Cold brew coffee is one of the easiest things to make at home — and one of the most rewarding. It's smooth, low-acid, naturally sweet and incredibly versatile. Once you've made your first batch you'll wonder why you ever paid café prices for it.
Here's everything you need to know to make great cold brew at home in New Zealand.
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold brew is coffee that's brewed slowly in cold or room temperature water over an extended period — typically 12 to 24 hours. Unlike iced coffee, which is hot brewed coffee poured over ice, cold brew is never exposed to heat during the brewing process.
The result is a concentrate that's significantly smoother and less acidic than hot brewed coffee. The cold extraction process pulls sweetness and body from the beans without extracting the bitter compounds that heat releases. If you find hot coffee too acidic or harsh on your stomach, cold brew is worth trying.
What you need
You don't need any specialist equipment to make cold brew at home. Here's what to gather:
- A large jar, jug or container — at least 1 litre capacity
- A fine mesh strainer, cheese cloth or coffee filter paper
- A second container to strain into
- Coarsely ground coffee
- Cold or room temperature filtered water
That's it. No special cold brew maker required, though if you make it regularly a dedicated cold brew pitcher makes the process easier and cleaner.
The best coffee beans for cold brew
The best cold brew starts with the right beans. Because cold brew is typically served without milk and drunk straight or over ice, the flavour of your coffee is front and centre — there's nowhere to hide.
Light roasts work well for a sweet and fruity cold brew. Medium to dark roasts work good for a richer, stronger tasting brew. The cold brew process removes a lot of the acidity in the coffee.
Our recommendations for cold brew at MCOFFEE:
- Colombia Organic — a sweet, delicate, fruit forward roast that is beautiful to drink over ice.
- Meebz Blend — reliable, balanced and delicious cold brewed. A great starting point if you're new to making it at home
- Riviera — for those who want an intense, bold cold brew concentrate. Strong and full-flavoured
Whatever you choose, make sure your beans are freshly roasted. Stale beans produce flat, lifeless cold brew. MCOFFEE roasts daily so your beans arrive at peak freshness — browse our full cold brew range for the best options.
How to make cold brew coffee — step by step
Step 1 — Grind your coffee coarsely
Use a coarse grind — similar to raw sugar in texture. Finer grinds over-extract during the long steep and produce bitter, muddy cold brew. If you don't have a grinder, ask us to grind your beans for cold brew when you order.
Step 2 — Measure your coffee and water
A good starting ratio for cold brew concentrate is 1:4 — one part coffee to four parts water. For a standard batch use 100g of coarsely ground coffee to 400ml of water. This produces a concentrate you can dilute to taste when serving.
If you prefer ready-to-drink cold brew rather than concentrate, use a 1:8 ratio — 100g coffee to 800ml water.
Step 3 — Combine and stir
Add your ground coffee to your container and pour cold or room temperature filtered water over it. Stir gently to make sure all the grounds are saturated. Don't use boiling or warm water — the cold extraction is what makes cold brew what it is.
Step 4 — Steep
Cover your container and place it in the fridge. Steep for 12 to 24 hours. 16-18 hours is the sweet spot for most coffees — long enough to extract fully, short enough to avoid over-extraction.
A longer steep produces a stronger, more intense concentrate. A shorter steep produces something lighter and more delicate. Experiment to find what you prefer.
Step 5 — Strain
Once your steep is complete, strain the coffee through a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter paper into a clean container. This removes all the grounds and produces a clean, clear concentrate. Be patient — don't squeeze or press the grounds as this introduces bitterness.
Step 6 — Serve and store
Your cold brew concentrate is ready to drink. Serve over ice, diluted with water or milk to taste — a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to water or milk is a good starting point.
Store your cold brew in the fridge in a sealed container. It keeps well for up to two weeks, though it's best in the first 7 days.
Cold brew serving ideas
- Classic cold brew — concentrate over ice, diluted with filtered water
- Cold brew latte — concentrate with oat milk or full-fat milk over ice
- Cold brew tonic — concentrate over ice with tonic water and a slice of orange
- Cold brew martini — cold brew concentrate, vodka, coffee liqueur and ice. Shake and strain
Tips for better cold brew
Use filtered water if possible — tap water with strong flavour will come through in your cold brew. Keep your grind consistent and coarse. Don't rush the steep — patience produces better results. And always start with fresh beans.
If your cold brew tastes bitter, your grind is too fine or your steep time is too long. If it tastes weak and watery, go coarser and steep longer, or adjust your coffee to water ratio.
Ready to make your first batch? Browse MCOFFEE's range of cold brew coffee beans — freshly roasted daily in Auckland and delivered fast nationwide. And if you want your beans delivered automatically so you never run out, check out our coffee subscription and save 10% on every order.