Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate for Easy Brunch Drinks
Cold brew coffee concentrate is a make-ahead brunch helper: brew once, chill, then pour quick iced coffees, spritzers, and coffee cocktails by diluting to taste.
Equipment
- 1-quart (1 liter) jar or pitcher
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Paper coffee filter or clean nut milk bag
- Spoon for stirring
Ingredients
- 4 oz coffee beans coarsely ground; medium or medium-dark roast
- 3 cups cold filtered water
- 2–3 strips fresh orange zest optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 1 pinch fine sea salt optional
Instructions
- Measure and grind the coffee: weigh 4 oz (115 g) whole beans, then grind on a coarse setting (French press-style). If you don’t have a scale, this is roughly 1 cup whole beans before grinding.
- Combine coffee and water: add the ground coffee to a clean 1-quart (1 liter) jar or pitcher. Pour in 3 cups (720 ml) cold filtered water, ensuring all grounds are submerged.
- Add optional flavorings: add orange zest strips, vanilla extract, and a small pinch of salt (if using).
- Stir thoroughly: stir from the bottom, scraping up any dry pockets, until evenly saturated (add a splash more water and stir again if dry grounds remain floating).
- Cover and steep in the fridge: cover loosely and refrigerate for 14–18 hours.
- Check for flavor before straining: stir, then taste a small sample diluted 1:1 with water; steep another 2–4 hours if weak, or proceed if intense enough.
- Strain the concentrate: pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or second jar. For less sediment, line the strainer with a paper coffee filter or use a nut milk bag and let it drain without pressing.
- Optional second filter: strain a second time through a clean filter for extra-smooth concentrate.
- Transfer and chill: pour into a clean bottle or jar, seal, and refrigerate. Best flavor for up to 7–10 days.
- Basic dilution guide: for iced coffee use 1 part concentrate to 1–1.5 parts water or milk; for lighter spritzers/tonics try 1:3 concentrate to sparkling water, and adjust to taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 5kcalCarbohydrates: 0.5gProtein: 0.3gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 120mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
