rush this step. The slow, cold extraction is exactly what makes cold brew taste the way it does.
Step 4: Strain
Once your steep time is up, pour the cold brew through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a paper filter into a clean jar or pitcher. Take your time here, straining properly gives you a clean, clear cup with no grit or cloudiness.
If you brewed in a French press, just press the plunger and pour directly.
Step 5: Store and Serve
Transfer your finished cold brew to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to two weeks, though the best flavor is in the first seven to ten days.
Serve it over ice, straight from the fridge, with a splash of milk, or however you like it.
Why the Blend Matters
Not every coffee is built for cold brew. Hot brewed coffee poured over ice is not the same thing. Cold water extracts differently than hot water, pulling out more of the smooth, sweet notes and less of the sharp acidity. For that to work well, you need beans that hold up to a long, slow steep and actually have something worth pulling out.
Our Cold Brew Blend was built specifically for this. A medium roast from Brazil and Ethiopia, selected because these beans develop a naturally bold, smooth flavor with a clean sweet finish when brewed cold. It's the same recipe we use for our own cold brews.
Pick up a bag of Café Kubal Cold Brew Blend online or in store!