COLD BREW HOMEMADE

Brewing cold brew at home - made easy

Which coffees are best for cold brew?
For a more fruity profile (and especially if you like your cold brew black), African coffees are best - try our Ethiopia. If you like something a little softer with chocolate notes and prefer to sweeten with milk and sugar, our Guatemala or Brasil are the way to go. A balanced blend like our Heimathafen Blend is another great option for something complex and sweet that can be enjoyed on its own or stand up to milk and sugar.

How long does cold brew last after production?
Refrigerated for 7-10 days. If your cold brew loses flavor, some of your plants may like it! Dilute it with 2 parts water, 1 part cold brew. Ideal for plants that prefer slightly acidic soil, like roses, begonias and ferns. Just don't overdo it.

Do I need to keep cold brew refrigerated after preparation?
YES!

How long should I let my cold brew brew?
16 hours, but don't stress. 14-18 is fine. We've found that the water and coffee reach an equilibrium, which slows the extraction dramatically toward the end. Just avoid the 20-24 hour range, or you'll taste an unpleasant woody note. If you prefer a stronger flavor, just dilute your cold brew a little less instead of steeping longer.

What grind size should I use for cold brew?
Coarse, like you would grind for a French press. This makes filtration nice and easy and allows you to brew your Coffee Pirates Cold Brew while you sleep.

Can I make cold brew with decaffeinated beans?
TOTALLY GOOD! Our Mexico Decaf as a cold brew is super smooth and sweet.

I don't have space in my fridge - do I need to leave the Cold Brew Maker in the fridge during the brewing process as described in the instructions?
Nope! Room temperature is fine, but you'll need to move the brew to a fridge as soon as it's done extracting to get it cold as quickly as possible. If you're steeping the brew in your fridge, try a longer steeping time of up to 20 hours.

What should the coffee-water ratio be?
12 ounces of coffee (that's one bag of Coffee Pirates coffee) to 64 ounces of water is a good place to start with getting cold brew concentrate. You can then cut 1:1 with water (or milk!) when you're ready to drink. That should give you a little less than a gallon of cold brew, which will give you 12 ounces of cold brew per day for 10 days!

Should I filter the water I use to make cold brew?
Yes! Cold brew is ~98% water, so you'll get great results by using filtered water.

What options do I have if I don't have a cold brew maker or other device?
My favorite alternative method is the French Press, do everything as you would for the French Press but use cold water and allow the extraction to brew for about 16 hours at room temperature. Then pour the water through a paper coffee filter (Chemex, V60, Kalita, Melitta, whatever) to filter it.

Want more information on cold brewing? Watch our video.

Here are our recipes for the perfect Coffee Pirates Cold Brew...