Cold Brew Coffee Drink Recipe
Your iced coffee tastes like bitter dishwater because you’re doing it wrong.
Cold brew isn’t just coffee served cold—it’s smoother, stronger, and so easy to make you’ll wonder why you ever paid $6 for a cup. Ready to upgrade your caffeine game? Let’s go.
Why This Recipe Works
Cold brew coffee is steeped for 12–24 hours, not brewed with hot water.
That means zero acidity, no bitterness, and a flavor so rich you’ll question every life decision that led you to tolerate bad coffee.
Plus, it’s concentrated. Dilute it, drink it straight, or turn it into a fancy latte—this recipe is your caffeine Swiss Army knife.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes (because patience is the only “cooking” here)
Total time: 12–24 hours (mostly waiting)
Servings: 4–6 (depending on how desperate you are)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Grind the beans. Use a coarse grind—like sea salt, not flour. Too fine? You’ll get sludge. Nobody wants sludge.
- Combine coffee and water. Dump grounds into a jar or pitcher, add water, and stir. Pretend you’re a mad scientist.
- Steep for 12–24 hours. Room temp is fine. Fridge is safer if you forget things (like, say, food safety).
- Strain it. Use a fine-mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter. No one likes gritty coffee. No one.
- Dilute (optional). Mix 1:1 with water or milk. Or be brave and drink it straight.
- Serve over ice. Add sweetener, cream, or a dramatic sigh because you’ll never go back to iced coffee.
Nutritional Info (Per Serving)
Calories: 5 (black), 50–100 (with milk/sugar)
Caffeine: 200mg (roughly, unless you’re using rocket fuel beans)
Carbs/Sugar: 0g (unless you ruin it with syrup)
FYI, this is basically water with a caffeine kick. You’re welcome.
Storage Instructions
Keep the concentrate in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Diluted? Drink within 3 days (if it lasts that long). Freezing is overkill—unless you’re prepping for a caffeine apocalypse.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using fine-ground coffee. Congrats, you’ve made mud. Enjoy your chewable coffee.
- Steeping for 6 hours. Too weak. Steeping for 48 hours? Too bitter. Follow the dang recipe.
- Skipping straining. Grounds at the bottom of your cup aren’t “added texture.” They’re punishment.
Alternatives
- Nut milk cold brew: Swap water for almond milk. Sounds weird, tastes amazing.
- Spiced cold brew: Add cinnamon or cardamom to the grounds before steeping. Fancy, huh?
- Decaf version: Why? But fine, use decaf beans. We won’t judge (much).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pre-ground coffee?
Yes, but grind it yourself for better flavor. Pre-ground is like eating stale chips—technically edible, but why?
How strong is this compared to iced coffee?
Twice as strong. Dilute it unless you want your heart to beat in Morse code.
Can I heat up cold brew?
Yes, but it’s called “hot coffee” then. IMO, waste of good cold brew.
Why does my cold brew taste sour?
You under-steeped it or used bad beans. Try again, champ.
Can I make it in a French press?
Absolutely. Steep, press, pour. Easy mode unlocked.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t just coffee—it’s a life upgrade. Cheap, easy, and infinitely better than anything from a drive-thru.
Make it tonight, wake up tomorrow feeling like a caffeinated genius. Your future self will thank you.
