Homemade Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

Coffee lovers! Make your own cold brew coffee concentrate at home with your favourite coffee blend. It's perfect for iced coffee beverages.

What is cold brew coffee?

Cold brew coffee is coffee that has been brewed for several hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Sometimes people will brew hot coffee and let it cool to make an iced coffee, or make espresso and pour it over ice for a cold coffee beverage. Brewing the coffee at room temperature (or in the refrigerator) can reduce the acidity and bitterness of the coffee and create a smoother flavour.

This cold brew recipe makes a strong coffee, referred to as a concentrate. It can be served as is for something similar in strength to an espresso or it can be diluted with cold water, milk, cream or non-dairy creamer.

What do you need to make cold brew coffee at home?

Do you need special equipment to make cold brew coffee concentrate at home? No! There are a wide variety of brewers and filters available on the market but they aren't necessary. Save money by using what you already have at home. The equipment that you will need:

• A jar with a lid large enough to brew the coffee.
• A fine mesh strainer to strain out the coffee grounds. You can also use a fine mesh nut milk bag or cheese cloth. The cloths will get coffee stained very quickly but just give them a wash and reuse the next time you make a batch of cold coffee.

Of course, you'll need coffee and water.

• Coarsely ground coffee. A coarse grind will reduce the amount of grounds that escape from the filter, nut milk bag or cheese cloth.
• One of the things I love about making it at home is the customization: I can use the exact coffee or coffee blend that I prefer.
• Room temperature water. Filtered water will give you a clean taste but, depending on where you live, tap water can also be used. Where I live tap water is just fine to use and reduces the overall cost of this recipe.

How to use your coffee concentrate

I like to make a cold brew concentrate, which is strong, so that it can be used in a variety of ways.

• You can use cold water or ice to dilute this coffee to your liking.
• A strong concentrate can be used to make coffee drinks blended with lots of ice. The strength of the coffee means it won't be watery when you add ice and other additives.
• If you like a strong black coffee over ice this is a great option. The ice may dilute the coffee a bit but not so much that it won't be enjoyable to drink.
• If you like lots of milk, cream or non-dairy creamer in your iced coffee the strength of this coffee means you won't end up with a beverage that takes more like milk than coffee.
• If you want a sweetened cold brew coffee a simple syrup, maple syrup or other liquid sweetener is the best way to go so you don't end up with undissolved sugar granules.
• Use ice cube trays to freeze portions of your cold brew to save for later.