Cold brew rewards a bold, low-acid coffee that can stand up to a long, slow steep and still taste smooth once you pour it over ice. Here’s what we recommend from our current lineup, and a simple ratio to get you started.
Our Top Picks for Cold Brew
- Brazil – Cerrado – Dark Roast – smooth and bold, with dark chocolate, walnut, and a little smokiness. A classic, reliable choice for cold brew.
- The Lake Blend – Dark Roast – dark chocolate, orange, and molasses notes that hold up beautifully over a long cold steep.
- Prospect Hill Blend – Medium Roast – roasted chestnut, caramel, and cocoa, smooth and full-bodied. A great middle-ground option if you want bold without going fully dark.
- Honduras – COMSA Marcala – Medium Roast – milk chocolate, red apple, and brown sugar. A great medium roast option if you want a smoother, less intense cold brew.
Dark, Medium, or Light: Which Is Right for Cold Brew?
Dark roast tends to taste more like “the roast” itself: bold, low-acid, and full of deep chocolate and caramel notes. That’s why it’s the most common recommendation for cold brew, especially if you’ll be adding milk or sweetener. Medium roast preserves more of the coffee bean’s own character, so it comes through a little more balanced and nuanced, and it’s a favorite for drinking cold brew black. Light roast is more of a stretch for cold brew; its higher acidity doesn’t mellow out as well over a long, slow steep, so we don’t personally recommend it for this brew method. If a light roast is the coffee you love, try a batch and see what you think.
A Simple Cold Brew Ratio
Use a coarse grind — just select the Cold Brew grind option when you order. It’s a notch coarser than French Press, which suits a long steep and makes straining easier. A French press is also a convenient option for actually making your cold brew, since its built-in plunger and mesh filter let you steep and then filter out the grounds in the same container, with no separate straining step needed.
A good starting ratio is 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee to 2½ cups of cold, filtered water. Steep in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours — closer to 24 is generally better — then strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
Dilute the concentrate with water, milk, or ice to taste. It’s strong on purpose!
For the Coffee Enthusiast: Measuring by Weight
If you have a kitchen scale and want more precision than “a cup of this, a cup of that,” try measuring by weight instead. Here are two ratios to start from, depending on how strong you like it:
| Brew Strength | Ground Coffee | Filtered Water |
|---|---|---|
| Concentrate | 50 g / 1.75 oz | 400 mL / 13.5 fl oz |
| Ready-to-Drink | 35 g / 1.25 oz | 500 mL / 17 fl oz |
The Concentrate ratio makes a stronger base meant to be diluted further before drinking, while the Ready-to-Drink ratio is meant to be enjoyed closer to as-is, maybe with just ice. Either way, pour the water over the grounds in a circular motion for even saturation, then steep for 12 to 24 hours — again, closer to 24 is generally better. Brewing temperature and steep time both affect the final flavor, so feel free to experiment and find what you like best!
Not sure which roast fits your taste? Browse our full Dark Roast selection or check our FAQ for more on grind options and freshness.