HOW TO MAKE COLD BREW COFFEE?
Nothing beats a cold glass of… okay, you probably thought we were going to say beer—but hey, we got your attention.
Now, imagine your favorite Café Sierra Madre blend as a refreshing Cold Brew you can make at home and enjoy for days.
Cold Brew Coffee, also known as Cold Press Coffee, isn’t just iced coffee or a blended drink.
We’re not just adding ice to hot coffee.
Cold Brew uses a completely different extraction method. You brew it with cold filtered water, coarse ground coffee, and a much longer steeping time. It’s actually incredibly simple.
Companies like Toddy even offer specialized Cold Brew gear for both home and commercial use.
But today, we’ll walk you through how to make it without any fancy equipment—just with your trusty French press.
METHOD
Grind your beans. At Sierra Madre, we recommend a 4:1 water-to-coffee ratio.
Use 4 cups of cold filtered water per 1 cup (approx. 454g) of coarse ground coffee.
1. Add the ground coffee to your French press.
2. Pour in the cold filtered water, making sure all the grounds are fully saturated.
3. Set the plunger aside for now, cover the press, and place it in the fridge for 12 to 14 hours.
4. After the steeping time, press down the plunger as you normally would.
GET CREATIVE
Another method is using a regular mason jar and some kind of filter. You probably already have everything you need at home. The great thing about Cold Brew is—you don’t need anything fancy, just time.
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Use a coarse grind. A coarse grind makes filtering easier and reduces bitterness. If the grind is too fine, it can heat the grounds and affect the flavor.
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Stir the grounds into the water to ensure they’re fully saturated.
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Seal the jar and refrigerate for 12 to 14 hours.
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After steeping, filter the coffee. Some creative filtering options: old T-shirts, fine mesh strainers, cloth filters, paper coffee filters, nylon stockings, cheesecloth… the possibilities are endless.
AWARD-WINNING FILTERING
What’s our favorite method?
Don’t mix the grounds directly into the water. Instead, create a DIY tea bag for your coffee.
We use double filtration:
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First, wrap the coffee in a paper filter.
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Then, place the wrapped filter inside a nut milk bag (the kind used for almond milk).
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Put it all into the mason jar and you’re good to go.
The result? A super clean, crisp Cold Brew.
BENEFITS
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Lower acidity. Cold Brew naturally tastes sweeter due to lower acidity—not to be confused with flavor acidity.
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Cold water extracts flavor slowly and selectively, leaving bitterness behind.
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Since it doesn’t “cook” the grounds like hot water does, the chemical structure stays intact, keeping the flavor consistent—even days later.
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Cold Brew lasts up to 2 weeks in the fridge when covered.
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Though it uses more coffee, nothing goes to waste.
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It produces a smooth cup that highlights each blend’s unique flavor profile.
WHAT IF YOU FILTER TOO EARLY?
Since we’re not using hot water, we rely on time to extract flavor. All the coffee’s dissolved solids need time to steep and infuse. Filtering too early means you’ll miss out on flavor and body.
MORE OR LESS CAFFEINE?
Online opinions vary—but caffeine is water-soluble, and over the long brew time, most of it will be extracted.
Since Cold Brew typically uses more coffee than hot methods, it usually has more caffeine.
That’s why many people dilute it with water, milk, or use it as a concentrate for frappés or specialty drinks.
