How to Brew Cold Brew Coffee? What's the Right Coffee-to-Water Ratio? How to Make Juicy Cold Brew Coffee? Tips to Enhance Coffee Concentration!

FrontStreet Coffee mentioned in their previously published article "Why Isn't My Cold Brew Strong Enough?" that the reason cold brew coffee turns out less than strong is not only related to the grind size of the coffee and the coffee-to-water ratio, but also inseparable from the steeping time.

However, since the article didn't detail the steeping time, some friends have privately messaged asking how long cold brew coffee should be steeped?

How long should cold brew coffee be steeped? Because cold brew coffee is an immersion extraction method, we can freely control its extraction time. Just like hot pour-over coffee, the longer the extraction time, the more complete the release of flavor compounds. However, the difference is that cold brew coffee uses low-temperature water for extraction. Therefore, compared to hot pour-over coffee, the extraction capacity of water is not as high, which is why cold brew requires longer steeping time for extraction. This is also why cold brew coffee is less likely to experience over-extraction.

But! Just because it's less prone to over-extraction doesn't mean it won't happen. Take several rounds of experiments FrontStreet Coffee has conducted as an example - when coffee is steeped for more than 24 hours, the extracted coffee will have a very distinct sawdust flavor. If steeped for less than 8 hours, it becomes watery coffee! Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee generally recommends controlling the cold brew time between 8 to 24 hours. Even though the extraction efficiency is relatively low, the span between 8 and 24 hours is quite large, and coffee will continuously release flavor compounds during this period! So, within this time range, which steeping time produces the best-tasting coffee? Why not take a look at the experiment FrontStreet Coffee has prepared below.

Cold Brew Experiment

FrontStreet Coffee started steeping three separate batches of cold brew yesterday at 7 AM, 3 PM, and 11 PM respectively, then removed and filtered them this morning at 7 AM to see what differences these three cold brews with different steeping times have.

In this experiment, FrontStreet Coffee used Ethiopian Santa Weni, an anaerobically processed coffee bean with rich fruity flavors. All extraction parameters were fixed except for time, with the following parameters: Coffee amount used: 20g, Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:10, Grind setting: EK43 at 9.5 setting, granulated sugar grind, with 85% pass-through rate on a #20 sieve (same grind as hot pour-over). The preparation process was completely identical - coffee grounds and water were poured into the container in sequence, then stirred, sealed, and placed in the refrigerator for the set time! When the time is up, we take it out and filter it.

Then we can begin tasting! The results are as follows:

8-hour steep: This cold brew coffee has brighter acidity, with a relatively light overall mouthfeel, moderate concentration, and is easy to drink.

16-hour steep: This cold brew coffee's acidity is more rounded, with a fuller juice-like quality, and the concentration is higher than the 8-hour version.

24-hour steep: This cold brew coffee's acidity is less prominent, with more balanced flavors and a rich, thick mouthfeel! The overall profile is more concentrated.

It's clear that cold brews steeped for different times have distinct characteristics. We can decide on the steeping time based on our preferences. This is also influenced by other parameters, so everyone can be flexible - after all, the advantage of immersion extraction is its higher tolerance for error~ And FrontStreet Coffee's favorite under these parameters is the 16-hour steep, because light-roast coffee steeped this way will have quite a full juice-like quality, and secondly... there's no need to worry too much about time~~

Storage Requirements

But everyone should note that storage requirements are quite high! Whether it's cold brew or cold drip, after filtering, we must find a clean, sealable bottle for cold storage (all three conditions must be met). Otherwise, the coffee can easily spoil, which in turn can affect your health!

And naturally, the storage time should be as short as possible, depending on how frequently you consume it. Because many friends will brew a large bottle at once, so they don't have to make coffee for the coming week. However, FrontStreet Coffee would recommend controlling the time within four days - that is, four days starting from when it's made. During this time, the probability of coffee spoiling is lower, and you're less likely to drink spoiled coffee that could affect your health. After four days, everyone can make their own decision~~

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Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473