Recipe for a nice cold brew coffee concentrate
Recently I tried Java House’s Cold Brew, and I liked it so much that I started researching how this concentrate is done, and this is basically the recipe for it.
12-hour fridge method for bar-strength syrup: #
Yield ~600 ml concentrate (makes 1.2–1.8 L finished coffee) Strength 1 : 4 coffee : water by weight Active time 5 min Steep time 12-14 h (fridge time, depending on the grind) Shelf life 7 days, chilled & sealed
Gear #
- 📄 Paper coffee filter or 🫖 French-press plunger
- ⚖️ Kitchen scale (recommended)
No scale? See Step 1.
- 1 L glass jar or French press
- Fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients #
- 100 g medium-fine ground coffee (≈ 1 level metric cup / supermarket “molido”)
- 400 g cool water (1 ml == 1 gr)
- Cacao nibs (Optional)
- Tiny pinch baking soda (≈ ¹∕₁₆ tsp per 400 ml water) – smooths acidity, optional
Method #
1. Measure & combine
- Weigh 125 g coffee into the jar.
- Add 500 g (ml) cold water.
- No scale? Use 1 level cup coffee + 500 ml water.
2. Swirl once, then chill
- After 1 minute, give the slurry a gentle swirl or plunge to wet every granule.
- I’m not a coffee expert, but I read somewhere that coffe can become bitter if it’s over-stirred due to some compound release.
- Seal and refrigerate 12 hours.
- Add cacao nibs, and fridge again. (In theory, the nibs can add unwanted flavour if Steeped for too long. I haven’t confirmed this)
- Using espresso-fine grind? Begin tasting at 8 h to avoid bitterness.
3. Strain coarse grounds
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean jug.
4. Polish the brew
Line the strainer with a paper filter (or re-filter through a French-press plunger). Let it drip until the liquid runs clear; fines left behind = longer shelf life (If we won’t actually drink that much for the following 7 days)
5. Bottle & store
Transfer concentrate to a capped bottle or mason jar.
Keep refrigerated; use within 7 days.
To Serve #
I don’t think there’s a perfect ratio but 1:4 coffee:water seems to work well as a starting point from which to experiment. Add ice.
Taste and tweak until it hits your perfect café strength.
I’ll try this for a Carajillo one of this days… Sounds like a great recipe.
