Smooth Cold Brew Coffee from Concentrate
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
Coarse coffee steeps in cold water for 12-24 hours, is strained through a paper filter, then diluted 1:1 with cold water over ice.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Combine. Put the coffee in the jar, pour in the 750 ml water and stir until all the grounds are wet. Wait 10 minutes for a crust to form, then stir again so nothing stays dry.
- 2
Steep. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12-24 hours; 12 hours gives a mellow brew, 24 a stronger one.
- 3
Strain. Line the sieve with the paper filter and set it over a jug. Pour the coffee through slowly, pressing the plunger first if using a cafetière, and let it drip. Don't squeeze the filter, or the brew turns cloudy and bitter. You should have about 550 ml concentrate.
- 4
Dilute and serve. Fill 4 glasses with ice and add equal parts concentrate and cold water, about 135 ml of each per glass. Top with milk if you like.
Storage
Undiluted concentrate keeps in a lidded bottle in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
1.9 g protein for 27 kcal = 7 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 28% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low energy: 9 kcal per 100 ml (limit ≤ 20 kcal)
- Low fat: 0.3 g fat per 100 ml (limit ≤ 1.5 g)
- Low sugars: 0.9 g sugars per 100 ml (limit ≤ 2.5 g)
- Low salt: 0.02 g salt per 100 ml (limit ≤ 0.3 g)
Per 100 ml of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 289 ml a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Caffeine · Free sugars
- Per serving: at least 55 mg caffeine (serving: 1 glass (about 137 ml concentrate)). Source: about 137 ml brewed per serving × USDA FDC SR Legacy #171890 (brewed coffee, 40 mg/100 g) This brew uses more coffee per ml than standard brewed coffee, so the real amount is likely higher..
- Scaling: making more servings does not change the caffeine in each serving; what counts is how many servings you drink in a day. 1 serving: 55 mg · 2 servings: 110 mg · 3 servings: 165 mg · 4 servings: 220 mg (above EFSA 200 mg at once).
- General guideline: EFSA Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015): for healthy adults, up to 200 mg in a single dose and up to 400 mg per day do not raise safety concerns. 1 serving = 14 % of 400 mg. EFSA
0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large jar or cafetière (at least 1 litre)
- long spoon
- fine sieve
- paper coffee filter
- bottle or jar with a lid, for storing
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 27 kcal |
| Protein | 1.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 2.5 g |
| of which sugars | 2.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| of which saturates | 0.7 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.07 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
7 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
