As soon as the weather turns hot, many people start craving cold brew. But buying a cup at a coffee shop easily costs twenty or thirty yuan, and drinking it daily adds up to a considerable expense. In fact, cold brew is a coffee with a very low barrier to making at home - no professional equipment needed, just an airtight jar at home. Soak it the night before, and you can drink it the next morning.

This article explains cold brew from start to finish: the coffee-to-water ratio, how long to soak, how to store it, and which beans to use, all made clear at once.

The principle of cold brew, in one sentence

Cold brew is simply soaking coffee grounds in cold water (or ice water) for a long time, slowly "steeping" out the coffee's flavors. Because it stays at a low temperature throughout, the bitterness and astringency in the coffee are greatly suppressed, and the acidity is softer too. The resulting coffee is smooth, refreshing, and full of sweet aftertaste - a chosen drink for summer.

The benefit of understanding the principle is that you know what each variable affects: low temperature means less bitterness; long time means full flavor release; high coffee-to-water ratio means stronger concentration. Master these three variables, and the outcome of your cold brew is in your control.

Step one: choosing beans

Cold brew is very tolerant of beans, but if you want the flavors to stand out more, it is recommended to choose fruity, medium-light roasted beans. Slow extraction at low temperature amplifies the floral and fruity notes, making it drink like a glass of iced juice.

Qianjie Yirgacheffe Gudingding, with citrus, berries, and floral notes, a green tea sweet aftertaste in the finish, and a soft, bright acidity, is a popular choice for many people starting out with cold brew. The brewed coffee is refreshing and clean.

Qianjie Huakui, with strawberry, passion fruit, and jackfruit tropical fruit aromas that are very prominent, obvious sweetness, and low bitterness and astringency, goes down like juice and is often described as "the coffee that tastes least like coffee." If you fear bitterness, you can start with this one.

Qianjie Strawberry Candy Cold Brew Blend, a fruity blend designed specifically for cold brew, recreates the sweet aroma of strawberry gummy candy, with plenty of sweetness and light bitterness, suitable for both home drinking and cafe service.

Step two: coffee-to-water ratio

The coffee-to-water ratio for cold brew can follow your taste. Two commonly used levels: 1:10 (strong), with a strong coffee flavor, suitable for adding milk, adding ice, or making specialty drinks, with full-bodied flavor; 1:12 (moderate), which is smooth to drink straight, with both fruity notes and sweetness standing out.

Beginners are advised to start with 1:10. Brew it a bit stronger, and later you can adjust by adding water or milk, giving high tolerance for error. Fixing a brew that is too weak is much harder than diluting one that is too strong - this is a pit many beginners have fallen into.

Step three: steeping time

This is the key variable in cold brew. Steeping at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours gives fuller flavor release, with ample fruity notes and sweetness. It suits being left at room temperature in summer, but do not exceed 12 hours, as off-flavors easily develop over time. Steeping in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours is more stable and less prone to over-extraction, suitable for office workers to soak before bed and drink the next morning.

Simply remember: 8 to 12 hours at room temperature, 12 to 24 hours refrigerated. The longer the time, the stronger the taste, but after 24 hours it will start to turn bitter, so be careful not to steep too long.

Step four: filtering and storage

After steeping, filter out the coffee grounds with filter paper or a fine mesh strainer, pour into an airtight bottle, and refrigerate. Sealed refrigeration keeps for 3 to 5 days, with the flavor still on point, suitable for making a whole pot at once and drinking it over several days. As for how to drink it, you can drink it straight, or add ice cubes, add milk, or add sparkling water - however you drink it in summer, it is comfortable.

Two tips

On grind size, cold brew grounds should be slightly coarser than for pour-over, about the coarseness of coarse sugar. Too fine will brew out cloudiness and astringency. If you want more fruity flavor, after mixing the coffee grounds with cold water, first leave it at room temperature for 1 hour before putting it in the refrigerator, letting part of the aroma release first for a fuller flavor.

The formula for making cold brew is very simple: suitable fruity beans plus a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio plus 8 to 24 hours of steeping plus filtering the grounds and refrigerating. Keep a bag of Qianjie Yirgacheffe Gudingding or Qianjie Huakui at home, soak it the night before, and the next morning you can drink refreshing cold brew coffee.