5 Cold Brew Recipes You Can Try At Home

Now we’re all familiar with the cool, refreshing joys of an iced coffee. When the sun’s beating down and the heat saps away all our energy, there can be nothing better than an icy coffee boost to get us through the summer months. Whether you’re chilling your latte or keeping it simple with a crisp, cold Americano, there’s an iced coffee out there for all of us.

But what’s all this fuss about ‘cold brews’? How do they work? How are they different from regular iced coffee?

Well, the clue is in the name! Whereas most iced coffee is brewed in the usual way (with hot water) and then cooled down in the refrigerator, cold brew coffees are (you guessed it) brewed cold! That means allowing the coffee grounds to infuse with room temperature water over a long time before serving.

Why Choose Cold Brew? 

Quite simply, many coffee drinkers prefer the flavor of cold-brew coffees. Using hot water to brew coffee triggers chemical reactions that give your usual morning Joe its slightly bitter, acidic taste. As such, cold brewing produces a milder, more rounded flavor that’s less likely to give you heartburn! 

While many enjoy the bitterness of a hot coffee, when it comes to iced coffees, there’s nothing better than that smooth, rich flavor you get with a cold brew. 

Check Out - Cold Brew Vs Iced Coffee

Making Your Own Cold Brew

Before we get into individual cold brew coffee recipes, you need to know how to make your own cold brew coffee. 

It’s very simple. You will need coffee beans or grounds, water, and (most importantly) time. 

Step 1: The coffee

Choosing your coffee is always the most important step for any home brewing. After all, that’s where all your flavor and character are coming from, so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. 

Sustainably and directly sourced from independent regional coffee farmers, our coffees come in a rich variety of roasts and styles. And even better, all our varieties are available as whole beans, or grounds fit for French press, espresso, drip filter, or AeroPress. So you can get your favorite coffee in the form that best suits you. 

Now, for your cold brew, you will either need whole beans (if you have your own grinder), or French press grounds. 

If using whole beans, your first step is to grind them! 

Step 2: Steeping

Now place your coffee into either a French Press or your own cold brew coffee maker. Then add room temperature water. For the best brew, you want to be hitting a ratio of 1 part coffee to 4 parts water. Following this 4:1 ratio, you can make as much or as little as you like. 

Now seal whatever container you are steeping the coffee in and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. (You can leave it longer if you like!)

As such, we recommend preparing your coffee in the afternoon or evening and then leaving it to steep overnight, ready for your morning cuppa the next day. 

Step 3: Filter and serve

Once steeped, your cold brew coffee will be ready to filter (either through your French press, or filter paper) and to be served on ice. 

5 Cold Brew Recipes

Now you know how to make your own cold brew coffee, you can think about which cold brew coffee recipe you might want to try! 

As with all iced coffees, there are numerous options for the cold brew drinker looking for a cooling coffee beverage at home. So let’s look at some delicious, refreshing, and invigorating cold brews you can cool off in the comfort of your own kitchen! 

The Classic Brew - Iced Latte 

OK, so we’re not winning any Nobel Prizes here, nor Michelin stars. But we’re in the world of home recipes and sometimes you want to stick with the old reliable classics. And what could be more classic, or reliable than the iced latte? It’s the Volkswagen Beetle of cold coffees. So how do you make it?

Ingredients: Cold brew coffee, milk of your choice. 

Optional ingredients: Whipped cream, vanilla syrup, Demerara sugar.

Process: 

Step 1: Brew your cold brew coffee - see above! 

Step 2: Find yourself a nice cup. We recommend a tall latte glass so you can admire the lovely colors of the coffee and the milk co-mingling through that frosty glass. 

Step 3: Fill your cup between 1/4 and 1/3 full with your coffee. 

Step 4: Add ice. Lots of it! 

Step 5: Fill the rest of the cup with ice-cold milk of your choice! Many like whole milk, but plant-based substitutes like oat milk can be just as tasty. Stir in with a long spoon. 

Step 6: Extras! There’s no point making yourself an iced latte if you’re not planning on embellishing it with some jazzy extras. Maybe keep it simple with a little Demerara sugar? Or some vanilla syrup? You can even top it off with some whipped dairy or coconut cream! Treat yourself! 

The Iced Latte is a coffee playground on which you can play any game you like! Either way, try it yourself and find out how much sweeter and more refreshing it is with your homemade cold brew coffee. 

The Tropical Brew - Toasted Coconut Cold Brew

If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain, then this is the coffee for you! This is a perfect drink for an afternoon pick-me-up, something to sip while you imagine yourself on a far-away beach while the sea laps at your feet and you watch the sunset over the horizon. So if you’re in a summery mood and need a refreshing cold brew, why not double down on those sunshine vibes with a little dose of tropical coconut?

This recipe requires some adjustments to the brewing process, so read carefully before preparing yourself a big batch of tropical deliciousness! 

Ingredients: Coffee, shredded coconut, water

Optional Ingredients: Milk/coconut milk, rum

Process: 

Step 1: Lightly toast a cup of shredded coconut in a frying pan on low to medium heat. We’re toasting here, so no need to add any oil as the coconut will have plenty of moisture in it already. Toast until very lightly browned and your kitchen is full of the lovely scent of sweet, toasty coconut. 

Step 2: Prepare your cold brew coffee using the process described above, but add your toasted coconuts to the mix. Allow it to steep for at least 12 hours so that toasted coconut flavor infuses with your cold brew coffee. 

Step 3: Filter your coffee, using either your French press, cold brew pot, or filter paper. 

Step 4: Liberally fill a tall glass with ice and pour in your sweet coconut coffee to serve. 

Step 5: As ever, there are fun options to be had. You can serve with milk (coconut milk if you want to get really tropical), or even add a dash of rum for the full holiday experience! 

The Christmas Brew - Eiskaffee 

If there’s one thing the Germans understand, it’s pleasure… OK, maybe that’s not what they’re best known for, but when it comes to cold brew coffees, you can’t get much more pleasurable and indulgent than that stunning German concoction, the Eiskaffe. We’re talking coffee. We’re talking ice cream. This is a drink that tastes like a ski holiday, Christmas, and a hug from a friendly polar bear all rolled into one. 

Ingredients: Cold brew coffee, condensed milk, Demerara sugar, vanilla ice cream

Optional Ingredients: Whipped cream

Process: 

Step 1: Make your cold brew coffee - see above! 

Step 2: Pour out two cups of coffee into a mixing bowl. Add two or three teaspoons of Demerara sugar and 1/4 cup of condensed milk. Stir or beat until the mixture is fully combined. 

Step 3: Prepare two tall coffee cups or glasses. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the bottom of each cup and then pour the mixed coffee and condensed milk over the top to serve. 

Step 4: If you want to dial the luxury up to 100, then you can also top off with whipped cream! 

So there you have it, possibly the most indulgent cold coffee you will ever sip on! Best enjoyed with a warm fire, some slippers, and a good book! 

The Cozy Fall Brew - Maple and Almond Iced Coffee

We’ve had a Summer kick with our coconut cold brew and a cozy winter’s fireside indulgence with our German Eiskaffe. Now it’s time to welcome in the Fall: the trees awash with red and brown, your favorite scarf retrieved from the closet after being put away from the Summer, Halloween, candied apples, and the rich smells of the earth settling in the air as the evenings draw in. Who doesn’t like the Fall?

And nothing says Fall like our coffee choices. But maybe you want to change things up from your usual Pumpkin Spice Latte? If so, look no further than the cold brew masterpiece that is the Maple and Almond Iced Coffee! 

Ingredients: Cold brew coffee, milk, maple syrup, a pinch of salt

Optional Ingredients: Ground almonds, whipped cream. 

Step 1: Make your cold brew coffee - see above! 

Step 2: Find your usual tall coffee glass or cup

Step 3: Fill your cup between1/3 and 1/2 full with your coffee. Like you’re making a latte but a little stronger! 

Step 4: Fill the rest of your glass with your choice of milk. Again, many opt for whole milk, but almond or oat milk can provide a sweet, plant-based alternative. 

Step 5: Add ice!

Step 6: Drizzle two teaspoons of maple syrup over the top of your coffee. Stir in with a pinch of salt.

Step 7: As ever, you do have the option of topping everything off with a little dose of whipped cream. If so, dust lightly with ground almonds to your taste. 

Have you ever read a recipe back and instantly want to start carving a pumpkin? That’s what a cold brew Maple and Almond Iced Coffee does to people! So why not try it yourself?

The Party Brew - Long Island Iced Coffee

Now here’s a coffee for a Friday night: a nice twist on the classic cocktail, the Long Island Iced Tea. Now, unlike the Long Island Iced Tea (which doesn’t actually contain any tea), this drink does at least come with some coffee in it — which makes it slightly less dangerous!

The joy of a coffee cocktail is well known to us all, as that extra coffee boost helps stave off the unwanted anesthetic effects of alcohol. There is no better example of this than the huge popularity that espresso martinis have enjoyed over recent years. Now caffeinated twists on popular classics (such as the coffee negroni) are finding their way onto cocktail menus worldwide. But the Long Island Iced Coffee is a refreshing, energizing cocktail you can enjoy easily in your own home! 

Ingredients: Cold brew coffee, 1 tbsp of dark rum, 1 tbsp of vodka, 1 tbsp of gin, 1 tbsp of tequila, 1 tbsp of coffee liqueur (e.g. Tia Maria), 2 tbsp of ginger beer, 2 tbsp of lime juice, lime or lemon wedges to serve.

Optional Ingredients: Syrup

Step 1: Make your cold brew coffee— see above. 

Step 2: Fill half a tall glass with ice. 

Step 3: Add all spirits to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake

Step 4: Pour shaken spirits over ice in the glass and top up with your cold brew coffee and ginger beer. 

Step 5: Garnish with lemon or lime wedge. 

Step 6: Add a dash of syrup to sweeten to taste

Now that sounds like a party! 

Just Brew It!

By experimenting with different recipes and flavors, you can customize your cold brew to suit your taste preferences and discover new dimensions of coffee enjoyment. From classic cold brew to creamy variations and creative twists, there's a cold brew recipe for every coffee lover to savor.

So why wait? Embrace the art of cold brew coffee-making with Portfolio Coffee's exceptional coffee offerings. As a coffee subscription service or coffee business, you can rely on our wholesale coffee options to provide the finest beans for your cold brew adventures.