Best Coffee Beans For Cold Brew

Cold brew coffee has been growing in popularity over the years. It is a smoother, less acidic coffee drink. This might be why many people drink it even if it is cold outside. It also tends to have a sweeter flavor profile. As it grows in popularity more people want to make it home thus the reason for this blog.

I know I enjoy it even if it isn’t warm outside. As I’m typing this I am sipping on a cold brew coffee and it is chilly and rainy outside. I still enjoy a hot coffee from time to time but I definitely enjoy the smooth taste and low acidity of a cold brew coffee.

Cold brew can be found at almost all local and chain coffee shops. You can also find it at most grocery stores near the orange juice.

How is Cold Brew Coffee Made?

Cold brew is a coffee drink that is created by brewing coarsely-ground coffee beans in room temperature water or cold water for 8 to 24 hours. This is a slow and generally low-temperature brewing process. The result? A smoother, less acidic, less bitter taste. The brewing process also brings out the sweet flavors of the coffee.

Cold brew differs from iced coffee in that iced coffee is typically drip coffee poured over ice and is the same strength as regular drip coffee whereas cold brew is much stronger when it is first brewed.

Grind Size

When it comes to making cold brew coffee the best way to create the perfect batch of cold brew coffee is to ensure the grind size is coarse. Fine grounds will not yield the same smooth less acidic flavor. Using finely ground coffee beans may cause over-extraction resulting in a more acidic and bitter-tasting cold brew.

If you do decide to use fine grounds, cut the brewing time in half. The coarse grounds also help with filtering the cold brew once it is ready for consumption. I’ve found I end up with a lot less sediment when I use more coarse ground coffee beans. Yes, I initially tried to make cold brew with finely ground beans and the end result was a bit bitter and grainy.

Coffee to Water Ratio

Regular drip coffee, which is what most people drink, is anywhere from 1 part coffee to 16 or 20 parts water. On the other hand, cold brew is often 1:4 or 1:8 creating a much stronger coffee. When you make cold brew coffee you are essentially making a cold brew concentrate or coffee concentrate that needs to be mixed with something to dilute it. It can be mixed with things like water, juice, milk, or ice.

One cold brew method is using a French Press to make small batches. You can also make it using a large jar or container. The ground size and the brewing process are ultimately the most important factors to consider when making a cold brew coffee.

I typically use 6 ounces of coarsely ground coffee to 24 ounces of water (1:6 ratio). This gives me a concentrate that I can mix with water to dilute a bit.

If you would like to make a drinkable brew (not a concentrate) I would recommend a 1:8 ratio. For example, using 1 cup dry coarsely ground coffee with 24 ounces of water will yield a less concentrated cold brew coffee. I recommend you experiment to determine the best option for you.

Best Cold Brew Coffee Beans

There are a lot of recommendations out there about the best coffee beans to use for cold brew but, I think, it comes down to personal preference. Different coffees create different flavors so if someone typically prefers a darker roast vs a light roast that should be taken into consideration when choosing which coffee beans to use. As mentioned above I would recommend experimenting with different coffees.

Single Origin Coffee

One way to determine which type of coffee is the best is to try single origin coffees since they aren’t a blend you can really determine if you like the flavor. If you’re not sure where to start with below is a list of guides for different single-origin coffees:

• Costa Rican Coffee – known for lively acidity, lighter body, and smooth, sweet, floral flavors
• Mexican Coffee – range from lighter-bodied, delicate flavor to sweeter coffees with caramel, toffee, or chocolate flavors
• Colombian Coffee – range from the heavier, chocolatier coffees to jammy, sweet, fruity lots.
• Sumatra Coffee – heavy body, earthy flavor profile, and low acidity
• Honduran Coffee – typically has complex fruity quality, and lively, juicy acidity while others are a combination of darker and more caramel notes
• Brazilian Coffee – they tend to be low in acidity, heavy in body and sweet, and often have chocolate and nutty flavors
• Panamanian coffee – tend to be citrusy and floral, with a light body, and delicate and complex
• Nicaraguan coffee – complex, with fruit-like flavors and clean acidity
• Guatemalan coffee – there are lighter, sweet, and fruity coffees, but there are also heavier, richer, and more chocolatey beans

In my research, I found some people mention that lighter roasts do not produce the same flavorful coffee as medium or darker roasts. I also looked at what Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts use in their cold brew coffees.

Starbucks doesn’t list the exact blend of coffees it uses for their cold brew coffee but it has a medium-roast flavor profile. They typically use Arabica beans from Africa and Latin America. Dunkin Donuts on the other hand uses a special dark roast blend of coffee.

There is actual research going on looking at the science of the cold brew process so it is possible that more recommendations will come out after the research results are released.

Here are the top options I recommend for brewing cold brew:

1. Medium roast blend, coarse ground
2. Dark roast, coarse ground
3. Single-origin medium roast
4. Single-origin dark roast

Please note single-origin coffee is typically more expensive than coffee blends.

Another option is to buy coffee beans that are specifically made for cold brew coffee. Below are two options we’ve tried and liked.

1. Wink Coffee Cold Brew Reserve Whole Bean Coffee – it has a Smooth, Bold & Sweet with caramel and hazelnut flavors
2. Cold Brew Organic Coffee Beans, Colombian Supremo, Dark Roast – has a strong and bold taste that is well-rounded, smooth, low acidic, & full-bodied (comes in whole bean or ground)

Making the best cold brew coffee for you

Coffee is a staple for many people all over the world. Cold brew is just one delicious way to consume coffee. I will leave you with a few things to keep in mind:

1. Experiment with different types of coffee.
2. Use room temperature or slightly cold water and don’t over-infuse the grounds. Don’t go over 24 hours.
3. Determine and note the ratio of grounds to water you are using so you know if you need to dilute it or not.
4. Store your coffee properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator.