Cold brew ratio: how much coffee for cold brew

For a quart of ready-to-drink cold brew, use 118 g of coarse coffee (about 24 level tablespoons, or 12 scoops) in 32 oz of water, a 1:8 ratio by weight, and steep it 12 to 18 hours. For a concentrate you dilute later, go to 1:4 or 1:5, which is 189 to 237 g per quart. The table below covers a quart, a half gallon and a gallon, and the basics of grams, level tablespoons (5 g each) and scoops (2 tablespoons) are in how much coffee per cup.

What is the cold brew ratio for a quart, half gallon and gallon?

Cold brew uses far more coffee per ounce of water than hot coffee, because cold water pulls out less. The standard 1:16 we use for hot drip does not apply here. These numbers assume coarse ground coffee and a water weight of about 946 g per quart.

Tablespoons and scoops are rounded, so weigh the coffee if you can. A kitchen scale takes the guesswork out, and how many grams are in a tablespoon of coffee explains why the volume numbers drift. A 12 oz bag is about 340 g, so it makes almost three quarts at 1:8.

Should you make ready-to-drink or concentrate?

Ready to drink at 1:8 is the simple one. You strain it, pour it over ice and drink it. Concentrate at 1:4 or 1:5 takes less jar space and keeps well in the fridge, and you cut it with water or milk when you pour. A 1:4 concentrate mixed with an equal part of water ends up near 1:8. A 1:5 concentrate is a little milder, and many people mix it one part concentrate to one or two parts water or milk and taste as they go.

The water amounts above are the water you put in. The finished drink will be slightly less than a quart because the grounds hold some back.

How do you make cold brew, step by step?

1. Grind the coffee coarse, like coarse sea salt. Fine grounds make the brew muddy and bitter.
2. Put the grounds in a jar or pitcher and add the water. Stir so every ground is wet.
3. Cover it and steep for 12 to 18 hours, on the counter or in the fridge. The fridge is the slower, gentler choice, so lean toward 18 hours there.
4. Strain through a paper filter or a fine mesh, then strain again if it looks cloudy.
5. Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge. Pour it over ice, and add water or milk if you made concentrate.

If your cold brew tastes weak, add an hour or two or move to 1:7. If it tastes harsh, steep for less time or use a coarser grind. The same weak and bitter fixes for hot coffee are in pour-over coffee too weak.

Which of our coffees suits cold brew?

We list cold brew on one label: No. 6 Hegemony, at 1:8 overnight. Cocoa and smooth, low acidity and heavy body, according to the label, which makes it hard to ruin.

We do not say the other nine are or are not good for cold brew, because the labels do not. You can see all ten coffees, all $28 for 12 oz with free US shipping. For a brighter iced cup, see Tanzanian vs Kenyan for iced coffee.

How is this different from iced coffee?

Cold brew steeps for hours with no heat, and iced coffee is brewed hot and chilled. They need different amounts of coffee. The iced numbers are in the iced coffee ratio guide, the comparison is in cold brew vs iced coffee, and every method sits on one page in the coffee ratio by brewing method chart. For a bigger batch, the water side of the math is in how much coffee for 64 oz of water.

Start with a quart at 1:8, and change it by an hour or a few grams until it tastes like your cup.