Making cold brew at home is simpler than it sounds: coarsely ground coffee, cold water, and about 16 hours of patience. Stumptown head brewer Brent Wolczynski has fielded every cold brew question imaginable—from ratios and steep times to filter care and which coffee to use. Here are the answers you (and your plants) will find useful.
What are the best coffees to use for cold brew?
For a more fruit-forward profile (and especially if you like your cold brew black) African coffees are best - try Ethiopia Mordecofe. If you like something a bit more mellow with notes of chocolate and prefer to sweeten things up with milk and sugar, go Guatemala El Injerto Bourbon. A well-balanced blend like Homestead 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 making it?
Homemade cold brew lasts 7–10 days when stored in the refrigerator. After that, the flavor starts to degrade—but don't pour it down the drain. Dilute leftover cold brew with 2 parts water to 1 part cold brew and use it to water acid-loving plants like roses, begonias, and ferns.
Do I need to keep cold brew refrigerated?
Yes—once brewed, cold brew should always be stored in the refrigerator. If you steep at room temperature, get it into the fridge (or an ice bath) as soon as it's done filtering.
How long should I steep cold brew?
The ideal steep time for cold brew is 16 hours, though anywhere from 14 to 18 hours works well. Coffee and water reach an equilibrium toward the end of steeping, which slows extraction naturally, so going a few hours over won't ruin your batch. Avoid pushing past 20–24 hours, which can introduce bitter, woody notes. If you want a stronger brew, dilute less rather than steeping longer.
What grind should I use for cold brew?
Use a coarse grind for cold brew, similar to what you'd use for a French press. Coarser grounds are easier to filter and less likely to over-extract during the long steep.
Can I make Cold Brew with decaf beans?
TOTALLY! Trapper Creek as cold brew is super mellow and sweet. Decaf cold brew follows the same ratio and steep time as regular cold brew.
What is the coffee-to-water ratio for making cold brew at home?
A good starting ratio for homemade cold brew concentrate is 12 ounces of coffee (or roughly one full bag of Stumptown coffee) to 64 ounces (½ gallon) of water. This makes a concentrate you dilute 1:1 with water or milk before drinking, yielding about a gallon of cold brew, or about 12 ounces a day for 10 days.
Do I need to filter the water I use?
Yes, you probably do. Filtered water makes a noticeable difference in cold brew. Since cold brew is about 98% water, the quality of your water directly affects the flavor of the final cup. Fresh, clean, filtered water is the move.
How do I make cold brew at home without a cold brew maker?
A French press works great. Add your coarsely ground coffee just like you would for hot coffee, but instead of plunging after 4 minutes, let it steep for 16 hours. Then pour it through a paper filter to polish it off and remove any fine particles.
If you want to upgrade your setup, the OXO Compact Cold Brewer and the Filtron Cold Water Brewer are both purpose-built for cold brew and make the whole process even easier.
Ready to brew? Pick up a bag of Stumptown coffee built for cold brew, or grab the OXO Compact Cold Brewer to get your setup dialed in. Already a cold brew regular? Explore our cold brew concentrate and ready-to-drink options for when patience isn't on the menu. You can also learn more about Stumptown’s history with cold brew.
