COLD FAMILY
Cold Brew
Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold water for many hours, then strained and served over ice. Skipping heat makes it smooth, strong, and less bitter than hot-brewed coffee, with a naturally sweeter, mellower flavor.
- Cup size
- 12-16 oz
- Served
- Iced
- Strength
- 5 / 5 (concentration, not caffeine)
- Caffeine
- ~205 mg typical
WHERE IT SITS
- Cold Brew
- Iced Coffee
In the cup
What's in a Cold Brew
Cold brew is made by steeping coarse grounds in cold or room-temperature water for many hours, often overnight, then straining out the grounds to leave a smooth, dark concentrate. Because the coffee never meets heat, many of the harsher, more bitter compounds that hot brewing pulls out stay behind in the grounds. What remains is mellow, rounded, and naturally a little sweet, with a heavy body and low bitterness.
That concentrate is strong, so it is usually cut with water, milk, or ice before drinking. Cold brew is typically served in a large glass from that strong concentrate, which is why it often ends up with more caffeine per serving than a typical hot coffee. It keeps well in the fridge for days, which is part of why it has become a warm-weather staple.
Cold brew rewards patience over speed. The slow, cold steep is what gives it that signature smoothness, and it is the drink to choose when you want something strong and easygoing rather than bright and sharp.
- START HERECold Brew
- Iced Coffee
Ordering a Cold Brew
At the counter
Cold brew is usually served cold over ice in a large glass, not hot. It often starts as a strong concentrate, so it may arrive already cut with water or milk; ask if you want it blacker and stronger or lighter and more diluted. It is smooth and low in bitterness.
- Cup size
- 12-16 oz
- Served
- Iced
Make it at home
Making a Cold Brew at home
- Stir coarsely ground coffee into cold water in a jar, using plenty of grounds - cold brew starts as a strong concentrate.
- Cover it and steep on the counter or in the fridge for many hours, usually overnight.
- Strain out the grounds through a filter or fine mesh.
- Serve over ice, cut with water or milk to taste; it keeps in the fridge for days.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is a Cold Brew?
Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold water for many hours and then strained into a smooth, strong concentrate that is served over ice, usually diluted. The cold, slow process makes it mellow and low in bitterness, and because it is usually served in a large glass from that concentrate, it typically carries more caffeine per serving than everyday hot coffee.
What's in a Cold Brew / what's the ratio?
A Cold Brew is 12 oz brewed coffee, over ice in a 12-16 oz cup - a strong cold-steeped concentrate, diluted and served over ice.
Is a Cold Brew strong?
On our concentration scale, a Cold Brew rates 5/5. Strength here means how concentrated the coffee tastes - not how much caffeine is in the cup.
How is a Cold Brew different from an Iced Coffee?
Iced coffee is brewed hot and then poured over ice, so it keeps the brighter, more familiar taste of drip coffee. Cold brew is never heated during brewing; it steeps in cold water for hours, which makes it smoother, less bitter, and usually stronger. The difference is the brewing, not just the temperature.
Is a Cold Brew hot or iced?
Iced. A Cold Brew is a cold drink, served over ice.
How much caffeine is in a Cold Brew?
Around 205 mg is typical for a Cold Brew, but that figure is ours alone - no published figure matches how this drink is actually made. It shifts with the beans, the grind, and how strong you make it.