Cold brew coffee is refreshing and very easy to prepare. All you need is cold water, your favorite coffee and a little time. Extraction takes place cold – usually over 12 hours in the fridge. The result is a really refreshing and fruity coffee. According to a study published in Scientific Reports, cold brew also tastes milder because fewer acidic compounds are extracted than with hot brewed coffee. So if you would like to discover a new and refreshing side to coffee, you should definitely give cold brew a try. There are no limits to the joy of experimentation here.

Glass/French Press

Step 1 Grind coffee

Coarsely grind the coffee. The ground coffee should feel sand-like or like granulated sugar/semolina. For a ready-to-drink coffee, use about 100g – 200g of coffee to 1 liter of water. For a concentrate use from 300g upwards of coffee to 1 liter of water.

Step 2 pour water and stir

Choose a suitable vessel (French Press or sealable glass), pour in the ground coffee with the appropriate amount of cold water. Then stir well so that all the ground coffee is well moistened.

PRO Tip: If there is too little water, the coffee is poorly moistened and the liquid is almost completely absorbed. So better to start with more liquid.

Step 3 Rest time

Place the container in the fridge or in a cool place for approx. 12 hours.
PRO Tip: It is better to taste the coffee in between, too long a resting time results in an almost fermented, bitter coffee.

Step 4 Filter and enjoy

French Press: Simply press down the plunger and pour off the finished coffee
Glass: Strain the coffee-water mixture with a suitable filter. A normal coffee filter, variants from Hario or Chemex work well. After that, the coffee is ready to drink.

Pro tip: Customize recipes

The degree of grinding, extraction time and amount of water can be varied in the cold brew methods to find the perfect recipe for your own taste.

The most important tip here is: start from the basic recipe, keep notes (grind, time, amount of water – taste) and adjust the variables depending on the result. It is best to change only one variable at a time, otherwise it will be difficult to determine what the change in taste is due to. So here’s a quick guide:

Water quantity

The less water on coffee the stronger, more concentrated bitterness/acidity the result.

Basically, tap water of 5 – 8°dKH can be used. Particularly hard water is not ideal for Cold Brew, as the coffee acids are neutralized and the already somewhat lighter coffee tastes very flat as a result. In this case, it is better to use a water filter or still mineral water.

Grinding degree

coarse, similar to sand/crystallized sugar
too fine: flat, stale, low acidity
too coarse: bitter

Extraction time

Too short: flat taste, underdeveloped
Too long: bitter taste, almost fermented during immersion

Coffee for Cold Brew

Since coffee and water are in contact for a very long time, milder varieties with less acidity are recommended – which is why Arabica varieties tend to be more popular.

Espresso Giuseppe

Do you like it classically chocolaty? Then Espresso Giuseppe from Caffè Gemelli is perfect for your cold brew preparation! The light fruitiness of Giuseppe also comes into its own in cold brew and gives the whole thing a pleasant freshness.

Paradise Island

Are you ready for an adventure? Discover the fruity side of cold brew and try Paradise Island from Inndie Beans! Tropical notes of passion fruit meet sweet vanilla. The lighter roast makes Paradise Island taste lighter and particularly delicate.

Tip: Just try your favorite coffee as a cold brew – this way you can easily see how the cold brew brings out different characteristics of the coffee, e.g. less acidity and more fruitiness.

Cold brew preparation check – conclusion

No matter which method and which coffee you choose, cold brew is definitely worth a try!