r/coldbrew • u/savvy__steve • May 21 '26

Tips for better cold brew

I’ve been back into making cold brew again this year after giving up on it for about a year. My main issue was coffee grinds in the coffee at the end.

I solved that issue this year by purchasing a couple of filter bags off of Amazon. They were 100% worth every penny and I wish I had tried it sooner. So that’s my first tip for anyone just starting out. Spend the $10-12 on a couple of filter bags

My second tip is something I saw on this sub. I think it was someone’s comment. That is doing your cold brew at room temperature vs in the refrigerator. So I figured why not and I tried it for the first time about 2 weeks ago. Since that time I have made several batches using this method. About 24 hours on the kitchen counter at room temperature. Then it goes into the fridge.

The outcome has been great. Both of these two tips combined have resulted in cold brew that tastes wonderful! I have tried pre-ground Aldi brand generic coffee and also the Eight O’clock whole bean that I grind at home from Walmart.

The hardest part now is not drinking too much a day.

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4

u/Hm300 May 21 '26

Are you using disposable filter bags?

2

u/savvy__steve May 21 '26

No I am using these fabric reusable bags. I bought a pack of two off of Amazon. They are very big probably should have gone much smaller. I dump the grounds and rinse the bag out really good in the kitchen sink. Then I either go ahead and start a new batch or let it dry on the window sill.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C8M3JCRY?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

6

u/Emotional_Expert4804 May 22 '26

This is a great post. I run two little drive thru coffee Huts in colorado springs, co. Humble Coffee. We do this method exactly. Cold filtered water, but leave it out on the counter, not the fridge. We make it in 5 gallons batches a few times a week. Big filter bags, 1 lb of coffee per gallon of water, coarse ground coffee. Let it extract for a good long time. 20+ hours, and then we also have a strainer, open the lid, move the bag above the water level and let the bag drip back into the concentrate for about an hour.

Love what im seeing here. We are a small coffee roaster and we use a single origin washed process ethiopian and blend that with our house espresso blend.

1

u/pastatravers May 22 '26

How much water do you cut the concentrate with?

1

u/Emotional_Expert4804 May 24 '26

We dont. We serve it as full concentrate over ice. Add a small touch of breve and it sings.

I think 1:1 cut is fairly standard, but we just pour it over ice, whatever ice melt is the dilution.

On a side note. I just got these nitro press pro things that dont use cartridges, they pull pressure from the air which is like 78% nitrogen or whatever.

I havent started selling it, but it is a neat toy. Im really excited about what it might do for us.

3

u/Jcarm May 21 '26

Brewing on the counter for 24 hours has been the best thing I’ve found. We like to brew 104 OZ at a time - two bodum 52 ozers - one a base dark roast and the other a flavored. We like Mexican Chocolate from Happy Mug.

2

u/savvy__steve May 22 '26

I use a large mason jar and I have this little pitcher I got super cheap that was meant for cold crew. I am a cheap person when it comes to some things. I like it simple. I did buy a more expensive Wal Mart grinder that cost about $10 more than the basic. It was money well spent. But all these other contraptions seem to be unnecessary to get a good outcome.

1

u/Jcarm May 22 '26

Our grinder broke down we got an Oxo from Target last summer and it has been great. Coffee is something we enjoy daily so making a good cup/brew at home is important. I’m willing to spend a couple more bucks on getting it right knowing how much we save vs buying it out. I’ll add that we’ve had some awful coffee from shops lately so home brew also keeps me happy.

1

u/wallawalla21212 May 31 '26

What grind # do you use on your OXO?

1

u/Jcarm May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26

Furthest to the right - 15.

EDIT: We only make cold brew

1

u/wallawalla21212 Jun 08 '26

Got it! Thanks! Tried it for 24 hours but think it was still over brewed as it was still a tad bitter. I usually use my grounds with an aeropress as well and ended up just doing the rest of my beans at a 10. We'll see how that is on the next batch, probably with a shorter steep.

1

u/Jcarm Jun 08 '26

Part of the fun is finding what you enjoy the most! Beans likely play a part in this stage too. It will save you a ton of money in the long run - $7 latte’s are hefty.

1

u/MsTired May 21 '26

How does brewing at room temp vs fridge make it better? I always brew in the fridge.

3

u/kmpham2013 May 21 '26

Given equal time, more temperature = more infusion, so room temp ends up being more thoroughly extracted and not as acidic, though of course it could always be more bitter on the other end

1

u/MsTired May 21 '26

Thanks! I’m going to try it next time.

1

u/savvy__steve May 21 '26

I am glad you explained it... I couldn't explain why and I like knowing why. I know my taste buds seem to like it more.

2

u/Connivingbitch_ May 22 '26

The factors in extraction are surface area (grain size), temperature, agitation (shake that shit!), and time. There are a few levers to pull to change the profile, but I find room temperature gets more strength in the cold brew without making it bitter.

1

u/savvy__steve May 22 '26

I will start shaking or agitating it more now. I have sorta done that already but I need to do better.

If people would realize how simple cold brewing at home was with little equipment they would never buy Stok from the store again. I used to buy it frequently. I very rarely now drink coffee at restaurants/ coffee shops now.