How to Make Smooth Cold Brew Coffee

Measure 1 cup of whole coffee beans and grind them to a coarse, sea-salt consistency.

Using a coarse grind is essential for cold brew; if the grind is too fine, the coffee will become overly bitter and difficult to filter. A burr grinder provides the most consistent results for this method.

Place the coarse grounds into your glass jar and pour 4 cups of filtered, room-temperature water over them.

Use filtered water for the best flavor, as tap water can introduce chlorine tastes. Pour slowly to ensure all the dry grounds are fully saturated.

Gently stir the grounds and water with a long spoon until all grounds are completely wetted.

Do not over-agitate the mixture; a simple stir ensures that no dry pockets remain at the bottom of the jar. This promotes even extraction over the long steeping period.

Cover the jar with a lid or cloth and let it sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.

The long contact time allows the water to extract the smooth, sweet notes of the coffee without the harsh acids released by high-temperature brewing. Avoid direct sunlight during this phase.

Filter the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container, then pass it through a coffee filter.

The sieve removes the bulk of the grounds, while the paper or cloth filter removes the fine silt, resulting in a clean, sediment-free brew. This step requires patience.