How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home with Whole Beans
By Manhattan Milk | Published: 2026-10-20
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to make smooth cold brew concentrate at home using whole beans. Step-by-step guide with ratios, grind tips, and storage advice.
Quick answer
Use a 1:8 coffee-to-water ratio by weight, grind whole beans coarsely, steep at room temperature for 12–24 hours, then filter through a fine-mesh sieve or paper filter for a smooth concentrate.
Why whole beans matter for cold brew
Pre-ground coffee loses aroma and flavor quickly. Grinding whole beans just before brewing gives you the freshest, most flavorful cold brew. A consistent coarse grind also prevents over-extraction and bitterness, which is harder to control with pre-ground coffee.
Choosing the right bean for cold brew
Cold brew mutes acidity and bright notes, so medium to dark roasts with chocolate or nutty flavors shine. Single-origin beans like those from Jinotega, Nicaragua, offer a clean, balanced profile that works well for a smooth concentrate.
How to make cold brew coffee at home
- 1. Grind the beans coarsely: Set your burr grinder to the coarsest setting. You want a texture like breadcrumbs, not powder. A 5lb bag of whole beans will last many batches, but store unused beans in an airtight container away from light and heat. Too fine a grind makes the brew cloudy and bitter. If you see silt, grind coarser next time.
- 2. Measure coffee and water by weight: Use a 1:8 ratio of coffee to water. For a standard batch, combine 100g coarse-ground coffee with 800g (about 3.5 cups) cold or room-temperature filtered water. Stir gently to saturate all grounds. Volume measurements are unreliable. A kitchen scale gives you consistent strength every batch.
- 3. Steep at room temperature: Cover the container and let it sit on the counter for 12–24 hours. 18 hours is a good starting point for most beans. Stir once halfway through to ensure even extraction. Steeping longer than 24 hours can extract bitter compounds. Taste at 12 hours if you prefer a milder brew.
- 4. Filter the concentrate: Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper filter or a nut milk bag into a clean jar. Let it drip naturally; do not press the grounds, which pushes fine particles through. A double filter (sieve plus paper) yields the clearest, smoothest concentrate. Expect some sediment even with careful filtering.
- 5. Store and serve: Refrigerate the concentrate in a sealed glass container for up to two weeks. Serve over ice with equal parts water or milk, or adjust to taste. One batch makes about 4–5 servings of cold brew. Concentrate is strong. Always dilute before drinking unless you prefer a very intense flavor.
Coffee we recommend
- Local Coffee Roasters Brazil Jinotega 5lb: Grown on a family-owned farm outside Jinotega, this coffee undergoes rigorous quality control with lot-by-lot harvesting and grading. Traceable, high-quality beans ensure a clean, consistent cold brew without off-flavors, batch after batch.
Local Coffee Roasters Brazil Jinotega 5lb
