How to prepare the best cold brew at home (2026)

Summer months in Bratislava call for a refreshment that not only gets you on your feet but also tastes great. Cold brew has become a phenomenon of modern cafes, and although its preparation might seem complicated, the opposite is true. At Goriffee, we believe you can treat yourself to a quality coffee experience in the comfort of your home without the need for expensive machines.

What exactly is cold brew?

Unlike classic iced coffee, which is prepared hot and then cooled down, cold brew is created by long maceration in cold water. The result is a beverage with lower acidity, high sweetness, and chocolate notes. This extraction process usually takes 12 to 24 hours, which gives the coffee a full body and smoothness.

Barista's tip: Why does cold brew taste different?

The difference in taste is no accident, but the result of different chemistry during extraction. In classic coffee preparation, hot water acts as a catalyst that quickly releases oils and acidic compounds from the beans. Cold water, however, extracts these components much more slowly and to a lesser extent. The result is a beverage that has 60% to 70% lower acidity than regular coffee.

Since the beverage lacks aggressive acidity and distinct bitterness, your taste buds can perceive the natural sweetness of the coffee bean much more intensely. That's exactly why notes of chocolate, nuts, or caramel most often dominate in cold brew – these aromatic components develop best in cold water during long hours of steeping.

Exact recipe for the Hario cold brew bottle

If you are looking for the easiest way to get results, Hario cold brew bottle is a solution that we also offer at Goriffee. This bottle contains a built-in fine filter, so you don't have to laboriously filter the coffee after maceration. For the best taste, use these exact parameters:

• Coffee: 65 g (freshly roasted specialty coffee)
• Grind: Coarse (consistency of coarse sea salt)
• Water: 750 ml (always use filtered room-temperature water)
• Extraction time: 15 hours
• Extraction temperature: Fridge (5 – 8 °C)

Preparation process:

1. Weigh exactly 65 g of coffee and grind it very coarsely. If the grind is too fine, the beverage will be cloudy and bitter.
2. Pour the ground coffee into the strainer that comes with the Hario bottle.
3. Slowly pour 750 ml of filtered water over the coffee in the filter.
4. Gently stir the coffee in the strainer with a spoon to remove any dry spots.
5. Close the bottle and put it in the fridge for exactly 15 hours.
6. After the time is up, remove the filter with the coffee.

The secret to top-notch cold brew lies in water quality and grind coarseness. If you use filtered water and grind the coffee right before preparation, you will get a beverage with a clean flavor profile dominated by sweetness.

— Šimon Janík, Master Barista SR 2019

Unique homemade nitro cold brew

Do you want to take your summer refreshment to the level of top bars? Try making homemade Nitro Cold Brew. This beverage is typical for its creamy texture and cascading effect, which resembles dark beer.

All you have to do is pour the finished and chilled cold brew into a classic whipped cream siphon. Then apply a nitrous oxide (N2O) charger to the siphon. Shake the contents of the siphon well and then dispense the coffee into a glass. The gas creates micro-bubbles that give the beverage incredible smoothness and a sweet mouthfeel even without adding sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What coffee should I use for cold brew? You will achieve the best results if you use lighter roasted specialty coffee. African coffees add fruitiness and freshness to the beverage, while coffees from Central and South America bring notes of chocolate and nuts.

2. How long does finished cold brew last in the fridge? In a closed bottle or container, it will maintain its freshness and flavor profile for 7 to 10 days. However, we recommend removing the filter with coffee immediately after maceration is complete to avoid over-extraction.

3. Do I really need to grind the coffee coarsely? Yes. Too fine a grind would cause the coffee to be bitter and cloudy. A coarse grind allows the water to slowly and evenly extract the best flavors over a long period of time.

4. Is it necessary to use filtered water? Yes. Water makes up more than 98% of the beverage. Regular tap water in Bratislava is quite hard, which can suppress the subtle flavor notes of specialty coffee. Using a filter jug will significantly improve the result.

5. What is the difference between cold brew and iced coffee? Iced coffee is coffee prepared hot and then cooled with ice. Cold brew never meets hot water, thanks to which it has significantly lower acidity and a completely different flavor profile.