How long to steep cold brew coffee

How long to steep cold brew coffee

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How long to steep cold brew coffee

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How long to steep cold brew coffee

Out Now: The February + March 2024 Issue of Barista Magazine!

In our new issue we feature Lisa Lawson from Glasgow, Scotland, take a look at the newest grinders, explore spring drink inspiration, see how more women are getting involved in coffee tech, and much more! BY SARAH ALLENBARISTA MAGAZINE We’re stoked to announce the release of the February + March 2024 issue of Barista Magazine, […]


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How long to steep cold brew coffee

How long to steep cold brew coffee

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

How long to steep cold brew coffee

How Long Should Cold Brew Steep?

If you’re new to the cold brew scene, learning how to make it involves a bit of science. What coffee do you use for the best taste, what temperature water should you use, and most importantly, how long does cold brew take to steep?

A mason jar filled with coffee grounds is pictured being filled with water
Photo: @wandering_wild_home on Instagram

Cold brew is made with a simple process — coffee grounds are placed in cold water and steeped for an extended period of time, hence why it’s called cold brew. Steeping cold brew coffee takes a lot longer than hot coffee, mainly because of the temperature difference. When you brew hot coffee, it takes less time to extract the full flavor of the coffee bean; the cold brew steep time is longer because it draws out the coffee’s flavor more gradually.

When done right, your homemade cold brew will have a strong, smooth taste without tasting bitter or acidic.

There are multiple ways to make cold brew. Steep in the fridge using the popular immersion method to get great flavor with low effort. The immersion method consists of placing coffee grounds into fresh, filtered water under 40 degrees Fahrenheit (our recommendation). You then let it steep overnight — but exactly how long? To steep cold brew coffee correctly, here’s what we recommend:

  • For a strong, bold taste, we recommend you steep cold brew coffee for 24 hours
  • Most recipes recommend that you steep cold brew anywhere from 18 to 24 hours, saying that’s the best timeframe that results in the best taste
  • Taste-test a few options — if you find that a 24-hour cold brew coffee steep time produces a brew that’s too strong for you, dial it back until you find the best-tasting brew.

One of the best parts about cold brew, like with other coffee brewing methods, is that the brew method and steep time for cold brew coffee are completely up to your taste buds.

NOW AVAILABLE: Death Wish Coffee Cold Brew

Related: RECIPE: Make the best-tasting cold brew at home

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How long to steep cold brew coffee

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

How long to steep cold brew coffee

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